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Plant Wizard

Use the filters on this page to choose the indoor houseplants that will grow best in your home or office. See lists of the best low light houseplants, indoor flowering houseplants, bonsai plants, office plants, and  clean air plants. Learn which indoor houseplants are non-poisonous and safe to have around children and pets and which houseplants are poisonous.  See all plants in the database.

 

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Lighting Choose none or one
What's This?When you select “Low Light” a list of the most adaptive plants in our database appears. These plants can live in lighting conditions too low to support any other plants in our database, but will grow faster in medium and high light. Variegation (color) in the leaves is often lost in low light. A plant in low light needs less water and fertilizer than the same plant in better light. Place a low-light plant within 2-3 ft. of a window with a northern exposure, 3-5 ft. of a window with an eastern exposure, 4-10 ft. of a window with a western exposure, and 10-18ft. of a window with a southern exposure. A low light area has between 50-150 ft. candles of light. The best low light house plants are: Chinese Evergreen, Dracaena Janet Craig, Peace Lily, Heart leaf Philodendron.
Low Light
What's This?Any plant that can grow in low light grows even better in medium light, so both low and medium light plants appear on this list. To benefit from medium light, a plant should be placed directly in front of a window with a northern exposure, within 1-3 ft. of a window with an eastern exposure, 2-5ft. of a window with a western exposure, and 3-10ft. of a window with a southern exposure. Medium light is an area having between 150-300 ft. candles of light.
Medium Light
What's This?Very few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light.
High Light
Ease of Care Choose none or one
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Plant Types Choose none, one, or more
What's This?Bonsai is an artistic method of growing plants and trees in small containers; the technique originated in Asia hundreds of years ago. Bonsai literally means tray planting. The object of a Bonsai Plan is to create an artistic combination of plant and container so that the shape, color, and texture of each complement the other. Of all the thousands of varieties of plants and trees, very few can be used successfully as a Bonsai Plant. A Bonsai Plant can be tiny (1"), small (5-10"), medium (up to 16"), medium to large (16-24"), and large (24-40"). A Bonsai Plant is kept small and true to its original form by pruning branches, root reduction, periodic re-potting, pinching off inappropriate new growth, leaf removal, and by wiring the branches and trunk so that they grow into the desired shape. The goal of a Bonsai Plant is to create a small specimen plant arrangement that mirrors the large original found in nature. Some of the best indoor plants and trees to use as a Bonsai Plant are: Alocasia, Anthurium, Aralias, Azaleas, Ficus, Fuscia, Gardenias, Hawaiian Schefflera, Hibiscus, Jade, Jasmine, Money Tree, Norfolk Pine, Podacarpus, Pony Tail Palms, Sago Palms, and Schefflera.
Bonsai
What's This?A study sponsored by NASA concluded that houseplants are able to clean the air of harmful chemical toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. We have known for quite a while that plants remove carbon dioxide from the air and add oxygen, now we know that plants also remove air born pollutants that come from carpets, paint, copy machines, manufactured wood products, pesticides, upholstery, laminated counters, plastic wallpaper, detergents and even paper towels. Biologic air-born contaminants such as pollen, mold, bacteria, and viruses grow in humidifiers, air conditioners, ducts, carpets, ceilings, & tiles. New energy efficient buildings, which are better insulated than older buildings and furnished with more synthetic products, have greater air quality problems than older drafty buildings. The new & better construction helps conserve heating and air conditioning, but also traps toxic gases & prevents them from escaping. This problem has been given the name “sick building syndrome.” People working or living in areas where the air is stale and the circulation poor, may experience headaches, nausea, fatigue, sore throat, and eye irritation. NASA recommends using one plant per 100 sq. ft to clean the air. The best clean air plants are: Bamboo Palm, Peace Lily, Ivy, Pothos, Dracaenas, Spider, Chinese Evergreen, Snake Plant, Mum, Gerber Daisy.    
Clean Air Plant
Floor
Flowering
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Special Occasion
Table
Office Plant Choose none or one
Office Plant
Toxicity Choose none or one
Non-Poisonous
What's This?They can be eye-catching, breathtaking, or even useful—a simple and beautiful way to bring a bit of nature indoors. Houseplants are a staple of interior decorating and for good reason. But did you know many of these common indoor plants may pose hidden dangers to children or pets, from vomiting and diarrhea, to convulsions or even death? In Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat! plant care professional Judy Feldstein shares information about twenty-five common houseplants, each with various levels of toxicity, and the possible consequences of their ingestion. In this comprehensive and clearly illustrated guide, you’ll find out why kissing under the mistletoe is fine, but snacking on it isn’t—and how plant placement can be just as important as baby gates and hiding household chemicals when babyproofing your house. So before tempting your cat with a tantalizing California ivy or placing a heart leaf philodendron within baby’s reach, be sure to consult this helpful book for advice. With detailed descriptions, valuable care tips, and a thorough plant glossary, Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat! is a must-read for parents, pet lovers, and plant hobbyists everywhere.    
Poisonous
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