2020 has been the year of spending lots more time at home – so it makes sense that many of us have been looking for ways to brighten up our surroundings.
Plants are the easiest way to do so. They’re a cheap and efficient way to make your house feel more homey (particularly if you’re renting and can’t make any major changes), they can improve a room’s air quality and even boost your mental health by reducing stress.
It’s little wonder then that we’ve been furiously Googling houseplants of late and now Essential Living has used online data to find the most searched for varieties in the UK. So what are the most popular and interesting plants out there, and how can you best care for them yourself?
1. Snake plant
There’s no wonder snake plants top the list: not only do they look great, but they’re pretty easy to look after. If you’re not the most diligent plant parent they will survive a fair amount of neglect (although not forever), and will stay green and leafy even if you live in a basement apartment with little natural light.
Snake plants are a good starting point if you’re dipping your toes into the world of houseplants – with little watering or attention required, you can see it grow and thrive before your eyes.
2. Cactus
This is definitely the best known houseplant on the list. The joy of cactus plants is that no two are the same – each have unique shapes, flowers and needles. They thrive in light and airy spaces, but beware of their prickles when you handle them.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking these hardy desert plants are indestructible – a surefire way of killing a cactus is to overwater it.
3. Peacock plant
Named for their leaves’ resemblance to peacock feathers, peacock plants stand out for their beautiful foliage, which almost look like they’ve been painted on.
This houseplant originates from Brazil, so it needs a fair amount of humidity to thrive. To get the best out of your plant – which can grow to around 60cm if cared for correctly – make sure it has plenty of indirect light, is well watered and drained, and regularly spray water over the leaves.
4. Prayer plant
Similar to peacock plants, prayer plants have knock-out leaves, need plenty of light and grow best in humid conditions. Regularly spray the leaves and keep its soil moist, but be careful not to overwater and drown the plant.
The name comes from the way the leaves turn upwards when it gets dark, like hands in prayer.
5. String of hearts
With dangling fronds and leaves shaped like hearts, it’s no wonder this houseplant has won over the Instagram crowd. For optimal growth, keep these pretty plants in indirect, bright light and treat them to a few hours of direct sunlight a day.
They really don’t need much water – unlike with many other houseplants, it’s recommended you let the soil dry out before watering. Once you’ve got the hang of caring for them, the fronds will start to grow extra long.
Read more: Health benefits of houseplants – 5 ways houseplants can boost your wellbeing.
