Easy houseplants for beginners: low-light plants that are hard to kill

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If every plant you have bought has slowly died on a windowsill, the problem is rarely you. Most beginners pick plants that need more light than their home gets, or water them too often out of kindness. Start with a few forgiving plants, learn their rhythm, and work up from there.

Four easy plants for darker rooms

No plant grows in darkness, but these tolerate lower light than most and forgive missed waterings.

Snake plant (Sansevieria, now classed as Dracaena): upright, stiff, sword-like leaves. Copes with low light and long gaps between watering. The commonest way to kill it is overwatering.
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia): glossy leaves on arching stems, growing from fleshy underground rhizomes that store water. Very drought-tolerant; grows slowly in low light.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum, also called devil's ivy): trailing vine that grows quickly, looks good on a shelf or in a hanging pot, and droops visibly when thirsty, which makes it a useful teacher.
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum): dark green leaves and white flowers. Tolerates shade, though it flowers more in brighter spots. It also wilts dramatically when dry and perks up after a drink.

Light

"Low light" means a room with a window, a few metres away from it, not a windowless bathroom.
Bright indirect light, near a window but out of hours of harsh direct sun, suits all four and makes them grow faster.
Signs of too little light: leggy stems stretching toward the window, smaller new leaves, variegated leaves turning plain green.
Signs of too much direct sun: pale or scorched patches on the leaves.
Turn pots now and then so they grow evenly.

Watering

Overwatering kills far more houseplants than neglect.

Water when the top few centimetres of compost are dry: push a finger in to check. For snake plants and ZZ plants, let most of the pot dry out.
Water thoroughly until it runs out of the drainage holes, then empty the saucer. Never leave a pot standing in water.
Use pots with drainage holes. A decorative pot without holes can be used as an outer sleeve.
Water less in winter, when growth slows and light is weaker.
Yellowing, soft or mushy leaves and a sour smell usually mean too much water. Crispy brown tips can mean too little water or dry air.

Repotting

Most houseplants are happy slightly root-bound. Repot when roots grow out of the drainage holes or circle the pot, or the plant dries out within a day or two of watering.
Spring and early summer are the best times.
Move up only one pot size (a few centimetres wider). A pot that is much too large holds wet compost around the roots.
Use a general houseplant compost; add some grit or perlite for snake plants and ZZ plants.

Feeding and cleaning

Feed with a diluted houseplant fertiliser during the growing season, following the label. Skip it in winter.
Wipe dust off leaves with a damp cloth so they can use the light they get.

Pets: a warning

All four plants in this guide are a risk to cats and dogs if chewed. The ASPCA lists golden pothos and peace lily as toxic to dogs and cats because of insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which irritate the mouth and can cause drooling and vomiting. It lists snake plant (mother-in-law's tongue) as containing saponins, which can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. ZZ plant also contains calcium oxalates and is widely listed as harmful to pets. Keep them out of reach, or choose plants listed as non-toxic.

Do not confuse peace lilies with true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis). True lilies are extremely dangerous to cats, and even small amounts can cause kidney failure.
Check any plant against the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant list, and contact a vet straight away if you think your pet has eaten something harmful.
These plants can also irritate the mouth if a small child chews them, so keep them out of reach of young children too.

Which plant survived your care, or which one never made it? Share your successes and ask for help with a struggling plant in the comments.