Indoor Plants
This collection of blog posts, quick guides, and other information is designed to help you decide which indoor plants will work for your space and to help you care for your plant babies. Whether you want to add a statement plant, choose the best plants for a shady room, or care for the plants you have, you’ll find useful information here.
Featured
Have you ever wondered which indoor plants the people who work with plants every day love the most? We asked some of our employees to share their favorite houseplants and why they like them. We think you might find your new favorite houseplant on this list.
Nothing adds more beauty and comfort to our homes and offices than the lush flowers and foliage of indoor plants. Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, cubicles... There really isn't a space a houseplant can't enliven. Just add light and water, and you've got a growing indoor oasis. Bringing plants into your home is aesthetically pleasing and - amazingly - plants can offer strong health benefits as well!
Houseplant parenting can be a struggle. There’s so much information out there - how do you know what to believe? Through our daily interactions with plant parents, we’ve seen a few myths resurface again and again, so we decided to set the record straight and make sure you have the information you need to keep your plants healthy and happy.
In this post, I’m repotting a very rootbound Marble Queen Pothos plant. I’ll walk you through all the steps for a successful repotting. These steps are essentially the same for all types of indoor and outdoor plants, so you can take these tips and use them for any potted plant.
Indoor plants are beautiful to look at and they can have a significant, positive impact on our health. Houseplants improve indoor air quality by adding oxygen and humidity to the air in our homes and offices. NASA scientists have found that many also remove harmful gases such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from indoor air.
Houseplant Care
It’s summertime and that means vacations. You’re a good plant parent and you want to make sure your plants are well taken care of but you don’t need to stay home all summer. I talked to the people who have years and years of knowledge gleaned from experience: the Swansons’ team! They offered their best tips for keeping your outdoor and indoor plants happy and healthy while you’re away.
No plant captures the imagination quite like a carnivorous one. With oddly shaped leaves that are designed to capture and digest insect prey, carnivorous plants are equal parts unique and sinister. Given the right conditions, sundews, pitcher plants, and flytraps make excellent houseplants. Interested? Learn more about these plants and how to care for them at home.
Air plants (tillandsia) are unique, ingenious, and fascinating. They follow their own quirky path, so it is no wonder that these marvels have such a devoted fan base. We get so many questions about them, so here are my best recommendations for air plant success.
Your houseplants will be forever grateful (and you will be too, by default) if you follow these simple guidelines that will prepare them to happily snuggle in for fall and winter. Here is a checklist of things to do (or to stop doing) to ensure the health and happiness of your houseplants in fall and winter.
A customer and I were problem-solving some issues with her houseplants, when she said “my plants are SO excited that Spring is almost here.” In the moment, I thought that was a lovely and whimsical expression, but as I thought about it further, I realized that, botanically speaking, she was spot on. Our houseplants ARE excited by the transition into Spring and need some special care this time of year.
You know the feeling. Your plant baby is doing great and growing when all of a sudden you notice something’s not right. Could it be watering? A draft? Too much sun or not enough? While some issues are care related, sometimes the culprit is a pest attack. This post will help you identify houseplant pests and eradicate them. Plus, there’s a handy infographic!
A few months ago, we published The Top 5 Houseplant Myths Revealed. Since then, we’ve seen a lot more misconceptions about plant care floating around out there and these myths could be keeping your plants from being their very best. So, here are six more houseplant myths you need to know about. Avoid these pitfalls and your plants will thank you!
In this post, I’m repotting a very rootbound Marble Queen Pothos plant. I’ll walk you through all the steps for a successful repotting. These steps are essentially the same for all types of indoor and outdoor plants, so you can take these tips and use them for any potted plant.
Like any living thing, houseplants need some care. How much depends greatly on what variety of plant you choose. However, here are a few general guidelines to help you deliver the best care to all of your leafy friends.
Fiddle leaf figs are the darlings of the design world and for good reason! Their large, architectural leaves make a dramatic statement, offering a modern accent to homes and offices. While the fig may have the reputation of being a bit of a prima donna, if you follow some basic guidelines, you and your fig can have a long and productive relationship.
Choosing Indoor Plants
When you’re just starting out in the world of indoor gardening, it can be overwhelming to see the incredible array of houseplants available - and some of them can be quite the diva. What you need is a plant you like the look of that is easy-going and easy to grow. We’ve compiled a few of our favorites here, with useful information and care tips. The following houseplants are pretty low-maintenance and great for beginners!
Ever wonder if there are cosmic links between your favorite houseplant and the stars above? Or perhaps you’re trying to find the right plant to give an astrology lover in your life? Read on to learn the basic care and facts for twelve common houseplants along with their perfect astrological matches.
How seriously do we consider plants in our indoor spaces? Are houseplants just for decoration or can they do more?
While a family vacation to the tropics may not be in the cards this year, why not create your own tropical “staycation” at home? Tropical indoor plants can turn an empty corner or shelf, into a beautiful oasis that feels calming and welcoming, just like a mini-vacation! Tropical plants not only make dramatic statements, they also give the feeling of having nature indoors, especially when outdoor space is limited.
Searching for the perfect houseplants to add some greenery to your home office? With many of us working remotely, this space is a private sanctuary to focus on the projects at hand. It can be transformed from a functional room into a tropical or desert oasis (with houseplants)! They can help our focus, clean the air, and beautify any space they adorn.
Often, we just don’t have sufficient light indoors to make our plants the happiest they can be. The plants we fall in love with are not always the ones that are well-suited to the spaces we want to put them in, unfortunately. If this sounds all too familiar, then you're in the right place. Let's talk about what I've learned about the plants that are best for low light (most are low maintenance, too)!
Sometimes, it’s nice to start an indoor garden with plants that are a little (or a lot) less demanding about their environment and care. It's not too much to ask for a plant that will be forgiving to inconsistencies and still flourish!
The "secret" to successfully caring for indoor plants is to mimic the same conditions as their natural habitat. Adequate light is the most important environmental factor in successfully growing plants in our homes. Here are plant options for every light level: High, Medium, and Low Light.
Houseplant Profiles
No plant captures the imagination quite like a carnivorous one. With oddly shaped leaves that are designed to capture and digest insect prey, carnivorous plants are equal parts unique and sinister. Given the right conditions, sundews, pitcher plants, and flytraps make excellent houseplants. Interested? Learn more about these plants and how to care for them at home.
With a large variety of leaf shapes, colors, and patterns, Dracaena houseplants offer dramatic, architectural shapes and patterns. They’re also low-maintenance and some of the best houseplants at purifying the air. What’s not to love? Learn how to care for and propagate these easy-going indoor plants.
Air plants (tillandsia) are unique, ingenious, and fascinating. They follow their own quirky path, so it is no wonder that these marvels have such a devoted fan base. We get so many questions about them, so here are my best recommendations for air plant success.
This fast-growing houseplant is perfect for beginners and seasoned indoor gardeners alike. Easy to care for and tolerant of many conditions, it looks beautiful trailing down from a bookcase or desk and can be trained up a trellis or across a wall to make a dramatic impact.
The snake plant is a carefree, resilient houseplant that is perfect for beginners and committed houseplant-lovers alike because of its tolerance to varied conditions. It makes a bold, architectural statement in your home with tall, swordlike leaves and unique variegation. Read on to learn more about the snake plant and how to help it thrive.
Many succulents and cacti have been cultivated to be excellent, slow-growing houseplants that need little care. This guide only touches on few of the many varieties available, but it’s a good place to start if you’re interested in learning more about these fascinating plants.
Fiddle leaf figs are the darlings of the design world and for good reason! Their large, architectural leaves make a dramatic statement, offering a modern accent to homes and offices. While the fig may have the reputation of being a bit of a prima donna, if you follow some basic guidelines, you and your fig can have a long and productive relationship.
Fun Houseplant Activities & Accessories
The display of houseplants through the sculptural form of Kokedama has become increasingly popular, and it’s not surprising, for these pieces of living art are versatile and can transform any office or home into a tropical oasis. Here, we will walk you through the steps of creating your own Kokedama.
Growing herbs indoors is easy! If their basic needs are met, such as good soil, adequate light
and the right amount of water, herbs will reward you with gorgeous plants and flavorful meals all year round. If you are new to indoor gardening or cooking with fresh herbs, these basic instructions and recipes will get you started.
Terrariums, those miniature worlds within glass, have always fascinated me. There is something so satisfying about creating a safe haven where your chosen plants can thrive with very little care. Mollie (our indoor plant specialist) and I decided to make a simple fern terrarium, step by step. With this foundation, you can create your own terrarium, one as elaborate or as minimalist as you would like. Be creative and have fun!
See a selection of the indoor plants and pottery that we carry at Swansons.
Learn more about seasonal houseplant care on our monthly gardening tips calendar.

When you’re just starting out in the world of indoor gardening, it can be overwhelming to see the incredible array of houseplants available - and some of them can be quite the diva. What you need is a plant you like the look of that is easy-going and easy to grow. We’ve compiled a few of our favorites here, with useful information and care tips. The following houseplants are pretty low-maintenance and great for beginners!