A recent study by Washington State University1 found that having houseplants can boost your mood, productivity, and concentration by up to 47%. But not all indoor plants are created equal when it comes to their watering needs. Some are particularly thirsty and require consistent moisture to thrive.
If you’re looking to add some lush greenery to your home, here are 12 houseplants that need lots of water to thrive.
1. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Hailing from tropical regions, Boston ferns crave high humidity and constantly moist soil. Allow the surface to dry slightly between waterings, but never let this classic houseplant fully dry out or its fronds will quickly turn brown and crispy.
Aim to keep the soil evenly moist like a wrung-out sponge.
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2. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
The colorful foliage of prayer plants will quickly wilt and develop brown edges if the soil dries out. These moisture-loving plants require high humidity and soil that is never allowed to dry more than an inch or two down.
Water your prayer plant when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
3. Nerve Plant (Fittonia spp.)
With delicate veined leaves, nerve plants are a beautiful but demanding houseplant when it comes to watering. They quickly wilt and lose their vibrant coloring if allowed to dry out.
Check the soil daily and water when the surface just starts to feel dry, keeping nerve plants in evenly moist soil at all times.
4. Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
The charming pink and green leaves of polka dot plants belie their diva-like water needs. Polka dot plants demand constantly moist soil and quickly wilt into a dramatic droop if they dry out for even a short period.
Check the surface of the soil daily and water at the first hint of dryness.
5. Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum spp.)
With lacy, delicate foliage, maidenhair ferns are a challenge to grow indoors, primarily due to their need for constant moisture. They require high humidity and despise drying out, which causes unsightly brown fronds.
Never allow the soil to dry more than a half inch down and mist the leaves regularly.
6. Rex Begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum)
The striking, swirled leaves of rex begonias come at a price – they are highly sensitive to drying out, which causes brown, crispy edges. Rex begonias need soil that is evenly moist like a wrung-out sponge at all times.
Allow the surface to dry slightly between waterings but never let rex begonias dry out completely.
7. Calathea (Calathea spp.)
Calatheas are known for their stunning patterned foliage, but also for being very fussy about moisture. These tropical plants quickly develop crispy brown leaf edges if their soil dries out.
Check calatheas daily and water when the top inch of soil feels dry, keeping the soil consistently moist but not soggy.
8. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
While relatively tolerant of some drying out, English ivy grows best with consistently moist soil. This fast-growing vine will quickly develop brown leaf margins and drop leaves if allowed to dry out too much.
Water English ivy when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
9. Selaginella (Selaginella spp.)
Sometimes called spike moss, selaginella is actually a primitive vascular plant that requires constant moisture. Its delicate scale-like leaves quickly turn brown and crispy if allowed to dry out for even a short time.
Keep selaginella’s soil evenly moist at all times and mist regularly to raise humidity around the plant.
10. Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)
This tiny, mat-forming plant is adorable but quite intolerant of drying out. Baby’s tears quickly turn brown and crispy if the soil dries more than a half inch down.
Check the surface daily and aim to water baby’s tears just before the soil surface dries out completely for healthy growth.
11. Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
The multi-colored leaves of crotons make them a popular choice, but these plants protest drying soil by dropping their flashy leaves. Maintain crotons in evenly moist soil, watering when the top inch feels dry.
Never allow crotons to fully dry out or they’ll quickly shed foliage.
12. Alocasia (Alocasia spp.)
With large, arrow-shaped leaves, alocasias are statement houseplants that need consistently moist soil to thrive. Allowing the soil to dry out leads to crispy, brown leaf tips and edges.
Water alocasias when the top inch of soil feels dry, keeping the soil lightly moist like a wrung-out sponge at all times.
Source:
1. Horticultural Research Institute
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.