Our guide to low maintenance houseplants for WA
Get your home looking sharp
Cacti are easy and waterwise additions to your home. A Golden Barrel Cactus is a slow growing, ornamental plant which can grow well in an indoor pot. If you’re really lucky, you might see it produce yellow flowers. However this is quite rare—you may have to wait twenty years for the first bloom! Cacti need very little water and can go weeks at a time without a drink in the cooler months.
If space is at a premium, look for a grafted cactus. These tiny cacti come in fun shapes and colours, and are normally less than 10cm tall.
Both grafted and full-size cacti have pointy prickles, so be careful when moving them and make sure to keep them away from kids.
Golden barrel cactus
Have the thyme of your life
If you like cooking, a small indoor herb garden could be a great addition to your kitchen. If you have space on a windowsill, this can be a great place for a small planter box with thyme, rosemary or parsley, all of which are happy when receiving both light and shade.
These herbs also require very little water, just a small drink once a week should do the trick.
Rosemary
Say aloe to succulents
Succulents are an easy and often small and inexpensive way to bring some plant life into your home. Coming in a huge range of colours, these mighty plants are great for experienced gardeners and beginners alike.
Similar to a cactus, they’re happy to go long periods without any water at all. They can happily sit in the sun or shade. Smaller succulents, like a jellybean plant, make for a great study buddy for your desk, or any other small indoor spaces that need some livening up.
If you’ve got a nice sunny spot in your home, try a curly leaf pig ear. This succulent loves sun and dry soil, plus they’re a great colour!
Curly leaf pig ear
Need a hand with watering?
Giving your indoor plants the perfect amount of water can be tricky at first, but there are a few easy tips you can follow to keep your new indoor plants alive:
- Check the label on your plant – A lot of indoor plants thrive with little water and even quite sandy conditions, so it’s worth having a read of the label to see what your plant needs.
- Choose a waterwise potting mix – Potting mix will help keep your plant hydrated and surrounded by nutrients. Your local waterwise garden centre will be able to help you choose the best option for your plants.
- Know when to water – a simple test is to poke your finger into your potting mix, about halfway down the pot. If it feels wet or damp, don’t water—leave it and check again in a few more days. Waterwise plants can wait until they’re totally dry to have their next drink.
- Use a watering can – for your larger plants a watering can is a great way to control how much water your plants receive. For smaller plants like succulents, try measuring out a small amount of water into a medicine cup, or even a teaspoon to avoid overwatering.
- Watch and learn – Plants will need different amounts of water at different frequencies depending on where they are and the temperature/sunlight in your house. By checking on them regularly when they’re new, you’ll learn the perfect amount of water for each plant.
Find more waterwise plants using our waterwise plants tool.