Tabletop Plants

There are many possible plants you could choose to brighten up your smaller spaces. Tabletop plants must be small, low-maintenance, and attractive. These plants don’t require a green thumb or an interior designer’s eye to bring out their beauty.

Some winners across all categories are these: cacti or succulents in general, baby rubber plant, bromeliads, African violet, aglaonema, peace lily, string of pearls, and snake plants. However, don’t be afraid to branch out, as there are plenty more options!

We have a soft spot for the string of pearls plant for that beautiful flowing look. If you’re looking for a splash of color, bromeliads are excellent. And last but not least, a snake plant is always a good look for any contemporary space.

All three of these choices can go at least a week between waterings. They prefer bright but not necessarily direct light (though the string of pearls likes sunlight the most). These are all relatively small plants, making them great as tabletop plants.

Generally, plants that require a lot of sunlight or humidity should be kept outside because they won’t be able to tolerate the indoor environment. But as far as common houseplants you might want to be wary of, there are three categories of problematic plants: those that might trigger allergies, those that are poisonous or cause rashes, and those that could be harmful to curious pets.

If you’re not an allergy sufferer, these plants can be great choices! But otherwise, spider plants, yucca plants, bonsai, and English Ivy can all give you the sniffles (or worse!). Some plants that are generally poisonous if eaten or known to irritate your skin are oleander, the ZZ plant, Jerusalem cherry, and poinsettias.

You also might be careful about choosing one of these plants if you have pets: Easter lily, aloe vera, elephant ear, dumb cane, jade, pothos, or sago palm. Remember, too, if it’s poisonous to you, it’s poisonous to little Fluffy.