Sometimes you don’t realize that you’ve been missing something in your life until you have it. In the HiConsumption office – that something has been indoor plants.
Cacti, succulents, leafy plants, you name it and we either have them here or at our respective apartments. It’s hard to really capture why something as simple as a plant could change up a desk or studio. One guess has something to do with a natural appeal of bringing something organic into a more built environment, another maybe regarding the appeal of bringing color and seasonality indoors, and finally, there is the simple appeal of taking care of something. That routine of watering a plant, seeing it grow, and reaping the benefits of that growth can be both calming and rewarding. If you don’t know what you’re doing, however, it can just be a real pain. So with that said, we assembled this list of best indoor plants for men in an attempt to bring attention to some easy to care for plants that fit great in just about any setting.
Leafy Plants
These are the classics. The plants that don’t demand your attention when you walk in the room but all the same add a bit of life to a space. Yet for all the color they bring, these are not going to require a whole lot of focus and attention. With these plants in your house, you can head out of town for a week without worrying about trying to get your neighbor to take care of them.
Spider Plant
One of the more malleable and bachelor-proof plants out there, the spider plant can thrive in a wide variety of conditions. It can easily work as a potted or hanging plant. It does best when given bright but indirect light, and prefers well-drained soil that is allowed to dry between waterings. When taken care of, this plant will produce little ‘pups’ that can be replanted and grow into full-sized spider plants.
Wax Plant
This tropical indoor plant can grow enormous if allowed to. It gets the name ‘wax plant’ due in part the waxy shiny quality of the leaves, and the porcelain-like fragrant flower that blooms from it. In order to keep this plant happy and healthy it needs medium to bright indirect light, and generally speaking, when it comes to watering, less frequently is the way to go. Waiting until the leaves are slightly puckered is not a bad suggestion either.
Snake Plant
If you are looking to keep the air in your home nice and clean, the snake plant is a great option. According to the NASA Clean Air Study, the plant is able reduce chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene in the air. To top that off, the Snake Plant is incredibly easy to care for as well. It doesn’t require a whole lot of light, nor does it need frequent watering.
ZZ Plant
No long beards here. Just a solid indoor plant that is as simple to grow as it can get. Given the kind of polished look of the leaves on this plant, they’re sometimes mistaken for fake, but it’s just a natural feature of the ZZ. You’re more likely to kill it by overwatering than by under-watering, so it is best to only give it a little bit of H2O when the soil is dry.
Boston Fern
While the other plants in this section have been tough and resilient, the Boston Fern falls closer to the other end of the spectrum. This hanging plant thrives in high humidity environments (here is to you, Northeastern summers) and requires a misting at least a couple times a week to keep the soil nice and moist.
Cast Iron Plant
A big attractive leafy plant, this is great for filling out corners in the office or apartment. Named in part because of it’s resilience to forgetful owners or brown-thumbs, it requires little water and can do well in low light.
Succulents and Air Plants
We’ll admit it. Being located in a desert environment has influenced us a bit when it comes to the selection of our plants. It is hard not to be fond of succulents or air plants living in a dry environment. They thrive in moistureless environments and due in part to their small size, they make both great desk-mates or easy additions to the shelves or tables around your house.
Zebra Plant
A striking little plant originating from South Africa, this guy enjoys fast-draining soil, and due to its hardy nature, can be watered only once every two weeks. It’ll do best with bright, but indirect light so be sure to keep it away from windows that get direct light throughout the day.
Red Ionantha
Common misconception about air-plants; they still need to be watered. Not that often, though. Just soak them in water for half an hour to a full hour and it’ll be good to go for a few days. Given the small size of this plant, they’re usually best suited or either laid out on top of potted plants, or alongside succulents or cacti.
Large Circanta
A more sturdy and solid plant than the Ionontha, the Circanta can grow much larger, and can easily sit on its own on a shelf or pot. All this plant needs is a soak for about 30 minutes once a week and consistent but indirect light.
Sedum Hybrid Burrito
Not only does this plant have an amazing name, but it looks great arranged with other succulents. While it grows slowly, it can get to be as long as four inches, and when bunched with others it can easily fill a hanging planter or pot. To keep it healthy and happy it requires watering every two weeks and consistent bright light.
Paddle Plant
The Paddle Plant is as colorful as it is simple. Featuring deep greens and reds, it can command attention even in a pot by itself. Like others on this list, it does best in a pot that is well drained, watered once a week, and placed in an area that gets bright light and at times direct sun.
Large Xerographica
An admittedly alien looking plant, the Large Xerographica requires surprisingly low maintenance and can sit easily in the middle of a table without looking too small. It only needs to be watered once every couple of weeks by soaking. Just make sure you shake it off plenty after wards and you can set it back down wherever is well lit and ventilated.
Agave
We all love drinking it, so why not grow it? These plants may start out small but they can grow to be surprisingly large. Just be sure to provide them with a pot with gritty easily draining soil and to water it once every two weeks. It is also best to keep these out of the dark as they thrive in full sunlight.
Cacti
While they may not seem like the most attractive plants to place around your home or office, the otherworldly qualities of cacti can add something both colorful and tough to whatever room you put them in. While not for everyone, those who do enjoy buying and potting cacti cite the aggressive, sharp, and remarkably bright qualities of the plant as reasons why they keep them. Another great reason for keeping cacti? They’re from the desert. If they can survive that then they can handle some accidental neglect.
Opuntia Microdasys
If you were to ask someone to sketch a cactus, they’ll likely draw something up that looks like the Opuntia Microdasys. Small and tough, this plant can be watered less frequently than most. Be sure to keep it in a well-lit area though to ensure it stays healthy.
Golden Barrel Cactus
Thanks to a combination of a green body with yellow stickers this plant can really stand out either when potted with others or by itself. While it hails from tougher environments, you’ll want to make sure you keep it out of direct light for the entire day seeing as it can get sunburned. While these start small and grow slowly, if provided with enough care and attention they can grow as tall as 60 inches.
Corphantha Werdermannii
What endeared us to the Corphantha Werdermannii is its thick armor of snow white spikes. They make for a truly unique and attractive plant that sets itself apart from others. To keep this thriving, it’s best to let the plant set in a tougher soil that drains well,and to put it in a well-lit area but protected from direct sun.
Desert Gem Cactus
If you want the look of a cactus but aren’t quite in love with the tougher and simpler colors they offer, the desert gem cactus is what you should go for. It is both easy to grow and boasts bright vibrant colors that you wouldn’t expect to see in daily life. They come in a variety of different colors – and work perfectly on your desk or potted with other plants.
Cereus Perucianus
If you are looking for something much more than a deskmate when it comes to cacti, it’s worth considering the Cereus Peruianus. A large, sunlight loving cactus that can grow up to three feet indoors and 30 feet in the wild, it’s perfect for setting on the floor of an apartment. Despite its size, watering is easy. Just be sure to plant it in a fast-draining pot and provide it with water only when the soil is dry to the touch.
