The 15 Best Plants You Should Have In Your Kitchen

Whether or not you have a green thumb, houseplants can offer a number of benefits, including possibly helping to reduce your stress levels and boost your immune system (via Healthline). In addition to adding some life and brightness to your space, plants can be especially helpful in certain areas of your home. In particular, when kept in your kitchen — houseplants can not only help to purify the room's air but can deter pests and even inspire you to get creative and try some new things.

And, while there may be a few downsides to consider when it comes to houseplants in your kitchen, there also seems to be an endless selection of plants to choose from if you do decide to add them to your kitchen space. However, some houseplants simply outrank others due to their variety, versatility in the kitchen, and ideal growing conditions and care. But which plants are truly the best for your kitchen? Here are our 15 picks.

There's no denying herbs are some of the best plants to have in your kitchen, but some herbs prove a better fit as far as variety and versatility (via Fearless Dining). Take mint (genus Mentha), for example. This cool herb has roughly 25 varieties, and as noted by WebMD, is perhaps best known for its positive effect on digestive health.

When growing mint indoors, Bonnie Plants recommends potting the herb in well-draining soil that's consistently watered and storing it in a sunny area of your kitchen where direct and indirect sunlight are both plentiful and where there's space for the plant to spread out.

Another great herb option for your kitchen is parsley (Petroselinum crispum). Per The Kitchen Herbs, this plant has a similar appearance to cilantro, but is the more versatile of the two and comes in four main varieties, according to Little Yellow Wheelbarrow. They are curly and flat-leaf (best known as Italian parsley), Japanese parsley, and Hamburg parsley — all of which have different uses in the kitchen.

Make sure your parsley plant is potted in well-draining, nutrient-rich soil, consistently watered, and if grown in warm climates, is placed in partial shade (via Bonnie Plants). If not, keep it in an area with full sun.

An overarching group of plants, succulents are common, low-key houseplants that can tolerate dry conditions and won't take up very much counter space in your kitchen, according to The Practical Planter. As for how to care for your variety of succulents, make sure your plants are getting enough direct sunlight by keeping them near a window, as well as rotating them frequently, as they tend to lean toward the sun (via Architectural Digest). When watering a succulent, water the soil directly rather than misting them, as misting can cause a whole host of problems, including moldy leaves and brittle roots.

Unlike other houseplants, air plants (genus Tillandsia) don't necessarily require soil to thrive in your kitchen, drawing their nutrients from the air instead (via My Domaine). Also known as epiphytes, air plants should be kept in warm areas of your kitchen like window sills or mounted on your walls in hanging pots where the plants can get plenty of bright, indirect sunlight.

Often seen in terrariums, air plants should be watered every one to two weeks in the morning based on the plants' needs. When caring for air plants, consider the air's quality and temperature depending on the season (via Pistils Nursery).

Another great hanging-plant option for eat-in kitchens and bright sunrooms, English Ivy (Hedera helix) is a versatile plant that's adaptable to most lighting situations. Indoors, you can find them in baskets or even hanging off shelves (via House Beautiful).

English Ivy, as well as other ivy varieties, should be potted in a nutrient-rich, houseplant potting mix that is kept evenly damp, but not soggy, according to Clemson's Home & Garden Information Center. The plant should also be misted regularly to prevent its leaves from drying out, as well as pruned to maintain the right size and shape.

Not only is the peace lily (genus Spathiphyllum) eye-catching with its dark green leaves and white tropical blooms, the flowering plant can live for years based on its quality of care, according to Country Living. The tropical plant, which isn't actually a lily, can grow up to 4 feet tall and regularly blooms in indirect sunlight.

Peace lilies also shouldn't be placed in drafty rooms due to their temperature sensitivity. For the best results, plant your peace lily in a pot with good drainage and porous potting soil. Water peace lilies regularly (via Miracle-Gro).

If you're looking for a flowering plant that can add color to your kitchen, consider the African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha). While it's known to be somewhat of a finicky plant, with the right care, its flowers, which come in a variety of purples, can last year-round (via My Domaine).

To maintain its blooms, the Old Farmer's Almanac recommends planting your African violet in small pots with loose, well-draining soil, watering it carefully to avoid stem and leaf rot, and placing it in indirect light and/or by northeast-facing windows.