5 Best Beginner-Friendly Indoor Plants For Hong Kong Homes

Green pals not only spruce up your space but are also proven to help brighten your mood. These low-maintenance indoor plants are best suited for Hong Kong homes (and love the humidity!).

We’re blessed to have lush country parks and hiking trails around the city, but sometimes you just want to bring the outdoors in (especially when working from home). Given the limited space in our Hong Kong apartments, it can get tricky to squeeze in some houseplants but the plants on this list won’t take up much room. The best part? These plants are super low maintenance, so you won’t need a green thumb to see them thrive. Read on for plant care tips, plus where to buy these indoor plants in Hong Kong.

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Snake Plant – The Hard-To-Kill Indoor Plant

Mother-in-law’s Tongue, Saint George’s Sword, Viper’s Bowstring Hemp – no matter what you decide to name it, these resilient plants are ideal for novice plant parents. Flaunting thick, hardy leaves, the Snake Plant is easy-going and is also slightly drought resistant so you won’t be in too much trouble if you forget to water it for a few days. Better yet, Snake Plants are one of the few plants that convert carbon dioxide to oxygen so they help purify the air (even at night!). We love keeping ours by our bedside.

Light: Bright to low indirect light.
Water: About once every two weeks.
Pet-friendly? Slightly poisonous to cats and dogs so keep out of their reach.
Growth rate: Very slow so you don’t need to repot often.

English Ivy – The Perfect Indoor Plant For Hanging

If you want to make the most of your limited space, you might want to consider introducing some hanging plants to your home. Just be sure to check with your landlord first if you’re allowed to drill hooks into your ceiling. What we love abut the English Ivy is how it elegantly grows downward and instantly transforms your house into a lush greenhouse! Alternatively, you can place this plant by a window and watch it entwine your window grill! Fair warning, tiny, minuscule spider mites love the English Ivy but you can easily ward them off by spraying the leaves every day or so to avoid them from drying.

Light: Plenty of indirect sunlight, keep in a bright space.
Water: Every 4 to 5 days.
Pet-friendly? Moderately toxic to pets.
Growth rate: Fast, repot if you notice the soil dries out very quickly.

Lucky Bamboo – The Indoor Plant You Don’t Need To Care About Watering

No time to take care of plants? You’ll have no problem with this one. Lucky Bamboo can happily live in a jar of water. We like to keep ours in a transparent vase so we can see when it needs to be refilled. One thing too keep in mind is bamboo is quite sensitive to chlorine, so you can either let the tap water sit out for a day, use distilled water or use a liquid chlorine remover. Healthy bamboo will have orange roots (we suggest just keeping a few stalks together to prevent the roots from getting too cramped). If you haven’t already guessed from its name, according to Feng Shui, this plant is believed to bring luck!

Light: Keep in a bright-lit space with indirected sunlight or florescent lighting.
Water: Keep in water but change the water if you notice it got dirty. Alternatively, you can keep in soil and water it every two days to keep the soil damp.
Pet-friendly? Mild to moderate toxicity for dogs and cats.
Growth rate: Rather fast. The leaves can grow pretty tall, change to another pot/vase accordingly.

Succulents – The Tiny Indoor Plant For Small Spaces

Ah the mighty succulents! Many may have tried parenting this little fella but efforts may have been in vain due to simple mistakes; overwatering them kills and don’t rush to repot them! When watering succulents, make sure it’s directly going into the soil and not the plant itself as damp leaves will rot. When repotting, be very careful as some succulents have complex yet fragile structures and can break easily if not handled properly. Other than that, they’re a joy to have (some of them flower too!) and can easily fit in tiny spaces or your work desk.

Light: Keep in a brightly lit space by the window. Rotate them day after day as they tend to lean towards sunlight.
Water: Once a week, less during winter. To test, press one finger gently into the soil and if it’s still damp, wait until it’s dry to water.
Pet-friendly? Mostly non-toxic but some varieties can be harmful to pets.
Growth rate: Rather slow.

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Money Tree – The Indoor Plant That Can Outgrow You!

Also known as the Guiana Chestnut, the Money Tree is native to Central and South America and gives a tropical feel to your home. You can easily find stunted versions of this plant (with beautiful braided trunks) if you’re opting for a more compact green companion. The bright green, velvety leaves may get dusty every now and then so regular spraying will keep the plant looking fresh. Also, according to Feng Shui, it’s believed that the Money Tree brings positive energy and good luck to its owner. Some also say the plant reduces stress and anxiety, and helps relieve sleeping disorders (though research is lacking, it still makes an excellent bedside plant).

Light: Medium to bright indirect light or low florescent lighting.
Water: Every one to two weeks.
Pet-friendly? Yes!
Growth rate: Slow and steady wins the race – same goes for the Money Tree’s growth. If you keep it healthy, it can grow taller than you!

Where To Buy Indoor Plants In Hong Kong

• Garden Plus – Wide range of plants, plant care products and outdoor furniture, Lot 715 DD 316, Lo Wai Village, Pui O, Hong Kong, 2980 2233, www.gardenplus.com.hk
• IKEA – Small to large indoor plants and planters, various locations across Hong Kong, www.ikea.com.hk
• Mong Kok Flower Market – Plants of all sorts, seeds, planters and plant care products.
• Muji Hong Kong – Potted indoor plants, various locations across Hong Kong, www.muji.com
• Wah King Garden – Plants, planters, garden decor, gardening equipment, royal grass, and polarmoss, various locations across Hong Kong, www.wahking-garden.com

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