This year on the blog, we want to talk more about living well in our homes, and all the different ways that we can be happier and healthier at home. Where we have spent so much time indoors this year, this work is more important than ever. One of the easiest ways to brighten up your home and improve your surroundings is by adding plants. We have shared some of our favorite plants before, but with the dark days of winter in mind, we wanted to share an updated list that prioritizes plants that thrive in low light. Today’s list also prioritizes durable and super low-maintenance plants, to make it even easier to brighten up your home with a little greenery.

In addition to improving the look and feel of our homes, plants also help increase the oxygen and filter toxins in our air. As we have talked about in athis blog post, synthetic building materials and other chemicals are polluting our homes. Several years ago, NASA did a Clean Air Study, which has shown that many popular houseplants also filter common toxins. The plants that filter toxins are mentioned below.

ZZ Plant

The first plant on our list is both lovely to look at and incredibly hardy. This combination has made the lush ZZ Plant very popular with plant lovers. These plants are super drought tolerant, they rarely need water, and they grow well in low-light rooms. Just make sure that it is in a pot that drains, and let it dry out in between watering and this plant is good to go!

Snake Plant

The Snake Plant is another super popular, hard-to-kill plant. These plants can survive long dry spells and be completely fine. They are also one of the most tolerant plants of low-light, which is ideal for the winter months. In addition to being durable, their sleek leaves look great in modern interiors. As an added bonus, snake plants have been found to filter benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene.

Pothos

The Pothos is another very popular plant on our list, and it grows incredibly well in moderate to low light. It is very low maintenance, and does well with high humidity, making it ideal for a bathroom plant. It has also been found to filter benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene. Water it once per week, and let the soil dry out between watering.

Chinese Evergreen 

Like the ZZ plant and the Snake plant, the Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) is incredibly durable. This plant is very hard to kill, making it great for people who typically have a hard time keeping plants alive. It comes in a variety of color options, with variegated leaves in pink, yellow, red, and green. Make sure to give plenty of time to dry out between each watering.

HeartLeaf Philodendron

There are many types of philodendron out there, but we are particularly partial to the heartleaf variety. These plants are hearty, they can live in low light, and they only need water once a week. They also help keep the air in your home clean by filtering formaldehyde. It’s best to keep your philodendrons out of reach of children or pets as they are toxic to ingest.

Jewel Orchid

Orchids are commonly thought of as high-maintenance plants, but the Jewel Orchid is not nearly as fussy as its cousins. This plant, with its velvety texture and interesting patterns, adds an eye-catching element to any space. It can live in low-light conditions, and it only needs water when its soil is dry.

Additionally, there are many other plants that live well in medium to low-light conditions, including the very popular Monstera Deliciosa. For this list, we prioritized ultra low-maintenance and durable plants. The Monstera is a bit higher maintenance, but if you fertilize it regularly and keep it well watered (they hate dry soil), then you should be okay.