The 50 Best Plants to Grow Indoors
By: Pure Greens Arizona Llc
Tags: Plants, Growing, Indoor Plants, Indoor Farming

If you’ve ever wanted to tend a garden but don’t have appropriate outdoor space to do so, don’t worry.

There are plenty of plants you can easily grow indoors.

No experience required.

This massive list of the 50 BEST plants to grow indoors covers everything from fruits, flowers, houseplants, veggies and herbs.

Plus, you’ll find plants that work for different indoor setups, whether you’re growing in containers or hydroponic systems, with windows or with grow lights.

1. African Violets

African violets are almost always grown indoors in North America because their leaves need to stay dry.

Keep the soil about as damp, as a squeezed-out sponge, using room temperature water.

Additionally, be sure to keep the leaves and flowers dry to avoid spotting.

These tropical flowers come in vibrant shades of purple, red, blue, pink and white.

For the best flower, color and bloom, grow an African violet in bright, indirect sunlight or under artificial light.

2. Anise Hyssop

Anise hyssop is known for its licorice flavor, but did you know it’s great for indoor gardens?

This flowering herb is fragile, even strong winds will damage it.

That’s why it grows so well indoors!

Whether you choose to grow it hydroponically or in a pot, it’s best to sow the seeds directly in its permanent home, as transplanting can damage it.

Harvest, store, and dry the seeds for later use.

3. Anthurium

The anthurium’s beautiful, colored petals are actually leaves!

These plants are great for growing indoors because they tolerate all levels of indirect light.

However, you should keep in mind that the lower the light, the slower it will grow.

Plus, anthuriums are susceptible to sunburn if left in direct sunlight.

Water your anthurium when soil is dry to the touch, but don’t leave too much time between watering, as the roots can be difficult to rewet.

4. Arugula

When grown indoors, arugula is harvestable all year.

With a south facing window that gets full sun for at least four hours a day, you can grow it without the help of grow lights!

Otherwise, you need only give your arugula 10 to 14 hours of artificial light per day.

As a leafy green, arugula grows well in hydroponic systems as well as soil containers.

This plant grows quickly — harvest when it’s about 6 inches tall, usually within six weeks of planting.

5. Basil

Basil is another fast-growing crop that becomes harvestable year-round when grown indoors.

It also does well for both hydroponic and soil growing.

For basil, you’ll almost always want to provide artificial lighting, at the very least to supplement natural light.

In general, basil requires a bit of pruning for harvesting and maintaining the health of the plant.

For more information on growing basil, read our article “Foolproof Advice For Keeping Your Basil Healthy.”

6. Bird’s Nest Fern

Bird’s Nest Ferns are the perfect decoration for well-lit bathrooms.

This houseplant thrives in warm and humid environments, so the steam from a hot shower will do wonders for the fern.

These plants prefer indirect light, growing in the shade of trees in nature.

It also works as an air purifier, filtering benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene out of the air.

Plus, it’s not toxic to pets, so you won’t have to worry about your furry friends ingesting one of its leaves.

7. Borage

Borage, also known as starflower, is a flowering herb.

It’s most commonly used to add a cucumber flavor in food and beverages or in medicines to treat various skin disorders.

This herb grows well in hydroponic systems with plenty of artificial light.

It also makes for a beautiful ornamental plant, but it will need a deep container for it’s long roots.

Borage grows best if directly seeded rather than transplanted, as it’s roots become pot bound quickly.

8. Burro’s Tail

This houseplant grows best when ignored.

As a succulent, the burro’s tail is particularly tolerant to dry climate and droughts.

You’ll want to water it carefully, as excess water will rot the roots.

In fact, burro’s tails only need to be watered once a month.

This plant thrives in bright, direct sunlight, making it suited to window growing.

9. Calathea

Calatheas stand out from other plants with their maroon and green leaves.

It’s a popular choice for homes and offices because they thrive in low light environments.

In fact, it’s best to place your calathea away from any direct sunlight.

These plants prefer humid environments and being evenly watered.

As a result, be sure to keep the soil moist, but not wet, and avoid letting it dry out.

10. Carrots

Growing carrots in containers is even easier than growing them in the ground!

Baby carrots will thrive in almost any sized containers, but bigger varieties will need enough room to stretch down into the soil.

With proper sun exposure, a carrot plant won’t even need artificial light.

However, this crop does need some special attention paid to it’s watering schedule.

Keep the soil constantly moist and use a liquid fertilizer every two weeks.

11. Celery

Recycle the chopped off base of store-bought stalks of celery to grow your own plants!

Simply, place the base of the celery in small saucer warm water near a sunny window.

After about a week, little leaves should start growing out of the center.

Place it into a pot, and cover everything but the leaves with potting soil.

Water it thoroughly and keep the water damp as it grows.

12. Chervil

Chervil, related to parsley, is another easy herb you can grow indoors.

This fine herb doesn’t stand up to heat too well, making it better suited for indoor growing in warm climates or during summer.

When planting chervil, be sure to start it in it’s permanent container as it doesn’t transplant easily.

These plants grow to be, one to two feet tall and benefit from frequent clippings.

If your plants are producing seeds too quickly, you can prolong its life by reducing the amount of light it gets.

13. Chinese Evergreen

Though the Chinese evergreen originates in tropical climates, it’s incredibly resilient to drought, dry air, and poor light.

It’s so easy to grow it’s extremely popular as a houseplant.

Chinese evergreens thrive in low to medium light with moderate watering.

Allow the soil to dry out some, but not completely, before watering again.

Though younger plants are beautiful on their own, older plants will kick it up a notch by producing flowerlike leaves.

14. Chives

Grow chives in, or near your kitchen, for easy instant access, to fresh herbs in your cooking.

This plant needs six to eight hours of full sunlight, so supplement with artificial light if needed.

Chives prefer humid climates, if that matches your situation great!

If not, grow it with other plants, use a humidifier, or regularly mist it to increase humidity.

Chives don’t need to be watered too frequently, so you should do so when the surface soil is dry to the touch.

15. Christmas Cactus

Put your stereotypes of sharp spines away for this cactus.

Christmas cactuses don’t have spines, instead they have flat, fleshy stems.

It gets its name from its brightly colored pink flowers, which bloom in winter.

It prefers a bit more water than most succulents, but it recovers quickly from dry periods.

Give the Christmas cactus 10 hours of bright, indirect sunlight each day to ensure beautiful blooms.

16. Cilantro

Cilantro is a bit harder to grow indoors than it is outdoors, but the extra effort is greatly rewarded.

Give your cilantro plants a container with plenty of drainage.

It thrives with deep watering versus frequent watering.

As a result, be sure to water until it seeps out of the drainage holes and then allow the soil to dry before doing so again.

Supplement a few hours of sunlight with grow lights for best results.

17. Dill

Did you know dill has been cultivated for at least five centuries?

Plus, growing it indoors is so easy that it’s one of the more popular indoor crops.

Dill grows well in both containers and hydroponic systems.

It does best when planted from seed and not transplanted.

Be sure to give it at least six hours of direct sunlight, or 12 hours of artificial light.

18. Dracaena

The dracaena is a low-maintenance, easy-going plant.

It easily adapts to different levels of lighting, though it prefers indirect sunlight.

Dracaenas grow tall, reaching 6 to 10 feet in height, but pruning can keep them under control.

Different dracaenas will come with different benefits.

Some variations excel at air purification and others are more resilient, so match the type to your needs.

19. Kale

In addition to making for a popular salad addition, kale is a popular crop for indoor farmers.

Kale grows very well in hydroponic systems, taking as little as nine weeks to be ready for harvest from seed.

Its nutrient needs are very similar to other leafy greens, so it can be easily grown with other salad greens in one system.

Keep in mind, it needs a bit more light, than some of the other plants we’ve mentioned so far.

Be sure to provide it with ample artificial light.

20. Leaf Lettuce

Like kale, leaf lettuce grows particularly well in hydroponic systems.

You don’t even need fancy equipment to grow leaf lettuce hydroponically — a simple DIY setup should suffice.

Compared to other varieties, the best part about growing leaf lettuce, is that you can continue to harvest its leaves, rather than having to harvest a head at a time.

Like kale, provide it with plenty of artificial light.

You can also grow leaf lettuce in containers by keeping the soil moist.

21. Lucky Bamboo

This small houseplant is nearly indestructible, so it’s perfect for growing indoors.

Lucky bamboo often has its stems manipulated into spirals or shapes while it’s young for decorative purposes.

These plants are more tolerant of too much light than too little, so be sure to give it ample sun or artificial light.

Lucky bamboo doesn’t even need soil to grow, and it requires very infrequent fertilizing.

Grow it with pebbles, filtered water and a drop of liquid fertilizer for best results.

22. Microgreens

These young plants are a little more mature than sprouts, but more immature than baby greens.

They’re also packed with nutrients and extremely easy to grow.

Microgreens need four to six hours of sunlight, which is easily supplemented with some basic grow lights.

You’ll be able to harvest microgreens within two weeks of planting!

Read our microgreen guide for more information.

23. Mint

Mint grows all year if grown indoors.

This herb is especially vigorous, allowing it to thrive easily in pots or hydroponic systems.

Mint plants prefer indirect or artificial light to direct sunlight.

Try to keep the environment humid for proper growth.

And if growing in soil, be sure to keep the plant evenly watered.

24. Money Tree

Unfortunately, money doesn’t really grow on this tree.

These trees are known for their twisted trunks, so they’re commonly used in décor.

In nature, money trees grow up to 60 feet tall! But indoors, these plants stick to a manageable three to six feet.

This houseplant prefers bright indirect light, but it does well in low light as well.

It also grows best in humid climates, but you should let its soil dry between watering.

25. Mushrooms

Mushrooms thrive in cool, dark places, making them great for an unused closet or cabinet.

Certain varieties of mushrooms are quite profitable as well, so you can make a little money off your hobby.

The medium you use to grow them in, will depend on the variety you choose.

Mushrooms require a bit of control over temperature and frequent misting, but not much more maintenance than that.

Be sure to purchase spores from a reputable source.

26. Oregano

We’ve been cultivating oregano since the time of Ancient Greece.

This key Italian ingredient grows easily in soil and hydroponic systems.

Give oregano six to eight hours of natural sunlight or plenty of artificial light.

Be sure to not overwater this warm weather crop, or let it sit in wet conditions for too long.

For more information on growing oregano, check out our guide “How to Grow Oregano Hydroponically.”

27. Panda Plant

Panda plants are known for their leaves, which are covered in tiny silvery hairs.

This succulent prefers medium to bright light.

It also needs very infrequent watering.

Allow the soil to dry out completely and then water it fully, avoiding the leaves.

As a houseplant, it’ll grow to be about one to two feet tall.

28. Peace Lily

Peace Lilies are known for their beautiful white flowers. But they aren’t actually flowers.

Peace Lilies grow big, white leaves that have been modified for pollination.

This houseplant is also a popular air purifier, as it both cleans and adds oxygen to the air.

Generally, the plant prefers low to medium light intensity, but the brighter it is, the more it will bloom.

Additionally, it’s very susceptible to overwatering, so water only when the leaves start to droop.

29. Pea Plant

Just about any variety of pea plant can be grown indoors.

In this case, grow lights work better than natural light.

You don’t want your pea plants to grow so tall they reach the lights, so stick to dwarf varieties.

Trellises aren’t completely necessary, but they will keep your plant upright, providing better airflow and easier access to all branches.

Harvest pods when they’re deep green and firm.

30. Peppers

While fruiting plants are a bit harder to grow indoors, peppers can still double as an indoor crop and houseplant.

The best pepper plants to grow indoors include smaller varieties, like habaneros or chiltepins.

While these fruits won’t get nearly as large as they do outdoors, they will pack as much heat and flavor.

You’ll need plenty of light for a pepper plant, either natural or artificial.

A pepper plant will grow well in both hydroponic systems and soil.

31. Philodrendon

Philodendrons are one of the most common houseplants.

These long vines grow to be longer than 10 feet, so they work well for hanging planters.

The philodendron is also low maintenance and great at expressing what it needs!

It grows best in bright, indirect light.

Allow its soil to dry out between watering for best results.

32. Pothos

The Pothos is a trailing vine plant with a reputation for being one of the easiest plants to grow.

This plant prefers bright, indirect sunlight, but it also thrives in little sunlight.

It’s also prone to overwatering, so let its soil dry out completely before watering again.

Pothos plants are most often grown as houseplants for their abilities to purify air.

It’s able to filter common indoor air pollutants benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene, making it particularly suited for small apartments, dorm rooms and offices.

33. Radishes

Radishes are one of the easiest crops to grow, indoors or out.

You can also find success growing radishes in hydroponic systems.

Make sure to provide your radishes with plenty of space to grow, and stick to varieties that don’t get too large.

In order to use shallow containers and hydroponic systems, use radishes that grow round rather than long, such as the perfecto variety.

Radishes also make great microgreens, so feel free to harvest early if desired!

34. Red Vein Sorrel

Sorrel is most commonly found in French cuisine.

It’s sometimes difficult to find in grocery stores, making it a great addition to any indoor garden.

A red vein sorrel plant also acts as decoration, with its beautiful red coloring .

Growing sorrel is similar to other herbs, but it requires careful timing for harvests.

For more information on growing sorrel, read our guide “How to Grow Red Vein Sorrel Hydroponically.”

35. Rosemary

Rosemary is an extremely versatile herb, used for its aroma, flavor and

and medicinal properties.

While it’s a bushy crop, that can grow to be quite big, young rosemary plants can be grown indoors fairly easily.

Just be sure, to not get it wet, or let it sit in water for too long.

Even if you have a sunny window, you should probably supplement with artificial lighting as rosemary loves light.

To learn more about growing rosemary, check out our article “How to Grow Rosemary Hydroponically.”

36. Sage

This easy herb is almost evergreen outdoors, so it’ll surely last you all year indoors.

Whether you grow it in pots or a hydro system, it tastes the best when given lots of light.

Sage is resilient to drought, so don’t worry if you wait a little too long to water it.

While it can be a bit challenging to grow from seed, it’s easy to start from cuttings.

Harvest sage as needed.

37. Scallions

Scallions, also known as green onions, are very versatile.

They grow easily in both low and full light conditions, one of the few vegetables that can do so.

You can plant scallions a few different ways.

Seeds take awhile to germinate, so using a seedling is the easiest.

But you can also grow scallions using the bottom few inches of a store bought one, like celery.

38. Snake Plant

Snake plants are especially resilient, perfect for so called “black thumbs.”

These houseplants require infrequent watering and can grow in basically any light.

Like the Pothos and Bird’s Nest Fern, snake plants are great at air purification, filtering out irritating chemicals.

Even though it’s native to tropical regions, the plant is drought resistant.

The snake plant flourishes at room temperatures above 70 degrees and prefers indirect light, but it will adapt to most conditions.

39. Spider Plant

Spider plants are considered one of the most versatile and easy houseplants.

These long leaved plants require bright, indirect sunlight, making them great for rooms with big windows.

Spider plants produce “spiderettes,” baby plants that are easily propagated.

That way you can grow more Spiders from one!

Allow the soil to dry out between watering.

40. Sprouts

Sprouts are so easy to grow, you can do it from a jar!

Plus, they only need a few days to grow.

At its most basic, all you have to do to grow sprouts, is to rinse seeds with water a few times and leave them in a jar.

Be sure to research which plants are edible as sprouts before starting.

Common seeds used for sprouts include sunflower, pumpkin, and chia.

41. Strawberries

In general, fruits are not easy to grow indoors or hydroponically.

But strawberries are the exception!

Strawberries don’t need too much light, so about 12 hours of artificial light should suffice.

When growing strawberries, starting from seed is not the best option, as it’ll take two to three years before you see any fruit.

Instead, purchase a runner from a garden store or nursery.

42. String of Pearls

The string of pearls has a unique look.

It’s made of long, stringy vines with small, green balls hanging off.

This succulent grows fast and easy, preferring indirect sunlight.

In fact, it gets easily sunburnt if exposed to too much direct sunlight, so even fluorescent bulbs are enough to sustain one.

This decorative plant is sensitive to overwatering as well, so water one to two times a month or as needed.

43. Tarragon

Growing tarragon inside, is an especially good choice for those who live in colder climates.

Unlike most herbs, tarragon grows best with low light — any window not facing south should suffice.

When watering, try to err on the dry side.

Water thoroughly, allow to dry and repeat.

Harvest by clipping leaves as needed for cooking.

44. Thyme

Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow inside.

Clay pots work the best for growing thyme, as it allows the soil to dry between watering.

Thyme prefers dry, bright conditions.

As a result, water somewhat infrequently and be sure to provide ample light.

You can start harvesting thyme as soon as it has enough foliage.

45. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the most popular fruiting plants for hydroponic systems.

They’re not quite as easy to grow as leafy greens, requiring a bit more maintenance.

But the effort is worth it.

Since tomatoes are summer crops, they’ll need a fair amount of light.

Start at about 18 hours a day of artificial light and adjust from there.

46. Umbrella Plant

The umbrella plant is another common, easy houseplant.

These plants grow tall, reaching 8 to 10 feet indoors, and up to 30 feet outdoors.

Since they’re so big, you’ll need a bigger container to grow them in.

Umbrella plants grow best under indirect bright light but are tolerant to direct indoor light.

Additionally, an umbrella plant is more likely to survive underwatering than overwatering, so allow soil to dry completely between watering.

47. Viola

Flowers often grow best outdoors, but violas, family member to violets, do well inside too.

To grow violas indoors, use grow lights and place them in a cool or air-conditioned room.

These flowers like a lot of water, so they work well in hydroponic systems.

For best results, cut off dead buds quickly and don’t allow seeds to form.

Keep these purple and yellow flowers in your home for a splash of color.

48. Watercress

This nutritious, adaptable vegetable has been eaten by humans for centuries.

Unlike most vegetables, it prefers being waterlogged.

It’s great for recirculating hydroponic systems, but it can also be grown in pots without soil.

Watercress doesn’t need too much light.

Give it a few hours of direct light in the morning, and switch to indirect light during the hotter parts of the day.

49. Zebra Plant

Zebra plant leaves grow striped and large, making it a perfect windowsill decoration.

This tropical plant will flourish in warm, humid climates, so place it in a well-lit bathroom if your air is on the dry side.

The zebra plant is suited to indoor growing, due to its desire for bright filtered light, rather than sunlight.

Zebra plants require constantly moist soil, enjoying the occasional misting.

It’ll grow best in a greenhouse, but with careful care, you can find success growing one as a houseplant.

50. ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant, or Zanzibar Gem, is especially suited for environments with little light.

It comes from a drought-prone area, so its stems grow thick and deep in the soil to store water.

As a result, it takes very infrequent watering — about once a month should suffice.

It also grows slowly, making it a good houseplant, since you won’t have to replace its container often.

Plus, it’s resistant to pests and diseases.

You’ve now learned about the 50 best plants to grow indoors.

With the right amount of dedication, you can start your own successful indoor garden or farm!

For more information on indoor plants, farming and more, visit our website or call 602–753–3469.