I am new to keeping house plants and already have a nice bunch, but am definitely looking to add more overtime. What are your favorite plants or suggestions for beginners?

Some plants that people claim are easy keepers end up being tough to take care of. It depends on your growing conditions and how much of a helicopter plant parent you are.

ZZ plants can be easy to care for, but is overwatered easily. I've got mine on a once every 2 months schedule currently.

Cactus are always awesome. They even have mini ones with no spines. I love my Ming Thing because it actually doesn't like direct sun.

Crown of Thorns are awesome, and the thorns are more soft than pokey. They bloom and bloom and bloom. My yellow crown of thorns has been blooming almost continuously since October.

Jade plants are popular houseplants for a good reason. I love my dwarf jade.

Most philodendrons are pretty easy to figure out.

Peperomia are great, especially the ones with big leaves. I find the small leaf varieties, like caperata, are easy to kill. But, obtusifolia (Baby Rubber Plant) and clusiifolia 'Ginny' are both beautiful and easy care lower light plants that tolerate a bit of neglect well.

Hoyas. Especially carnosa, lacunosa, wayetii, and australis. They actually don't appreciate being repotted and you can forget to fertilize them for the next few decades without negative effects.

Air plants are simpler than the care guides suggest and there isn't any soil to mess with.

*sheepish*

Welcome!
Yes, long term results do depend on your conditions and how you usually treat your plants.
Assuming your plants have low to medium light like most homes, and that you tend to water more frequently than needed, like most people who ask questions here seem to-- I would say Peace lily is easy.
I do like Peperomia obtusifolia, found it easy and tolerated a few different placements.
Aglaonema is pretty tough. The old green or green/silver ones, not the new red/pink ones.
Parlor palm has been easy for me.
Dracaena braunii- what is sold as lucky bamboo.

Yes, if you have bright light/sunny windowsill, succulents can be great. If not bright enough, like mine in winter, they may grow differently (stretched out)

What do you already have?

I find snake plants (sansevierria) to be bulletproof. I also like aloes. I have had several cactus for many years- got them because my cats leave them totally alone. ;) Succulents are pretty forgiving about forgetting to water. Also rubber trees.
As long as you don't stick them in a miserably DARK corner, or in a pot with no drainage and then overwater, there are many plants good for 'beginners'.

Tradescantia zebrina is a great beginner plant, as well. It has the advantage of being colourful, which many medium-light 'easy keepers' aren't. It roots so easily from cuttings that even death is a minor obstacle. If mine ever starts looking a little sad I just chop it up and start again. The success rate for cuttings stuck right into the soil is near 100%. Places like Home Depot sell them and they're usually cheap. I think I got mine for about $4CDN and it's since spread many offspring to sister offices and coworkers' homes.

Schlumbergeras are great, too. (Thanksgiving cactus, in particular.) They are unfussy and produce showy flowers reliably, so long as they experience a natural variation in light across the seasons. Nurseries usually start selling them around November, but they root so easily from cuttings that you might be able to get one for free from a friend. Just make sure you let the cut part callus over before planting it.

Most other succulents are great beginner plants IF you have strong light and the discipline to avoid overwatering. Because my apartment lacks south-facing windows, none of my windows are bright enough to keep them happy unless I supplement with a grow light.

sallyg said:Welcome!
Yes, long term results do depend on your conditions and how you usually treat your plants.
Assuming your plants have low to medium light like most homes, and that you tend to water more frequently than needed, like most people who ask questions here seem to-- I would say Peace lily is easy.
I do like Peperomia obtusifolia, found it easy and tolerated a few different placements.
Aglaonema is pretty tough. The old green or green/silver ones, not the new red/pink ones.
Parlor palm has been easy for me.
Dracaena braunii- what is sold as lucky bamboo.

Yes, if you have bright light/sunny windowsill, succulents can be great. If not bright enough, like mine in winter, they may grow differently (stretched out)

What do you already have?

Thank you for the suggestions! I have all my plants in a window that gets medium light most of the day and high but indirect light for a few hours towards the end of the day. I currently have a candle succulent, a gasteria, tradescantia nanouk propogations, a mix of sedum succulents, pink polka dot plant, prayer plant, and pothos. I have only had them for a week or two so they are doing well but we will see in a few more weeks.

ignova said:Tradescantia zebrina is a great beginner plant, as well. It has the advantage of being colourful, which many medium-light 'easy keepers' aren't. It roots so easily from cuttings that even death is a minor obstacle. If mine ever starts looking a little sad I just chop it up and start again. The success rate for cuttings stuck right into the soil is near 100%. Places like Home Depot sell them and they're usually cheap. I think I got mine for about $4CDN and it's since spread many offspring to sister offices and coworkers' homes.

Schlumbergeras are great, too. (Thanksgiving cactus, in particular.) They are unfussy and produce showy flowers reliably, so long as they experience a natural variation in light across the seasons. Nurseries usually start selling them around November, but they root so easily from cuttings that you might be able to get one for free from a friend. Just make sure you let the cut part callus over before planting it.

Most other succulents are great beginner plants IF you have strong light and the discipline to avoid overwatering. Because my apartment lacks south-facing windows, none of my windows are bright enough to keep them happy unless I supplement with a grow light.

I have my succulents in a west facing window, do you think this is okay? I get decent light throughout the day and bright but indirect light for a few hours towards the end of the day.
I have a pink tradescantia nanouk, I will look at the zebrina too! So far loving the tradescantia because it has propagated super easily. Would love to get more variations of this plant! Thanks for the suggestions and advice.

hlutzow said:Some plants that people claim are easy keepers end up being tough to take care of. It depends on your growing conditions and how much of a helicopter plant parent you are.

ZZ plants can be easy to care for, but is overwatered easily. I've got mine on a once every 2 months schedule currently.

Cactus are always awesome. They even have mini ones with no spines. I love my Ming Thing because it actually doesn't like direct sun.

Crown of Thorns are awesome, and the thorns are more soft than pokey. They bloom and bloom and bloom. My yellow crown of thorns has been blooming almost continuously since October.

Jade plants are popular houseplants for a good reason. I love my dwarf jade.

Most philodendrons are pretty easy to figure out.

Peperomia are great, especially the ones with big leaves. I find the small leaf varieties, like caperata, are easy to kill. But, obtusifolia (Baby Rubber Plant) and clusiifolia 'Ginny' are both beautiful and easy care lower light plants that tolerate a bit of neglect well.

Hoyas. Especially carnosa, lacunosa, wayetii, and australis. They actually don't appreciate being repotted and you can forget to fertilize them for the next few decades without negative effects.

Air plants are simpler than the care guides suggest and there isn't any soil to mess with.

I have thought about air plants because they seem really simple! But I do love the brighter leaves and more variation of plants in soil. I will look into jade plant care more. My mom has one I can maybe propagate a new plant from. Thank you for the recommendations.

swilce said:
I have my succulents in a west facing window, do you think this is okay? I get decent light throughout the day and bright but indirect light for a few hours towards the end of the day.

Each home will be different. For some people this will be fine. The best way to be sure is to use some form of light meter. There are free ones you can download for your phone. The absolute accuracy of these is not great, but if you check your measurements against e.g. full sun outside you can get a decent idea of how much light you have. You could also just try growing plants and see what happens. If your plants start getting stretched out and weak-looking (i.e. etiolated) then you know they're not getting enough light.

ignova said:

Each home will be different. For some people this will be fine. The best way to be sure is to use some form of light meter. There are free ones you can download for your phone. The absolute accuracy of these is not great, but if you check your measurements against e.g. full sun outside you can get a decent idea of how much light you have. You could also just try growing plants and see what happens. If your plants start getting stretched out and weak-looking (i.e. etiolated) then you know they're not getting enough light.

Thank you! This was helpful

ignova said:

Each home will be different. For some people this will be fine. The best way to be sure is to use some form of light meter. There are free ones you can download for your phone. The absolute accuracy of these is not great, but if you check your measurements against e.g. full sun outside you can get a decent idea of how much light you have. You could also just try growing plants and see what happens. If your plants start getting stretched out and weak-looking (i.e. etiolated) then you know they're not getting enough light.

I usually default to the trial and error method.