The 5 Best Houseplants to Grow in Your Kitchen

Of all the rooms in the house, the kitchen is my favorite for growing houseplants. You spend a lot of time there every day, making it easy to keep tabs on your plants, and the sink is right there, so you have zero excuses not to water them.

For example, have you ever noticed that your plant is looking a little under the weather while you’re sitting on your couch wrapped cozily in a blanket? You think, “I have to water that when I get up” — and then three Netflix episodes later you’ve forgotten all about it. That doesn’t happen in the kitchen because you’re already on your feet and the sink is right there.

Let’s start with the obvious: Herbs are the perfect kitchen plants because they add greenery you can eat. Mint, lemon balm, parsley, and basil are all manageable when grown indoors. Another great feature of kitchen herbs is that they’re relatively easy to contain in small- to medium-sized pots so you don’t need to sacrifice a lot of space.

• The Easiest Herb You Can Grow Indoors
  
• Everything You Need to Know About Growing Basil

Aloe vera is another functional kitchen plant. The gel inside the leaves is useful for treating burns, or even just moisturizing dry dishwashing hands. Plus it’s small, compact, and easy to care for.

Read more: Aloe Vera Plants: Our Best Tips for Growing & Care at Apartment Therapy

Spider plants are good kitchen plants for two reasons: They’re really easy to grow and they look good in a hanging basket. Hanging baskets are often a great option for kitchens because they don’t take up any precious countertop real estate. Plus you can easily hang them by a window or sliding glass door where it might otherwise be hard to take advantage of the natural light.

Read more: The Houseplant Lover’s Guide to Spider Plants: Tips, Tricks & Care at Apartment Therapy

If you want a floor-dweller for your kitchen, a snake plant is a good choice. (Though it can also sit on a counter, as evidenced by this photo!) Its leaves are very compact and upright, so it won’t ever be in your way. It’s also super easy to grow, even in low light. Just throw some water on it every once in a while and it’ll be fine.

Read more: Chill, Low-Maintenance Snake Plants are Perfect for People Who Can’t Keep Anything Alive at Apartment Therapy

I don’t know about you, but the less I need to worry about watering a plant the more likely I am to forget about it. Fortunately cacti can survive a long time without water, but it’s still helpful to keep them somewhere you’re likely to remember to water them. Plus they really like the heat and they generally won’t impose on your precious kitchen space.

This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: These are the Best Houseplants to Grow in Your Kitchen