Best plants
Overwatering kills more houseplants than neglect. These species are built to dry out — the most forgiving choices if you travel, forget, or simply want fewer chores.
How this list is built: houseplants whose documented watering rhythm is infrequent (they prefer to dry out fully between waterings)— filtered from Growli's structured plant-care library, not hand-picked, so it stays consistent and checkable.
| Plant | Light | Water | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aloe vera | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Cacti (general care) | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Soak when the mix is bone dry — roughly every 2-4 weeks in summer | Pet-safe |
| Cast iron plant | Low light (north window or shaded room) | When the top 3 cm of soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Pet-safe |
| Chamomile | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 7-10 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Clivia | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days | Toxic to pets |
| Corn plant | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | When the top half of the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Cosmos | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Dracaena | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | When the top half of the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Dragon tree | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | When the top half of the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Echeveria | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is bone dry, every 10-14 days in summer | Pet-safe |
| Geranium (pelargonium) | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 5-10 days | Toxic to pets |
| Haworthia | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the soil is dry, every 2-3 weeks | Pet-safe |
| Hellebore | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | Weekly watering until established | Toxic to pets |
| Hoya | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the soil is mostly dry, every 10-14 days | Pet-safe |
| Iris | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering during growth | Toxic to pets |
| Jade plant | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Kalanchoe | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Toxic to pets |
| Kentia palm | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | When the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Pet-safe |
| Lavender | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Lily of the valley | Low light (north window or shaded room) | Weekly watering | Toxic to pets |
| Maidenhair fern | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | Keep evenly moist — often every 2-3 days | Pet-safe |
| Marigold | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 5-7 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Monstera | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Nasturtium | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Peony | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Deep watering once a week in dry spells | Toxic to pets |
| Peperomia | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | When the soil is almost fully dry, every 10-14 days | Pet-safe |
| Ponytail palm | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is bone dry, every 2-3 weeks | Pet-safe |
| Sago palm | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top half of the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Toxic to pets |
| Schefflera | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 3 cm of soil is dry, every 7-10 days | Toxic to pets |
| Sedum | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is dry, every 10-14 days for potted plants | Pet-safe |
| Snake plant | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | When the soil is bone dry, every 2-3 weeks | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Staghorn fern | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | Soak the mount weekly in summer, every 2-3 weeks in winter | Pet-safe |
| String of bananas | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When soil is dry, every 14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| String of dolphins | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| String of hearts | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Pet-safe |
| String of pearls | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks | Toxic to pets |
| Wax plant | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Pet-safe |
| Weeping fig | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, every 7-10 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Yucca | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is mostly dry, every 10-14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| ZZ plant | Low light (north window or shaded room) | When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks | Mildly toxic to pets |
This list is not hand-picked for looks. It is houseplants whose documented watering rhythm is infrequent (they prefer to dry out fully between waterings), drawn from Growli's structured plant-care library so the selection is consistent and checkable. 40 plants qualify today.
Growli currently lists 40 plants that meet the criterion (houseplants whose documented watering rhythm is infrequent (they prefer to dry out fully between waterings)). The list updates as the plant-care library grows; each entry links to a full care guide.
Not necessarily — this list is selected by houseplants whose documented watering rhythm is infrequent (they prefer to dry out fully between waterings), not by pet safety. Each plant is tagged with its pet-safety status below, and links to a full ASPCA-sourced pet-safety guide. If you have pets, see the dedicated best pet-safe houseplants list.