Our Editors Share Their Favorite—and Least Favorite—Houseplants

It's no surprise that our editors at The Spruce are definitely plant people—and many of us are longtime plant parents, too. We love the joy of bringing home a new plant after visiting somewhere special, placing it in the cutest planter, and setting it up in a corner of our home to live permanently. We've been through the trials and tribulations of underwatering, overwatering, moisture issues, and terrible pest pressure (looking at you, fungus gnats), which is why we're bringing you a non-definitive list of some of our favorite—and least favorite—houseplants.

Some of our editors share overlapping favorites, disdain for the same plants, and actually dislike what other editors love. Curious about which plants we think are the best and the worst? Read on to get our editor's take on their prized plant possessions, plus, which plants they think should stay at the nursery.

Our Editor's Favorite Houseplants

Snake Plant

"I love a good snake plant. They are basically indestructible and come in so many beautiful varieties. They thrive in low light, so I can add them to the darkest corners of my apartment for a little bit of greenery." —Kate McKenna, senior editor

Philodendrons

"This is like asking someone to pick their favorite child. I do love my philodendrons—heartleaf and Brasil. The heartleaf started as just one stem and has been propagated into a full, sprawling little plant that seems determined to be bigger than it actually is. The Brasil has such interesting foliage, and the new leaves start red and change color." —Jenny Hughes, senior editor

Monstera Deliciosa

"My monstera is my proudest plant parent possession. After learning that watering from any aerial roots periodically was key, she has been thriving for years. She gives me a workout but she's worth it." —Jamie Abarca, senior editorial project manager

"The plant I'm most proud of is my monstera deliciosa. I've had it for 3 years and it just started getting leaves with fenestrations a year or so ago." —Jenny Hughes, senior editor

ZZ Plant

"My ZZ plant is the best-growing plant in my home that I have had the longest—we're going on 3 years together! It's so full and leafy, and loves to be in the shade, which is great for any corner of your home." —Mia Ingui, editor 

Golden Pothos

"It's a tie between my golden pothos that I rescued from my partner's care (and is now flourishing) and my Chinese evergreen that has weathered any storm I throw its way. They're both very resilient plants and forgiving when I forgot to water them for a week or two." —Aliyah Rodriguez, associate editor

Polka Dot Plant

"I absolutely love the way polka dot plants look—they're so pretty and fun with their pink leaves and green specks. They're the perfect kind of houseplant to add to your space if you need some greenery and a burst of color." —Jane Kim, associate editor

Haworthia

"My haworthia that I've had for almost 8 years is definitely my favorite. It started off as a little pup, and now it's ginormous and just keeps growing." —Candace Madonna, senior visual editor

String of Pearls

"I love the unique string of pearls plant. It's a cool-looking houseplant that can trail down a container for a sculpted and eye-catching look. You can propagate it easily too, so the container it's in will become lush and full of many strings of plump, green pearls. Plus, if you have success with keeping this succulent alive, you can easily grow a String of Bananas or a String of Coins as well." —Sara Brown, associate social media editor

Our Editor's Least Favorite Houseplants

Calathea

"Any calathea is the worst. They're so pretty, but I have never owned one that didn't get absolutely overrun with spider mites. They're also not very forgiving—if you don't water them on an exact schedule and precisely when they need it, the leaves will get brown and crispy on the ends."—Kate McKenna, senior editor

"Absolutely calathea. I had a beautiful calathea orbitfolia that I sadly had to let go of a few months ago. Its leaves yellowed and browned without a sure reason, and I find that the maintenance of these plants is far beyond my plant parent skills." —Mia Ingui, editor

"I will never get another calathea again. The soil is evenly moist, the humidity is good, and yet, the leaves turn brown and crisp. I would have to do witchcraft to keep one of these alive." —Jenny Hughes, senior editor

Peace Lily

"The award for most dramatic plant goes to my peace lily. Like a toddler, you must add water for an instant perk up. Acceptance is key to her emo tendencies: always at the brink of death at first sight until she finally gets what she wants. No watering schedule has ever tamed her ways, but that's okay with me. She's still alive. " —Jamie Abarca, senior editorial project manager

Monstera Deliciosa

"Monsteras are my least favorite plant, if you could believe it. I just hate the way their leaves look—especially variegated ones. There's just something about those holes/gaps that automatically make my brain think, "This is not a healthy plant." —Aliyah Rodriguez, associate editor

Snake Plant

"This one has to go to the snake plant (I'm sorry, snake plant parents). Don't get me wrong, their color variation is great. But, I am not a big fan of the way their leaves look. They're too upright, and it looks unnatural." —Jane Kim, associate editor

Begonia

"I love how begonias look but can't keep mine alive. I tend to do well with succulents, so that might be my issue. It's such a lovely type of plant with so many varieties, but it won't last long in my home." —Sara Brown, associate social media editor

Triostar Stromanthe

"I bought a triostar stromanthe when they started becoming trendy. Don't get me wrong, I think their pink leaves are absolutely gorgeous, but I could not keep mine alive, sadly." —Candace Madonna, senior visual editor