Adding a little greenery to any room in your home can help to brighten the space.  But for those of us who lack the green thumbs, indoor houseplants need to be hearty and low maintenance in order to survive in our homes.  Kitchens can be the perfect place to incorporate a trailing viny houseplant on a shelf, a useable herb on the countertop, or a low maintenance one on the island.  Here are eight houseplants that are ideal for kitchens.

Herbs

Fresh herbs can level up even the simplest of meals.  There are a lot of herbs to select from, but choosing ones that you cook with is a great way to start.  If your plant seems to grow faster than you can use it, then you can chop up the herbs and freeze the pieces in an ice cube tray with a little oil and water.

Most herbs grow quickly and need little attention. It is important to make sure to plant herbs in containers with drainage holes.

Rosemary:  This plant needs natural light and likes soil that is damp.

Thyme:  A sun loving but easy to grow plant, thyme thrives on your window sill.  It likes a good watering but let the top of the soil dry out in between watering sessions.

Parsley:  This popular herb likes the same growing conditions as parsley.

Oregano:  Oregano appreciates a sunny spot in the window and likes the soil to dry between waterings.

Basil: This herb likes at least six hours of sun a day.  Water it when the soil feels dry and you will be rewarded.

Mint:  Like rosemary, mint likes water that is moist.  It doesn’t need to be next to a window in order to grow as it prefers indirect sunlight during the day.

Pothos

A vine houseplant with the ability to survive in homes without green thumbs, it is important to note that pothos are toxic to pets and children. Don’t eat it.  Pothos like bright indirect sunlight but can grow in lower light areas.  You need to water the plant weekly.  Best of all, you can use clippings from a pothos to start another plant. Simply cut off a bit of the vine in between leaves and place in a cup with some water.  Once the roots have developed, plant the baby pothos in a pot.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is a succulent which means that it only needs water every couple weeks. Place it in a spot of your kitchen that has bright indirect sunlight and make sure to use a cactus or succulent potting mix when planting. This houseplant can come in handy if you suffer a burn in the kitchen.

Snake plant

With tall upright leaves, snake plants can add some interest to a corner in the kitchen.  These low maintenance plants like a spot with indirect sunlight and you only have to water once a month. They are also known to filter the air.

Quick Easy Dinners for Families on the Go