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Top 10 indoor plants for a busy household

Living greenery brings beauty, softness and life to any interior – but which ones cope best with the hurly-burly of a busy household? Outside In Horticulturalist Ryan McQuerry selects his favourite family-friendly plants

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Fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) Water: Once per week. Light: Bright indirect. With large, lush, green leaves, this fig is one of the most desirable indoor plants at the moment. It is a perfect medium-to-tall plant for a lounge. Slightly higher-maintenance than some, but still a must-have plant.

Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) Water: Every 2-3 weeks. Light: Low to bright indirect. A very difficult plant to kill. Perfect for a structural/architectural look.

Scindapsus pictus Water: Every 1-2 weeks. Light: Low to bright indirect. A beautiful, long-hanging plant with a delicate-looking leaf. Perfect for trailing over the end of a shelf or growing in a hanging planter.

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ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) Water: Every 2-3 weeks. Light: Low to bright indirect. This almost indestructible plant with stunning, deep-green foliage makes a great addition to any room.

Staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum) Water: Every 2 weeks or so. If wall mounted, soak root ball in water. Light: Low to medium indirect. A unique plant with foliage resembling deer antlers. It looks great in a pot or can be wired to a piece of timber and used as wall art. Hard to kill.

Paddle plant (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora aka K. tetraphylla) Water: Every 2 weeks or so. Light: Bright. Eye-catching succulent with flat, round, thick leaves of a blue-grey colour with a tinge of red on the tips. A nice-looking plant and tough as old boots.

Sweetheart vine (Philodendron cordatum) Water: Every 1-2 weeks. Light: Medium to bright. This plant is quite tough and quickly produces long-hanging, lush, heart-shaped foliage. It is a perfect plant to trail over the edge of a shelf.

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Bird’s nest fern Water: Every 1-2 weeks. Light: Medium to bright. This plant with its lovely bright-green foliage is perfect for a small-medium pot and is very low-maintenance. However, its leaves can be damaged easily if played with, so it’s best placed high up, out of reach of young children.

Hen and chicken fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) Water: Every 1-2 weeks. Light: Medium to bright indirect. This New Zealand native has soft, fluffy foliage and is a great medium-sized indoor plant well suited to a lounge or a shaded patio.

Monstera deliciosa Water: Once per week. Light: Medium to bright. This plant has large, tropical-looking leaves (often seen on fabric prints) and is much sought-after at the moment. Looks great in a lounge.

Words by: Ryan McQuerry. Photography by: Chris Warnes, Eve Wilson, Armelle Habib, Felix Forest, James Henry, Maree Homer/bauersyndication.com.au. Getty Images, iStock.

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