If plants could split the rent, these would be the ones you’d want on the lease. Zero drama, minimal demands, and bonus points for making your place look like a lush little Eden. Meet your future foliage flatmates or skip to the bottom if you’re ready for someone to move on in:
1. Snake Plant (a.k.a. The Unbothered One)
Personality: Stoic, minimalistic, never starts drama. The roommate who mysteriously disappears for the weekend and comes back with a tan.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Thrives on neglect. Forget to water for three weeks? They’ll probably just look better. Also a natural air purifier, so they’re basically running a free air filter in the living room.
Care: Bright, indirect light preferred but tolerates low light. Water every 2–4 weeks; let soil dry out completely between waterings.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
2. Pothos (a.k.a. The Chill Artist)
Personality: Wears vintage sweaters, always making you tea, has a perpetually half-finished sketchbook on the table.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Adaptable to almost any light situation, so they’ll happily live in your dim kitchen or sun-blasted window. Fast-growing and will drape themselves around furniture like they’re redecorating for you.
Care: Low to bright, indirect light. Water every 1–2 weeks, allowing soil to dry between waterings. Trim vines to encourage fullness.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
3. Spider Plant (a.k.a. The Overachiever Who Shares Snacks)
Personality: That friend who keeps baking muffins “just because” and leaves extras out for the neighbours.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Shoots out adorable baby plants (spiderettes) you can gift to others. Extremely forgiving if you forget water, and can handle low light without complaint.
Care: Bright, indirect light. Water once a week or when the top inch of soil is dry. Snip off baby plants to propagate.
Pet Safety: ✅ Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
4. ZZ Plant (a.k.a. The Goth Who’s Surprisingly Fun)
Personality: All black clothing, mysterious smile, knows the best dive bars, but also texts you random memes at 2 a.m.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Tolerates deep shade and long droughts. Shiny leaves look good in literally any room, and they’ll quietly thrive while you do absolutely nothing for weeks.
Care: Low to bright, indirect light. Water every 2–3 weeks, letting soil dry completely. Avoid overwatering — root rot is their only enemy.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
5. Aloe Vera (a.k.a. The First Aid Nerd)
Personality: The outdoorsy roommate who always has sunscreen, bug spray, and a weirdly large hat collection.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Doesn’t need much water, just bright light and a sunny spot. And when you get a burn (kitchen, sun, emotional), they’ve got your back — literally healing you from the windowsill.
Care: Bright, direct sunlight. Water deeply but infrequently — every 3 weeks or so. Ensure pot has drainage to avoid soggy roots.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
6. Peace Lily (a.k.a. The Drama Queen Who’s Worth It)
Personality: Waves dramatically when thirsty, perks right back up when you give them what they want.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Super easy to read — droop means “water me,” perk means “thanks.” Bonus: they bloom indoors and help clean your air.
Care: Low to medium, indirect light. Keep soil slightly moist; water when leaves droop. Wipe leaves to keep them shiny.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
7. Jade Plant (a.k.a. The Quiet Investor)
Personality: Keeps spreadsheets for fun, probably has a secret savings account, and knows exactly when the thrift store has 50% off days.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Slow-growing, low-maintenance, and can live for decades. A succulent that will literally grow with you through multiple apartments.
Care: Bright, direct light. Water every 2–3 weeks in summer, less in winter. Let soil dry between waterings.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
8. Philodendron (a.k.a. The Hugger)
Personality: Affectionate, always leaning toward you, curls around anything nearby.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Almost as adaptable as pothos, with lush green leaves that trail or climb. Easy to propagate, so you can fill your whole place with its leafy offspring.
Care: Low to bright, indirect light. Water weekly or when top inch of soil is dry. Support with a trellis if climbing.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
9. Cast Iron Plant (a.k.a. The Unkillable)
Personality: The friend who survives on instant ramen and coffee but still looks great in group photos.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Nearly indestructible — thrives in low light, shrugs off neglect, and doesn’t complain about inconsistent watering.
Care: Low light tolerant. Water every 2–3 weeks. Prefers evenly moist soil but will forgive occasional drought.
Pet Safety: ✅ Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
10. English Ivy (a.k.a. The Climber)
Personality: Adventurous, always finding ways to sneak into new spaces, literally climbs the walls.
Why They’re a Good Roommate: Fast grower, great for hanging baskets or trellises. Helps improve air quality and can make your home look like a cozy cottagecore dream without much effort.
Care: Bright, indirect light. Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Trim regularly to control growth.
Pet Safety: ❌ Toxic to cats and dogs.
Most of the plants on this list aren’t pet safe because nature gave them built-in self-defence. We’re talking calcium oxalate crystals, saponins, alkaloids — basically plant pepper spray. Great for keeping bugs and grazers away in the wild, not so great if your cat decides to take a bite. The workaround? Keep toxic plants in hanging baskets, on impossible-to-scale shelves, or in a no-pets-allowed room. And maybe throw your furry roommates a bone (well, cat grass or catnip) so they’re less likely to chew on the leafy housemates who don’t want to be chewed.
Bottom line: plants are the roommates that don’t eat your leftovers, don’t ghost you for rent, and actually make your home healthier just by existing. Pick one whose vibe matches yours, give them a bit of light, the occasional drink, and they’ll be around long after your human roommates have moved on.
Pet-Safe Plant Swaps
(Same vibe, fewer vet bills.)
Snake Plant → Swap for Parlor Palm
Parlor Palm has the same tall, vertical elegance without the toxic sass. Safe for cats, dogs, and anyone who forgets to water.
Pothos → Swap for Swedish Ivy
Looks like pothos’ artsy cousin but won’t poison your pets. Trails beautifully and loves the same low-maintenance lifestyle.
ZZ Plant → Swap for Cast Iron Plant
Already on our list — it’s pet-safe and just as impossible to kill. Give it the ZZ Plant’s moody corner and call it a day.
Aloe Vera → Swap for Haworthia
This mini-succulent is basically Aloe Vera’s harmless little sibling. Same spiky aesthetic, zero drama for your pets.
Peace Lily → Swap for Moth Orchid
If you’re in it for the flowers, Moth Orchids give you long-lasting blooms without the toxicity. Plus, they look like they belong in a magazine spread.
Jade Plant → Swap for Echeveria
These rosette-forming succulents bring the same chunky, sculptural vibes as Jade but won’t mess with your pet’s stomach.
Philodendron → Swap for Hoya
Hoyas have lush, trailing leaves and sometimes flowers — same romantic, climbing personality without the toxic baggage.
English Ivy → Swap for Grape Ivy
Similar climbing habit, lush leaves, and cottage-core potential — but safe if your cat decides to channel their inner goat.
That’s the thing about the perfect roommate: sometimes they’ve got roots instead of rent money. Flip through this leafy classifieds page and you’ve got a line-up of low-maintenance legends, from the goth in the corner to the overachiever with snacks for everyone. Some of them come with fine print (read: keep out of paw’s reach), but that’s just part of the deal. Whether you’re hanging them high, swapping in their pet-safe cousins, or giving your living room over to full-blown cottagecore, these green housemates will never ghost you, leave passive-aggressive notes, or “forget” it’s their week for the dishes. Classifieds closed. Applications always open.
Where to Buy
If you’re ready to start interviewing your leafy roommates, you don’t even have to leave the couch. The internet’s full of plant dealers who’ll ship a green friend straight to your door — no awkward Craigslist meetups required. In Canada, check out Plant Collective for affordable, well-packed options, or Botany Shop for more curated, statement-making pieces. Foli will even pair you with a plant based on your space and habits, like a leafy dating app. If you’re okay crossing borders, The Sill and Bloomscape have solid starter options (just watch the shipping costs and import rules). And don’t sleep on Etsy — half the joy is finding that one seller who ships you a pothos in a hand-painted pot and tucks in a handwritten care note like you’re old friends.
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AXO (she/her) is a multidisciplinary creator, editor, and builder of feminist media ecosystems based in Toronto. She is the founder of She Zine Mag, Side Project Distro, BBLGM Club, and several other projects under the AXO&Co umbrella — each rooted in DIY culture, creative rebellion, and community care. Her work explores the intersection of craft, technology, and consciousness, with an emphasis on handmade ethics, neurodivergent creativity, and the politics of making. She is an advocate for accessible creativity and the power of small-scale cultural production to spark social change. Her practice merges punk, print, and digital media while refusing to separate the emotional from the practical. Above all, her work invites others to build creative lives that are thoughtful, defiant, and deeply handmade.
