Getting started with houseplants can be tricky to do, particularly if you’ve never done much in the way of gardening before. Looking after multiple plants might seem time consuming and stressful, but that’s not necessarily the case. There are some low maintenance, easy to care for plants that would make great selections for starting an indoor jungle. A little bit of research can go a long way toward helping you figure out what plants would work best for you, so we’ve put together a short list of easy-to-care-for plants as well as some helpful tips about them all. 

Monstera

Monstera Deliciosa is famed for being one of the most iconic and most popular houseplants in the world, and this is for a couple reasons:

• The Monstera is easy to care for. As long as it has a lot of light and a correct watering schedule, it will grow well.
• It fits in perfectly with almost any kind of interior decorating design.
• It can grow to be quite large without being high maintenance.

This beautiful plant can become a lovely addition to any home, and with a few years of proper care it can grow to become a lovely botanical centerpiece in whatever room it is placed in. The Monstera is a staple of many Australian households precisely because it is easy to care for and wonderful to look at!

Giant Bird of Paradise

One of the most striking indoor houseplants is the Giant Bird of Paradise due to its large tropical leaves and considerable height (they can grow to be anywhere from 3 to 8 feet indoors!). 

A Bird of Paradise plant needs to be in a location that’s not near any drafts or air vents. Additionally, this houseplant requires a LOT of sunlight – at least four hours of eastern, western, or southern sunlight exposure. While these plants can exist on medium light exposure, they will not truly thrive without sufficient bright light exposure. 

The Bird of Paradise also thrives in moist soil, but be sure to keep it from getting soggy. It should also be allowed to dry out between waterings, and overwatering should be avoided.

Philodendron Micans

Another popular houseplant, the Philodendron Micans has gorgeous deep green, heart-shaped velvety leaves that give it a luxe look. It’s a plant that will immediately draw attention given how beautiful it is!

This plant is also well known for the way it grows in a trailing manner, and for that reason it looks fantastic in a hanging planter or even growing up trellises or climbing poles. In addition to its stunning looks, the Philodendron Micans is considered to be low maintenance and easy to grow. It likes bright but indirect sunlight, well drained soil, and regular watering. 

Golden Pothos

The Golden Pothos is widely considered to be one of the easiest houseplants to grow, making it a great starter plant for an indoor jungle. It’s also a very handsome plant as it has trailing vines and pointed, heart-shaped green leaves, and in some cases the leaves will have pale green, yellow, or white striations. 

The Golden Pothos is a quick grower and can be planted indoors no matter the time of year. It’s quick growth (up to 12 to 18 inches in a single month!) makes it a popular choice for decorative vine growth up walls or around picture frames. 

Peperomia Watermelon

In addition to being easy to look after, the Peperomia Watermelon is a popular houseplant choice simply because of how cute it is. It has incredibly attractive leaves, which are fairly large given the plant size (up to 12 inches tall), and the leaves are oval shaped and have a striking mixture of silver and green stripes. The overall effect of the bushy rosette presentation of the leaves is a lovely one, making this plant a perfect botanical showcase for any room in the house. 

Peperomia Watermelon does not do well next to drafts, air vents, or any other source of cool air. Overwatering must be avoided and it also needs plenty of sunlight. 

Growing Tips

All of the plants mentioned here are low maintenance and do not need to be watered overly often – once a week in the summer and every fortnight in the winter will be enough. A very useful watering tip to follow is to put the plant in its plastic planter to a ceramic pot that is without holes. When watering the plant, just take the plant in its plastic planter to the sink or the shower and let the water drain through it. If you leave it standing in sitting water it will lead to over-watering, which in turn will result in root rot and eventually the death of the entire plant. 

These plants should be fertilised every spring and summer (as per the fertiliser directions), and a good rule of thumb is to dilute the fertiliser a bit more than the instructions usually recommend. 

Other Indoor Jungle Additions

Once you’ve gotten your indoor jungle established and have a bit of experience under your belt, there are some other great plants you can consider to add to your jungle, such as the Crocodyllus Fern offered by Bloominbee and the Calathea Freddie sold by Bosque.

As long as you have the room and enough access to sunlight, you can add as many plants as you want to your indoor jungle, adding vibrancy and the soothing essence of nature to your home.