Houseplant Care Printables for Any Plant Lover

There is nothing that brightens a home quite like fresh plants. Creating an indoor garden is a great bonding activity and stress-reliever, not to mention plants are an aesthetic addition to your home. Houseplants add life to your space and make your home cheerful and welcoming. There are many practical and aesthetic options for incorporating houseplants into your home like lush living plant walls, creative vertical gardens and sustainable herb gardens.  

Included are tips and printables to help you plan out and cultivate your houseplant haven as well as information about some of the most common houseplants.

How Do I Pick a Houseplant?

There are plenty of reasons to create your own lush oasis in your home. In addition to their aesthetic, houseplants supply health benefits. Some of these benefits include air purification, better sleep and a happier, more relaxed and productive mindset. Keep these key factors in mind when selecting plants for your home:

• Your space: When selecting plants, think about how much space you have. Is your space better for hanging plants, floor plants or tabletop and shelf plants?

• Light source: The light that your space gets plays a large role in what plants you should include. You can make modifications with things like curtains or artificial lighting if your space isn’t conducive to the plant that you want.

• Climate: This isn’t as important for an indoor space thanks to air conditioning. But if you don’t have that luxury or don’t like to use it, the temperature of your home could play a role in which plants will thrive in your space.

• Consider your schedule: Look for plants that fit your care capabilities. For example, don’t pick a high maintenance plant if you’re out of the house a lot — reserve those difficult plants for when you’re ready for the commitment.

• Pets and children: If you have fur babies or small children in your home it is important that you pick non-toxic plants or keep them out of reach. Look through this list of poisonous plants carefully to make sure the plants you pick are safe for all of your home’s inhabitants.

• Your style: Consider the style of your home when selecting your plants. Are you going for a jungalow look? Try creating a lush living plant wall. Maybe you want something more low-key like an herb garden or succulent feature.

Common Houseplants + Their Needs Printable

We rounded up some of the prettiest and easiest-care houseplants as well as their basic needs. Some of these plants have different variations and colors to fit different design styles. This is a useful tool for planning your indoor garden space or teaching houseplant newcomers about plant care basics. Check out more specifics below about plant care, common varieties and fun features of some of the most popular houseplants that people love.

Air Plant (Tillandsia)

Air plants are such a unique plant because they don’t need any soil to thrive, making them a great option if you have limited space. You only need to soak their roots every 1–2 weeks and less frequently in colder months. They like indirect light and be sure to watch out for cold or hot drafts that can dry out roots. There are many different types of air plants, but here are some of our favorites:

• Tillandsia ionantha — delicate and versatile

• Tillandsia maxima — very colorful

• Tillandsia bulbosa — unique shape

Bonsai (Juniperus)

Bonsai trees are just plants (like juniper and the other examples shown below) that are trimmed down to look like a mini tree. So a particular bonsai tree’s care requirements depend on what type of plant they are. Most bonsai trees like plenty of sun and to be watered about once a week. Be sure to research the care requirements of your particular bonsai — some of the most common plants used are:

• Juniperus squamata (juniper) — very classic-looking bonsai

• Ficus microcarpa (ginseng grafted ficus) — unique trunk

Ficus (Ficus)

Ficus plants are fairly large houseplants making them great floor plants but not as ideal for small spaces. They prefer indirect light and moderate watering. Some popular ficus trees include:

• Ficus lyrata (fiddle leaf fig tree) — vibrant green leaves

• Ficus elastica (rubber tree) — muted green and red leaves

Philodendron (Philodendron selloum)

Philodendrons are another large floor-dwelling houseplant. They bring a lush look with their big leaves. They should be placed in indirect light and their soil should be kept moist. Two common philodendron types are:

• Philodendron bipinnatifidum (lacy leaf) — delicate lacy leaves

• Monstera deliciosa (split-leaf) — large jungle-looking leaves

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Pothos plants make great houseplants and are frequently used in tabletop and hanging plant features. Let their soil dry in between watering and place them in medium light. Our favorite varieties are:

• Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen (white marbled pothos) — pretty patterned leaves

• Epipremnum aureum (golden pothos, devil’s ivy) — great hanging ivy plant

Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeur)

Prayer plants have bold markings on their leaves which make them great statement pieces. They do best in bright filtered light and with consistently moist soil. These distinct houseplants come in variations with different colors like:

• Maranta leuconeura var. erythroneura (pink) — green with vibrant pink veins

• Maranta leuconeura var. Leuconeura (black) — muted green with black markings

• Maranta leuconeura (green) — classic green with purple markings

Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

This plant would make a great statement piece in your home with its unique look. Snake plant care is fairly simple: Be sure to let the soil dry in between watering and give them a healthy supply of indirect light. Some common snake plant varieties include:

• Sansevieria trifasciata (Mother-in-law’s tongue) — unique long, pointy leaves

• Sansevieria robusta — very tough and resistant, a hard-to-kill plant

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Spider plants love bright indirect light and have long skinny leaves that flop over the edge of their pots, making them a good hanging plant choice for a small space. Water your spider plant well but makes sure that it also has a great drainage system. Some of our favorite spider plant varieties include:

• Chlorophytum laxum (Zebra) — contrasting green and white leaves

• Chlorophytum comosum ‘Variegatum’ — the classic, common spider plant

Succulent

There is a huge family of succulents, including desert and tropical varieties. As a general rule, succulents love lots of light and should be watered about once a week — make sure the soil is damp but not soaked. Here are some of the most common succulents:

• Senecio rowleyanus (string of pearls) — perfect hanging succulent  

• Aloe vera (aloe plant) — useful for your treating sunburns and small cuts

• Sempervivum tectorum (hens and chicks) — classic and symmetrical

Plant Care Checklist Printable

Now that you have a better idea of the plants you want in your home, it’s time to make your wishlist! Fill out this printable with plants that you have or want, how much water they need and how often they should be watered — as well as any other notes you want to include.

Mark the days of the week or write the dates that you plan on watering each plant to make sure you don’t under or over water them. This is also a great sheet to leave with a plant sitter so they have clear instructions on how to care for each plant.

Printable Plant Observation Journals

This printable is designed to encourage you to keep track of the overall growth and well-being of your plants. Depending on how often you’d like to track your plants, use the weekly journal, the monthly journal or both! Keep track of important dates, for example, when you pot a new plant, add fertilizer or propagate. It’s a great tool to look back to in case you need a reminder.

This printable is also a great way to track your progress and remind yourself of any issues that you should look out for and any successful solutions. Try taking note of any helpful plant care tips that you learn along the way. At the end of the month or year, you will have a wealth of information to help keep your garden going strong.

Fresh plants breathe life into a home like nothing else can. Send a plant to the plant lover in your life to brighten their day and expand their garden! If you’re having a hard time maintaining your houseplants, keep trying and learning. Over time, you’ll learn to become a plant whispering pro.

If you want to download all of our printables from this post, click the button below — happy planting!