ADHD Friendly Plants
In another post about plants and ADHD I talked about tips for ADHD plant parents. In this post I will highlight some of my favorite plants as someone with ADHD!
What makes a plant ADHD friendly?
Fantastic question! In general, low maintenance plants are the best for those of us with ADHD.
I think plants that:
- don’t need to be fertilized (at least not often)
- enjoy average home temperature and humidity
- don’t need to be watered daily or even every other day
make great ADHD friendly plants.
Basic Plant Info
First let’s talk about some basic plant knowledge that you’ll need.
- Water your plants with room temperature, filtered (not distilled) water. Cold or hot water can shock your plants, and non-filtered water can contain minerals or chemicals that can build up on your plants and eventually kill them.
- Bright, indirect light means the sun is not beating down directly onto your plant. Placing the plant a little off to the side of a window or further back into a room is a good way to achieve this.
- It may be helpful to get a soil meter to measure moisture if you’re not confident in your ability to tell the level of moisture in the soil.
- Almost all plants need pots with drainage holes. Many pots have drainage holes built in, but you can also drill your own if you are dead-set on a pot that has no holes.
Without further ado,
ADHD Friendly Plants
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia)
The ZZ plant is an excellent choice for ADHD plant lovers. Not only does it not require much light, it also doesn’t need to be watered too often, in fact it prefers that you let the soil dry out before watering it again.
Light: Medium-Bright indirect light (no direct light).
Water: Let soil dry in between watering.
Soil: Well draining soil that also holds moisture well. All-purpose soil mixed with perlite works well.
Fertilizer: No need to fertilize.
Temperature: Typical room temperature, 65–85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity: Average home humidity.
Pros: Gorgeous, grows at a steady pace, low care needs, can tolerate low light and dry air (great for offices), fun name to say.
Cons: Can get really tall, can irritate pets and humans if consumed.
Jade Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
I put the jade pothos here because it really doesn’t get the love it deserves. Often overshadowed by its variegated cousins, this plant is gorgeous on its own! The deep green that flows across its leaves gives the plant its name. Many of the other pothos will have similar care, I just wanted to give Jade pothos the spotlight.
Light: Bright, indirect light but can survive in lower light.
Water: Just let the top ½” inch to 2″ inches dry out before watering again. You can easily just place a toothpick (or your finger) into the soil to test its moisture level.
Soil: Well draining soil.
Fertilizer: Not necessary, though you can use a fertilizer at half-strength once a month in the spring and summer.
Temperature: Typical room temperature.
Humidity: Can stand average house humidity but thrives in a bit more humidity. Use a spray bottle once a week if needed to obtain this level of humidity.
Pros: Easily propagated, low maintenance, and make lovely hanging décor.
Cons: Can grow fast and will need to be trimmed regularly if you don’t want long tendrils.
Air Plants (Tillandsia)
Tillandsia is actually the name of the genus of air plants, part of the family bromeliaceae. These guys come in all shapes and sizes, each with their own unique personality! That being said, this care guide is broad in terms of air plants, not all of them need the same care so be sure to take note of what your plants are telling you through their leaves and flowers.
Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Use a bowl or other container to soak the air plants in filtered (not distilled!) water for about 10–20 minutes. Shake off excess water and allow them to dry completely. Never put the flower (if blooming) under water, this can cause it to rot.
Soil: None
Fertilizer: Not necessary.
Temperature: 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity: Higher humidity, but can survive average house humidity if watered regularly.
Pros: No soil, no mess! You can use air plants to make some gorgeous décor and set up terrariums with them.
Cons: It can be difficult to maintain the required level of humidity during the winter when the heat is always running.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum)
One of the first houseplants I had ever come in contact with. An old teacher of mine was passing the babies of her spider plant out to students and I took one home. Of course this was when I was a child that had undiagnosed adhd so the poor thing got left in a plastic sandwich bag at the bottom of my backpack for weeks. Now that I’m an adult I can give the spider plant the love and attention it deserves! Thankfully they don’t require much.
Light: Bright, indirect light. Partial shade.
Water: Let soil mostly dry out between watering.
Soil: Well draining soil.
Fertilizer: Not necessary but you can feed them once a month during spring and summer using all-purpose water soluble fertilizer if you’d like.
Temperature: 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity: Above average house humidity. Regular misting or having a humidifier around will do the trick.
Pros: Easily propagated. Full, bushy look makes it a great hanging plant.
Cons: Grows very fast and can look “leggy” (long tendrils with little foliage) and may need pruning.
Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
There are different types of snake plants–or sansevieria–but most of them will benefit from the same type of care. My favorites are the Forest star variety (pictured above), which grows in a rosette rather than straight up like the Sansevieria trifasciata variety.
Light: Low light tolerant but prefers bright, indirect light.
Water: Water deeply but allow soil to dry out in between watering.
Soil: Cactus and succulent or well draining soil.
Fertilizer: Not necessary.
Temperature: Average house temperature
Humidity: Average house humidity, no need to spritz.
Pros: Comes in a variety of types and colors. Easily propagated. Makes for great office décor. Very hardy plants.
Cons: Collects dust more easily since the leaves are rigid and wide.
Yucca (Yucca Gigantea)
This one is a little bigger than the other plants on the list. These guys can become rather large and outgrow their space, but since they are slow-growers it would take years for them to get to that point. Yucca gigantea are the most common of the Yucca genus for houseplants and are relatively easy to take care of. They’re a great choice if you want a larger plant that won’t grow very fast. The yucca plant comes from deserts and thus are very adaptable, due deserts having wide temperature ranges.
Light: Bright, indirect light.
Water: Let dry out in between waterings. Generally once a week during the hot season and once every few weeks when it’s colder.
Soil: Well-draining soil mix with sand or perlite.
Fertilizer: Once a month during the growing season with liquid fertilizer.
Temperature: Average house temperature.
Humidity: Average house humidity but can handle dry air without a problem. No need to mist.
Pros: Slow growing so repotting isn’t needed as often.
Cons: Sensitive to overwatering so be careful. May be too big for beginner plant parents.
Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller)
Aloe has become a house-hold name for many, not only is it a wonderful plant to look at, but it has healing properties as well! We’re not here to talk about that, though, we’re here to talk about plant care.
Light: Bright, indirect light.
Water: Water deeply, making sure to saturate the soil, but don’t water often. Let soil dry out well between watering.
Soil: Well-draining soil. Cactus and succulent soil works well.
Fertilizer: Not necessary but you can feed it once a year during spring if you’d like.
Temperature: 55-85 degrees Fahrenheit but can tolerate lower temperatures for a time.
Humidity: Average house humidity, low humidity.
Pros: Easy to care for. It’s not just for looks, you can harvest the gel on the inside and use it topically for minor cuts and burns.
Cons: Can’t tolerate frost, so keep inside and away from windows in the cold seasons.
Wax Plant (Hoya Carnosa)
The name “wax plant” actually covers multiple types of Hoyas, but a lot of them have the same needs. The more common wax plant you might see is the Hoya Carnosa, though this plant has many varieties available (such as the compacta, krimson princess, krimson queen, etc.) I’ve fallen deeply in love with my Hoyas and I’m sure you will too, especially once you find out how easy they are to take care of!
Light: Bright, indirect light. Some direct sun is fine.
Water: Water deeply in spring and summer, especially when flowering. Used room temperature water. In winter, water every couple of weeks, saturating soil but not letting it sit in a tray or collect water. Use pots with plenty of drainage holes.
Soil: Well-draining soil. Cactus and succulent soil works well.
Fertilizer: Once a month in the spring and summer.
Temperature: 65–75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity: Prefers more humidity than most others on this list. Use a room temperature spray bottle or humidifier. Avoid spraying flowers.
Pros: Beautiful and fast growing if taken care of properly.
Cons: These guys can be a little harder to take care of since they need more humidity and are more particular with their temperature, but don’t let that deter you!
Palms
In particular we’re going to be talking about three palms: Parlor, Ponytail, Majesty palms. Palm trees are an easy way to liven up a room and are non-toxic to pets! They can easily bring a tropical vibe to your home and are easy to take care of.
Light: Bright, indirect light. Light shade. Ponytail palm can tolerate direct light.
Water: Keep soil moist but more on the dry side.
Soil: Well-draining soil.
Fertilizer: Not necessary. Once or twice during the growing season if you’d like.
Temperature: Can handle 50 degrees Fahrenheit but thrives in 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Humidity: Prefers humidity as they are tropical plants. Using a humidifier or spray bottle will do wonders. Maybe place it in your bathroom if you have a window that would give it sufficient lighting. Ponytail palms prefer dry air!
Pros: Gorgeous and luscious bushels of leaves. Easy to manage.
Cons: Cannot tolerate frost. The long, thing leaves are very attractive to cats in my experience.
Heart-leaf Philodendron (Philodendron scandens)
Philodendrons are a genus of plants that are, in general, easy to care for. Instead of listing all the different philodendrons, I’ve decided to narrow it down to an easy beginner philo; the heart leaf philodendron. First of all, the name is adorable, and second, the leaves are adorable! They’re heart-shaped! Enough said. These are a great way to get into philodendrons and their care is actually pretty similar to the Jade pothos mentioned earlier. While some philodendrons may look like pothos, they’re actually a different genus of plant! Though they do fall under the same family.
Light: Indirect light, some shade.
Water: Allow to dry between watering. If leaves turn yellow you are probably watering it too much.
Soil: Soilless potting mix, adding some perlite for drainage.
Fertilizer: Don’t fertilize in the fall and winter, you can feed it once a month during spring and summer with a diluted fertilizer.
Temperature: 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit but can handle lower temperatures for a time.
Humidity: Loves humidity, as they are tropical perennials. Use a humidifier or mist with a spray bottle often.
Pros: Grows fast and creates long, beautiful vines.
Cons: Due to its fast growth, you may need to prune it more often than other plants.
Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides)
This plant gets its name from its origins in Southern China. With cute button or coin-shaped leaves, this money plant is quite popular for new and experienced plant parents. Pilea pepromiodes are actually part of the Urticaceae family along with the stinging-nettle plants. Thankfully this plant is much more friendly than its cousins and it won’t sting you!
Light: Bright, indirect sunlight.
Water: Let soil to nearly dry out–not completely–between waterings.
Soil: Well-draining soil.
Fertilizer: not necessary, once a month in spring and summer if you’d like.
Temperature: Average house temperature is fine, and can withstand colder temperatures.
Humidity: Average house humidity, avoid dry air. If needed, spray occasionally with room temperature water.
Pros: Fast growing, especially during spring and summer.
Cons: This plant loves to reach towards its light source, so you will need to rotate it every once in a while if you don’t want a lopsided plant. Due to their wide leaves they can get dusty, which can cause the plant to lose out on the nutrients it gets from sunlight, so you’ll need to dust this one occasionally.
What about Cacti and Succulents?
While there are many species of cacti and succulents that are easy to care for, there are also many that are just as difficult–if not more so–than the ones I’ve listed. Often they can survive for a while without proper care, but can rapidly deteriorate if not given adequate care. Cacti and succulents can also be difficult to diagnose when something is wrong.
The other problem that ADHD owners of cacti and succulents may have is forgetting about them purely because some of them need so little care that it can be easy to forget to care for them at all! Falling easily into the thought process of “well it’s a cactus/succulent, it should be fine, right?” No! Not if it’s not given the correct care.
Of course that’s not to say that all cacti and succulents are ADHD plant parents’ worst enemy, it just means that you will want to do more research before buying if you’d like to keep it alive.
Resources
Here are a few websites that can help you in your search for plants:
These sites go into more detail and will help you better understand if you have more questions about the plants on this list.
I encourage you to support and buy from local businesses rather than large companies, as the local business is almost always going to give better care for the plants they sell in my experience. Plus, any questions you have about the plants can probably be answered by the workers at local nurseries!
