13 plants that are actually easy to keep alive, according to experts – CNN Underscored

(CNN) —  

Spring is here, and there’s nothing like celebrating the season with a brand new plant. If you want to add a little green to your living space, there are tons of plants that are easy to take care of, so even if you’ve never owned a plant before or think you have a black thumb, there’s still hope.

We know it can be a little intimidating choosing what to buy, especially if you’re inexperienced, which is why we reached out to plant experts for advice on the easiest plants to take care of.

“Indoor plants are an easy way to add color, texture, and dimension to a space,” says Erin Marino, director of brand marketing at The Sill. Plus, studies have shown how indoor plants can be beneficial to your overall health and reduce stress. “Checking in on my houseplants is my form of weekly meditation,” Marino says. “It feels great to disconnect from a screen, be it my computer, phone or TV — and reconnect with nature.”

If you’re looking to add a new plant or two, there’s a few things you should check before you buy. Beginner-level indoor plants can survive with natural light from a window and infrequent watering, but you’ll want to make sure you find the right plant for your space. “Indoor plants are generally sized by the diameter of their nursery grow pot,” Marino says. “A ‘4-inch snake plant’ isn’t a snake plant that’s 4 inches tall, but a snake plant that comes in a 4-inch-wide grow pot.”

Summer Rayne Oakes, author of “How to Make a Plant Love You” and host of YouTube channel “Plant One On Me,” also stresses the importance of finding the perfectly sized plant. “If you’re just buying plants because they ‘look good’ then they are less likely to survive,” she says. If you have pets, you should also check the ASPCA site to see if a given plant is pet-friendly.

Once you have your space figured out, Oakes recommends starting with plants like Chinese evergreen, ZZ plant, golden pothos, satin pothos or philodendron, because they don’t have intense lighting and watering regimes.

Roy Paar and Milana Naumenko, founding partners of Water & Light, love snake plants, ZZ plants, pothos plants and rubber plants as starters. But just because they’re easy doesn’t mean they’re boring. “We are especially interested in variations that are hard to find or unique for some reason,” they say. “We have a raven ZZ plant in our collection, which is an all-black variety. Plants are amazing in their variations, and the deeper you get into it, the more fascinated and addicted you become.”

If you’re ready to make some new leafy friends and test out your green thumb, take a look at our list below of the easiest plants to take care of.

ZZ Plant ($48; thesill.com)

“I love the lush vertical growth of the ZZ plant with its thick stems and waxy leaves,” Marino says. “It’s maybe not a plant you’d typically consider a succulent, but you’ll spot large potato-like rhizomes under the surface of its potting mix, which — having evolved in dry conditions in Africa — store water to help the plant survive drought in its native habitat. It does best in bright indirect to medium indirect light (but can tolerate low light), watered once every three to four weeks when potting mix is dry.”

Silver Satin ($40; thesill.com)

This low-maintenance plant needs medium to low, indirect light and water every one to two weeks, perfect for your home office or living room.

Pothos Collection ($65; bloomscape.com)

“I can’t say enough good things about the pothos plant,” Marino says. “There’s a reason you see it just about everywhere, from malls to doctors’ offices to your friend’s living room — it’ll tolerate just about any environment. This quick-growing trailing plant does best in bright indirect to medium indirect light (but can tolerate low light), watered once every one to two weeks when potting mix is dry.”

Silver Pothos ($35; bloomscape.com)

This small, 7- to 12-inch tall pothos needs low to partial indirect light, plus it helps clean the air by removing formaldehyde, xylene and benzene.

Succulent Assortment ($24; thesill.com)

“Succulents are great low-maintenance plant picks if your space receives bright light,” Marino says. “One of my favorites with drought-surviving adaptations is the rosette-shaped Echeveria. It does best in bright direct to bright indirect light, watered once every three to four weeks when potting mix is dry.”

Sansevieria ($150; bloomscape.com)

This large species of snake plant is sturdy and can deal with low light and little water, but does best in indirect light, watered when soil is dry every few weeks.

Sansevieria Moonshine ($65; bloomscape.com)

A rare species of snake plant, the sansevieria moonshine features stunning blue-silver leaves. It’s just as easy to take care of as a standard snake plant though, needing low to bright indirect light and sparse watering.

Mini Money Tree ($35; bloomscape.com)

This pet-friendly plant is simple and easy to care for, plus it purifies air that’s polluted with synthetic chemicals commonly found in cleaning products.

Monstera ($150; bloomscape.com)

This show-stopping plant loves humidity and low to bright indirect light. It removes formaldehyde from the air and stands 26 to 32 inches tall.

Peperomia Ginny ($35; bloomscape.com)

This leafy plant can survive in low light, but does best in bright, indirect light. It’s small, pretty and even pet-friendly, making it the perfect plant for any small space.

Bloomscape’s Tough Stuff Collection ($65; bloomscape.com)

These three tough plants are perfect for a beginning gardener. With a green hoya, a sansevieria and a ZZ plant, you’ll be fully stocked with plants that are easy to care for.

Hedgehog Aloe ($35; bloomscape.com)

If you have plenty of sunlight, this aloe plant is forgiving and beautiful. It doesn’t need much water, and its sap can even be used to soothe burns and skin irritations.

Bloomscape’s Sonoran Cacti Collection ($65; bloomscape.com)

Cacti are also easy to take care of if you have enough sunlight. They don’t need much water and can turn your room into your own little desert.

Hanging Planter Maya on a Swing ($85.50, originally $95; etsy.com)

Is there a cuter way to pot a plant? Yeah, we didn’t think so either. Handmade with speckled stoneware clay sheets, it’s the perfect home for your new plant.

Gerson International 13-Inch High Stoneware Planter with Wooden Stand ($44.99; target.com)

Put your plant on a pedestal with this cute planter with a wooden stand.

Burbank Lightweight Planter ($80; thesill.com)

This lightweight planter from The Sill is handmade and measures 8 inches tall and 6.25 inches wide on the interior.

Ecopots Medium Hanging Pot ($35; bloomscape.com)

For trailing and hanging plants, this pot is perfect for your small green friends. Plus, it comes with a hook, and is waterproof, UV-proof and frost resistant so you can use it inside and out.

Textured Ceramic Planter ($8; target.com)

This ceramic planter features grooves and dots to give it a textured and stylish design.

Earthenware Geared Planter White ($8; target.com)

Pair your small plant with this geared earthenware planter from Target.

Harmony Mini Planters ($18; etsy.com)

This set of three tiny planters are made from materials such as bamboo fiber, wheat husk and coffee bean husk.

Plant Parent Essentials Kit ($85; bloomscape.com)

Including a hand trowel, pruner and an extra large pot and saucer, this kit gives you everything you need to give your new big plant the attention it needs.

4-Inch Ceramic Stoneware Planter ($8; target.com)

This planter has a fun pattern to give your latest plant a colorful pop.

Standing Plant Pot ($17.26; etsy.com)

Your plant will be smiling when you put it in this pot, which is super adorable and just big enough to fit your new friend. Just be careful when watering or moving, because this guy’s legs are small and fragile.

Figure Plant Pot (starting at $14.39; etsy.com)

These little guys are a cute way to pot your plants. They’re positioned in different sitting and lounging positions.

Concrete Planter Gray (starting at $8; target.com)

This simple planter is great for any plant, and comes in sizes between 4 and 16 inches.