12 Awesome Plants You Can Buy In A Recession
You don’t have to spend a fortune to have some wonderful houseplants in your home. There are many affordable houseplants you can buy that look fantastic.
I’ve got 12 of my favourite plants in this article that you can choose from to brighten up your home. Let’s get cracking.
Table of Contents
1. Aglaonema
The first plant on my list is Aglaonema, or the Chinese evergreen. I’m a big fan of this plant because I think it looks great with those big colourful leaves. It’s easy to care for and generally relatively cheap. You should be able to pick one up in a 12-centimeter pot for about £15 which I think is excellent value for such a lovely looking plant. You should be able to pick this up in your local garden centre.
2. Devil’s Ivy (Pothos)
Number two on my list is the Pothos Devil’s Ivy. This vining-type plant grows super quickly and has very subtle variegation in the leaves. It’s another plant that is super easy to care for. I’ve had mine for about a year, and I’ve not had any issues with it. You can normally pick up this plant in a 12-centimeter pot for under £10 , which I think is fantastic value for money.
Pothos plants are generally good value for money and there are many varieties out there.
Check out the Golden Pothos or the Lemon and Lime, two of my favourites, and they’re also pretty cheap.
3. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or the ZZ plant for short, is a larger plant that can normally be purchased for under £20.
This plant is very slow-growing and one of the easiest plants to care for because it can tolerate very low light conditions and hardly needs any water because it has those bulbs in the soil. So, this is a versatile plant that is suitable for most spaces in your home.
There is a Raven variety of this plant with more distinctive dark green leaves that is more expensive but still good value.
4. Spider Plant
This is a very common plant that you can pick up in any of your local stores, and it’s also really affordable. I really like how this plant looks. I have one hanging in a macrame hanger in my living room, and I think it looks great. The good thing about these is that they produce baby offshoot plants that can be easily propagated, multiplying the number of these plants you have for free.
5. Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
The Umbrella plant, or Schefflera, always surprises me how cheap it is. They’re normally sold quite large and rarely cost more than £10 to £15. I think this is great value, especially if you get a variegated one. It’s really easy to care for, and I regularly get new shoots coming out of the top of the stem.
6. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
The sixth plant on my list is the very popular Sansevieria or snake plant or mother-in-law tongues plant. There are many different varieties of this plant. I have two types in my collection. I’ve got one of the more standard varieties that you’ll be able to find anywhere in all the shops and I’ve also got a variegated one with those yellow stripes on the rim of the leaves.
Snake plants are always very affordable and easy to find. With their sculptural leaves, they’re more of a statement piece.
They’ll do well in darker spots in your house and require very little water, making them easy to care for.
7. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)
Chinese money plants are a staple of many homes and became extremely popular a few years ago. With that, they became readily available in all the big box stores and garden centres, making them more affordable. Like the spider plant, they can be easily propagated from the baby offshoots it regularly sends out, so you can continue to multiply the plants quickly.
You normally buy them quite small, but they can grow to be quite large quite quickly so long as you’re giving them the right light conditions. If you do buy one, don’t be alarmed to see the lower leaves drop off the central stem as it gets taller. This is a natural process for the plant, and it can’t really be avoided as it gets older.
8. Tradescantia
This is one of my favorite species of plants: Tradescantia. I’ve got many types of Tradescantia, including the Zebrina, Tiana, Nanook, and Teddy Bear vine, and they’re all really affordable. Tradescantia are extremely quick growers and very easy to propagate. You just need to get a few different varieties to propagate from, and you’ll have tons of plants in your home in no time.
They are a vining plant and will cascade down from the pot.
My personal favorite Tradescantia is the Nanook. The coloring on this plant is gorgeous with those purple colored leaves, especially on the underside of the leaves.
9. Peperomia
Another plant that I find surprisingly affordable is the Peperomia house plant. There are so many different types of this plant, and I have four in my collection: the Santorini, the Obtusifolia, the Angulata, and the Polybotria. All of these plants are surprisingly very affordable, not really costing more than £10. Peperomias are easy to care for and can be easily propagated. They don’t like wet feet, but apart from that, they’re pretty unfussy.
10. Philodendron Brasil
The Philodendron Brasil is a variegated version of the Green Philodendron with distinctive green and yellow leaves that is surprisingly affordable. You’ll get one in a 12-centimeter pot for under £10 , which I think is excellent value for money. It’s easy to care for and like I say it’s surprisingly cheap.
11. Peace Lily
This plant is an absolute staple in many homes and probably one of the most common and popular house plants out there. I think this is why they’re so cheap, but don’t let that put you off. You normally buy this plant with lots of those delicate white flowers, so the growers are able to encourage the plant to push out lots of flowers in time for selling the plant.
When they’re finished blooming, it’s pretty challenging to get them to bloom again in your home, so people tend to throw them out.
Be patient, give it lots of natural light, and it should send out those white flowers again.
12. Anthurium Lace Leaf
This is another flowering plant that looks absolutely stunning in different colours, and it’s the Anthurium Lace Leaf. You’ll be able to find this plant in lots of different colours to suit your taste, and it’s also really affordable. It produces these waxy flowers that last a fairly long time, and it looks really cool. Keep the soil moist but not wet and keep it in a bright spot, and you’ll have a happy plant for a very long time.
You should be able to pick up a decent-sized one for under £10 , which is good value for money.
Plant Comparison
I will provide a brief summary of the plants mentioned earlier. Here it is:
| Plant | Pot Size | Price | Light Requirements | Watering Needs | Ease of Care |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) | 12 cm | £15 | Low to moderate | Moderate | Easy |
| Devil’s Ivy (Pothos) | 12 cm | £10 | Low to bright indirect | Low | Easy |
| ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) | 15 cm | £20 | Low | Very low | Very easy |
| Spider Plant | 15 cm | £5 - £10 | Bright indirect | Moderate | Easy |
| Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) | 20 cm | £10 - £15 | Bright indirect | Moderate | Easy |
| Snake Plant (Sansevieria) | 20 cm | £10 - £20 | Low to bright indirect | Very low | Very easy |
| Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides) | 12 cm | £8 - £15 | Bright indirect | Moderate | Easy |
| Tradescantia | 15 cm | £5 - £10 | Bright indirect | Moderate | Easy |
| Peperomia | 10 cm | £5 - £10 | Bright indirect | Low | Easy |
| Philodendron Brasil | 12 cm | £10 | Bright indirect | Low | Easy |
| Peace Lily | 15 cm | £5 - £10 | Bright indirect | High | Moderate |
| Anthurium Lace Leaf | 15 cm | £10 | Bright indirect | Moderate | Easy |
In summary, bringing houseplants into your home enhances its beauty and offers many benefits, from purifying the air to boosting your mood. The plants listed above, including Aglaonema, Devil’s Ivy, ZZ Plant, and others, are affordable and easy to care for. These make them are perfect choices for novice and experienced plant enthusiasts. Whether you prefer the vibrant leaves of the Tradescantia or the sculptural elegance of the Snake Plant, there is a plant to suit every style and preference.
As you explore these options, consider each plant’s specific care requirements and placement needs to ensure its growth in your home. To Investe in these plants is not just about beautifying your space; it’s about creating a living environment that nurtures your well-being. Happy planting!
 *(Include an image of droopy leaves)* Some plants, such as calatheas, prefer moist soil at all times; otherwise, they develop that signature brown tissue damage on the leaves. The annoying thing here is that the damage cannot be reversed and can only be cut away, leaving you with a damaged plant. If the soil of your plant is bone dry, you'll notice that it's pulling away from the sides of the pot. This is because the soil has shrunk due to a lack of moisture, so make sure you are not letting this happen by watering a little more frequently. #### Signs Your Plant is Overwatered (darkgreen) Overwatering plants is a really common way that people kill their plants. Beginner plant enthusiasts often have a common misconception that houseplants need lots of water, but the reality is that these plants are native to hot climates where they may get periods of drought followed by large rain which rehydrates them. **Yellowing leaves** (red) can indicate an overwatering problem as well as an underwatering problem. If you are watering your plant too often and the soil is always wet, this can lead to root rot, which will begin to affect the leaves of your plant. **Limp and mushy leaves** (red) also indicate that you are overwatering your plant. This is particularly true with succulents such as Echeverias. Echeverias store water in their thick leaves and have difficulty storing excess water if you are watering your plant too often. This leads to mushy plants that eventually fall off.  *(Include an image of yellowing leaves)* Philodendron and Pothos plants tend to get mushy leaves that fall off if the soil is consistently soggy. My Philodendron Birkin recently developed some new brown leaves that fell off because I was overwatering it. Whereas crispy brown edges on leaves indicate an underwatering problem, if the whole leaves are turning brown, this tends to mean that the plant tissue is rotting due to too much water. You may also notice some water droplets on the ends of the leaves of some of your plants. This is the plant perspiring excess water through its leaves and can indicate that you are giving the plant too much water. Now, this tends to happen on plants that prefer drier soil, and I notice it quite often on my Philodendron Birkin and my Tradescantia Nanook. **Increased presence of fungus gnats** (red) can also be a sign that your plant is too moist. Fungus gnats like a moist top two inches of soil to breed and lay their eggs, so if your soil is wet, it creates a breeding ground for gnats. If you see lots of flea-like flies jumping around the top of your soil, I would just dial back on the watering and let the top two inches of the soil dry out before watering again. #### Watering Tips (darkgreen) It is important to allow the soil of your houseplant to dry out between waterings. This prevents the possibility of over-watering, which is one of the most common reasons people kill their plants. **Check the soil moisture** (red) before watering your plant by sticking your finger two inches into the soil. If it feels wet, leave it a few days and then check again. An even better way to check the soil moisture is to invest in a moisture meter. This device needs no batteries and tells you exactly how much moisture is in the soil, giving you control over watering your plants.  *(Include an image of a moisture meter)* When you identify that your plant needs water, make sure you give it a thorough soaking. Take your plant to a sink area and soak the soil four or five times until water drains out of the bottom each time. This ensures that all the soil in the pot gets moistened and there are no dry patches. **Bottom watering** (teal) is a method that has changed the health of my plants since I implemented it a couple of years ago. Place your plant in a container of water and let it absorb moisture from the bottom up. This method prevents water from getting on the leaves, which can cause leaf tissue damage. I hope this article was helpful. Now you know when to water your plants and when not to. Apply this knowledge to your plants and see the growth. Happy gardening! --- Incorporating these visual and formatting enhancements will make your article more attractive and engaging for your readers.](https://growinggaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pexels-artempodrez-7242495-scaled.jpg)
