Raise your hand if you’re here because you’ve caught the Plantdemic Bug. Now raise your hand if you’ve already been a plant lover pre-pandemic and you’re here to see if this list is any good. 

Well, whether you raised it for the first or the second line, it’s safe to say that we can all agree that having plants at home is amazing and has several benefits. They help in purifying the air, they brighten up space, and they’re even good for your mental health. 

There are so many great indoor plants available in the market now and sometimes it can get overwhelming.  We came up with five plant categories under which we will put three plant suggestions that will suit you depending on your skill level or bravery.

Pothos

Easy, cheap, propagates well, and is readily available. Do note though that when propagating pothos, you need to make sure that their roots are stable before you put them back on the soil to avoid root rot.

Philodendron Micans

Viney and velvety! These heart-shaped trailing philodendrons are easy, more polished, and unique compared to the regular pothos.

Philodendron Brasil or Lemon Lime

These trailing plants will surely put a smile on your face. The chartreuse shade brings a lot of freshness and instantly livens up spaces. 

Pink Princess Philodendron

The beautiful PPP is famous for its pink variegation and bright ruby stalks. It’s so popular that whenever a seller posts about it, it gets sold out fast. It’s easy to care for, although it tends to revert to green if it does not get the light that it wants. 

Philodendron Gloriosum

Massive and velvety heart-shaped leaves with prominent almost luminous veining. They are crawling plants and incredibly challenging to re-pot. But this plant is sure to make a statement when you have it in your home.  

Philodendron Birkin

This one here is such a trending Philo and it’s probably because of its name. This dignified-looking plant has green-and-white pinstriped leaves, but they’re such slow growers. A bit pricey, but let’s be honest, it’s the Birkin that the majority of us can afford. 

Snake Plants

An entry-level plant that everybody has. It’s so common and basic but you can’t go without it. Most first-timers kill it by overwatering it (they tend to look like jelly when you do this). The best way to take care of it is to just forget it. An easy trick is to water them every time you pay your rent. 

ZZ Plants

They are called welcome plants because they are said to bring good luck to your home. A ZZ plant has similar care to a snake plant. Easy, no fuss, happy to be left alone. 

Aloe Vera

This plant is in this specific category for a reason — just let it be! One great thing about having an aloe vera plant at home though is that it serves a lot of purposes. You can use it to treat minor burns, use it for your hair, or even incorporate it into your skincare routine

Monstera Deliciosa

This plant will always be sought out, and its iconic leaves have been the inspiration of many plant-related works of art. Whether it’s a placemat or a pair of dangling earrings, you bet there’s going to be a monstera-inspired leaf there somewhere.  Caring for this plant is easy and they are massive growers. Monstera Deliciosas were sold at really high prices at the height of the pandemic because of the demand, but they are quite accessible these days if you know where to look. 

Fiddle Leaf Fig

They are pretty, Instagram-worthy, and can grow quite tall that will make you feel like you have a fashionable indoor tree! But they can be finicky — your plantita or plantito skill levels have to be decent to keep this plant happy. Give it humidity, enough light, and do not move it around too much especially if it is already happy in its spot. 

Raphidophora Tetrasperma

These look like baby trailing monsteras. These mini-climbers can thrive in your space with proper conditions: humidity, bright but indirect light, and a trellis or a moss pole for them to climb on.

Tibatib

Considered the Monstera of the Philippines, perhaps because of their similar fenestrations. They’re endemic to the Philippines, and Cebu even has its own cultivar which is the Cebu Blue! The Cebu Blue version of this plant has a bluish iridescence and is a stunning plant to have. Interestingly, it is not as common in Cebu as you might think. 

Hoya

The Philippines is home to over a hundred Hoya species. They are easy to grow and propagate, and sometimes produce beautiful flowers. Most hoyas love the sun, so place them in a shaded outdoor area for them to maximize their full plant-tential.

Alocasia

There are many versions of the alocasia and many of them are readily available. They are a bit fussy, often requiring rainwater or even distilled drinking water, and always needing humidity. But they are beautiful and local, and one was even named after the country’s first female president, the Alocasia ‘Corazon’.