We’ve all been spending copious amounts of time in our apartments, especially in the pandemic, and taken up well-meaning but misguided hobbies – looking at you Marie Kondo-ing and bad baking. However, if you’re like us, you decided that being a plant parent was your thing because green things around your apartment would squeeze out a few molecules of serotonin and create oxygen, or something like that.
We’re not sure if our thinking was correct, but then began the plant hoarding – so we’ve put together a list of all the plants that are best suited for apartment living in New York City.
Our perennial (good heavens, the puns) favorite are pothos, as they can be planted or tended to indoors quickly, and they proliferate. They usually like bright and indirect light but can thrive in minimal sunlight or fluorescent lighting. They do like high humidity and have particular watering needs, and you can plant them in a range of soils. Beware, though, as they are toxic to pets. You might also like Boston Ferns, as they release a lot of moisture into the air, and purify the air while doing so. They look great, are easy to tend to, but require frequent misting and indirect sunlight exposure.
Another recommendation we have is the spider plant, as it is a natural air cleaner and requires exceptionally low maintenance, ideal if you’re a first-time plant owner. You can water spider plants often, put them in low, indirect light, and non-toxic to animals, which is a win if you’ve got a dog who believes he’s a rabbit….not that we would know or anything.
If you prefer your plants to be aesthetically pleasing AND functional, you’ll love aloe vera. Not only does it filter out chemicals and toxins, but it also soothes burns and skin irritations and is excellent in your kitchen or bathroom. It prefers bright, indirect sunlight, moderate temperatures, minimal care, and water and does not like temperatures warmer than 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, some of you may like flowering plants, and we suggest African violets. These aesthetically pleasing flowers thrive at room temperatures, and brighten up any room, and only need to be watered once a week. Other flowering alternatives also include orchids and peace lilies – although you need to fully understand how to take care of orchids first, and lilies also tolerate low light, release moisture into the air, and purify the air.
If you still feel like your bandwidth for taking care of a plant is virtually nothing, succulents and cacti might be for you. They both virtually need no water, and can survive in all sorts of climates, and if you have an open window with some sunlight, you’ll be good to go. A similar plant that falls into this category is the ZZ Plant, as it stores a ton of water, and it’s easy to take care of if you tend to not spend as much time in your apartment.
We hope this has inspired you to start investing in your own plants to brighten up your NYC space! Let us know what have you found to be the best plants for Your NYC apartment?