10 Houseplants That Will Thrive in Your Kitchen

Add a splash of color, purify the air, or grow fresh-produce year-round!

By
Cori Sears
Cori sitting on a green chair against a white wall.
Cori Sears

Cori Sears is a writer with over a decade of experience, specializing in houseplants, gardening, and home decor. She writes about trending news, interior design, houseplants, and gardening for The Spruce. Her expertise in these areas has led her to contribute to other major publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Apartment Therapy.

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Updated on 01/30/23
Reviewed by
Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller
Reviewed by Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and horticulturist with over 30 years of experience in organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
pothos plants in the kitchen

The Spruce / Ali Elshabrawi

Adding houseplants to a room is a quick and easy way to spruce up your decor, and when it comes to the kitchen, growing plants indoors can have some practical applications too. The right plant can help purify the air, add a splash of color, or even provide fresh produce year-round.

It is important to keep in mind that there is no one plant that will thrive in absolutely every kitchen - since every space has its own unique light, humidity, and temperature conditions. However, these 10 houseplants are a great place to start.

17 Best Houseplants for Your Bathroom
  • 01 of 10

    Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

    A pothos plant sits in a hanging macrame planter.

     The Spruce / Cori Sears

    Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) are truly some of the easiest houseplants to care for. They adapt well to a variety of different light conditions and are considered to be relatively drought-tolerant. Plus, they make excellent hanging plants so there is no need to waste valuable counter space!

  • 02 of 10

    Philodendron

    philodendron

    The Spruce / Alexandra Shytsman

    Philodendrons are another genus of low-maintenance houseplant that look great in hanging baskets. Similar to pothos, they are considered relatively drought-tolerant and can grow in bright to medium indirect light. These foliage plants come in a wide variety of shapes and colors and are notorious for being great air-purifiers.

  • 03 of 10

    Herbs

    Herbs in pots growing in a bright kitchen window.

     Westend61 / Getty Images

    Growing herbs in the kitchen may seem like an obvious choice, but there is truly nothing better than cooking with fresh, organic, home-grown herbs year-round. As long as your kitchen has a location that receives bright, direct sunlight for the majority of the day, herbs will grow easily. Alternatively, you can also grow herbs with the help of a grow-light. Easy herb varieties to grow indoors include chives, parsley, mint, thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, and cilantro.

  • 04 of 10

    Succulents

    Several types of Echeveria on a white table.

     The Spruce | Cori Sears

    If you have a bright sunny windowsill in your kitchen, succulents are a great option. The term 'succulent' is used to describe plants that store water in various structures such as their leaves and/or stems, which makes them drought-resistant and generally low-maintenance. There are hundreds of different types of succulents that come in a variety of stunning shapes, colors, and sizes. Popular succulent species include echeveria, haworthia, aloe vera, crassula, kalanchoe, sedum, and more.

    Continue to 5 of 10 below.
  • 05 of 10

    Spider Plant (Chlorophytum)

    Spider plant in a orange pot sitting on a balcony.

     Veena Nair / Getty Images

    Spider plants (Chlorophytum) are among the easiest houseplants to care for. They make excellent hanging plants, and when they are happy they flower and sent out offshoots prolifically. Avoid placing a spider plant in direct light as it will cause the leaves to burn.

  • 06 of 10

    Snake Plant (Dracaena spp.)

    Several snake plants (sansevieria) sit beside one another.

     The Spruce / Cori Sears

    Snake plants (Sansevieria), also commonly known as "mother-in-law's tongue," are among the most popular houseplants, and for good reason. They come in a variety of different colors, shapes, and sizes and are generally low-maintenance. No need to take up valuable window space with these tropical plants - they do well in bright to low-light conditions.

  • 07 of 10

    Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica)

    rubber tree

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    If you are looking for a large statement plant for your kitchen, rubber trees (Ficus elastica) are a great choice. These relatives of the fiddle leaf fig are adaptable to a wide variety of growing conditions and can grow into full-sized trees in their native habitat. When grown indoors, regular pruning keeps their size and shape under control. Choose from several different varieties to match your tree to the colors and design of your kitchen.

  • 08 of 10

    Coffee Plant (Coffea arabica)

    A cofee plant sits on top of a wooden dresser in a white pot.

     The Spruce / Cori Sears

    Whether you are a coffee lover or not, the coffee plant (Coffea arabica) makes a great addition to any kitchen. While it is unlikely that you will actually be able to harvest coffee beans from an indoor plant, the glossy leaves and compact growth habit of the coffee plant make it attractive nonetheless. Coffee plants require bright, indirect light and frequent watering in order to thrive.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below.
  • 09 of 10

    ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

    A ZZ Plant sits on a coffee table in front of a grey couch.

    The Spruce / Cori Sears

    If you are looking for a low-maintenance addition to the kitchen, look no further than the ZZ plant, also commonly known as the "zanzibar gem." These stately houseplants are extremely adaptable and can thrive in low-light and bright-light conditions. Plus, since they grow from rhizomes they hardly need to be watered!

  • 10 of 10

    African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)

    African violets on a cofee table with a green suede chair in the background.

     onepony / Getty Images

    For those who enjoy having cut flowers in the kitchen, African violets (Sauntpaulia) are the perfect houseplant substitute! A happy African violet will flower nearly year-round, and they come in several beautiful colors. These compact houseplants enjoy bright, indirect light and frequent watering.

Tip

It is important to keep the light and humidity conditions of your kitchen in mind when choosing houseplants to accent the room. While the 10 plants covered in this article make excellent additions to the kitchen, there are some that require more light than others. Make sure that you choose plants that will thrive in your unique space!