8 Best Plants For Your Kitchen (Beginner Friendly)
A kitchen is a busy space. There's a lot of movement, most surfaces are being used, and you don't want to add anything that would attract bugs.
Sprucing up your kitchen doesn't have to be complicated. A few low-maintenance plants are an easy and affordable way to add a bit of nature and fresh air to your cooking space. I've found the eight best plants for your kitchen that will help clean and purify the air.
I have a few plants in my kitchen that I rotate around or swap out for different ones. And if you're interested in the best plants for your bathroom or plants that are hard to kill, these posts are for you.
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8 Best Plants For Your Kitchen
1. English Ivy
English Ivy needs indirect, bright light. It's an air-purifying plant that's easy to grow and maintain. Because it's easy to grow means it's hard to kill...even in a busy kitchen.
It is a trailing vine that can be grown in hanging baskets or trained to climb trellises or walls.
They're toxic to cats and other pets, so place them somewhere out of reach.
They prefer moist soil and will struggle to thrive in dry conditions.
Make sure the pot has excellent drainage.
Water them once a week to keep them happy.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is easy to keep alive but will die quickly if you misunderstand how to care for them.
Well-draining soil is a must if you want your Aloe Vera to survive.
They don't need much water and will become slimy and mushy if their soil is too wet.
They don't like cold, so the warmth of your kitchen is the perfect location for them.
Use a natural fertilizer like Epsom salt once a month.
Tip: The leaves are gel-filled. If you accidentally cut a finger or burn yourself - cut open a leaf and apply the gel on the injury for a soothing, cooling effect.
3. Aluminum Plant
These are great hanging plants. They have interesting coloring (silver and green variegated leaves) and are easy to care for.
Keep them away from hot or cold drafts.
Keep the soil moist, not too wet, and not too dry.
They benefit from occasional misting to maintain humidity levels.
Aluminum plants prefer bright, indirect light but can also tolerate low-light conditions, making them a good option for kitchens with limited natural light.
Because they work well as hanging plants, beware when hanging them in a window - harsh, direct sunlight can burn their leaves.
4. Spider Plant
These plants can survive in most areas of your house - the kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, and living room.
It's eco-friendly kitchen decor and can produce enough baby plants to fill your house for free!
Your Spider plant can help:
Purify the air
Absorb cooking odors
Reduce humidity
Provide a calming environment
5. Snake Plant
This is my go-to plant. It grows without a fuss, so much so that you'll have to try really hard to kill it.
In the rare instances that your Snake plants are suffering from overwatering or the leaves are turning yellow, check out these posts for fixes.
There are many varieties; some grow tall, some grow wide, some have thin leaves, some have big flat leaves, some have spots, and others have stripes. You're truly spoiled for choice with this plant.
You can place them anywhere, and they'll survive.
Water them once every other week (or less).
6. Pothos
Pothos comes in different variants and can handle all sorts of light conditions.
They look great hanging from cabinets and shelves but are toxic to cats.
Depending on how you prune them, they'll either have a full top or have vines you can clip away.
Interestingly, these plants have natural pest-repelling properties that help keep insects and pests away from your kitchen. This can be particularly useful when dealing with fruit flies or other common kitchen pests.
7. Chinese Evergreen
We have Chinese Evergreens in our office that's been there for YEARS. They've been moved around, forgotten about, and are proven to endure many different light and humidity conditions.
They don't need much water and don't like standing in the wet.
The Chineses Evergreen is a beautiful plant with unique patterns and can reduce stress by simply staring at its pretty foliage.
It's a low-maintenance plant, one of the few that'll survive in your low-light bathroom.
8. ZZ Plant
The ZZ Plant has glossy green leaves that can add a touch of natural beauty to your kitchen décor. It can be grown in a variety of containers and can fit into any décor style.
The ZZ Plant doesn't need much water.
They can tolerate low light, so if you have a dark corner - that's your ZZ plant's new home.
ZZ plants are easy to propagate, which means you can easily grow new plants from cuttings to share with friends or to add to other parts of your home.
The Bottom Line
Adding a plant or two is never a bad idea, no matter how much or little time you spend in your kitchen. These low-maintenance plants won't interfere with your cooking time or take up too much counter space. Plants in your kitchen will reduce stress levels and improve your mood - guaranteed!