The 8 Most Popular Houseplants For Singaporean Homes

Now that you got your keys to your BTO flat, the next thing on your agenda is deciding on how to style your new home. Whether it’s to bring the touch of the outside in, to purify the air, or because you love the look, houseplants add life and drama to any interior. There’s always a houseplant for every room and every homeowner, you just need to know how to help yours thrive.

World Farm At Bah Soon Pah Road

To make your selection a little easier, we went down to World Farm — Singapore's largest nursery farm and had a chat with Thomas, who is the resident plant enthusiast that cares for the ones in World Farm’s exotic species room, using our findings to put together a list of 8 best selling houseplants that World Farm has for beginners. Even those without a green thumb can appreciate the beauty of houseplants – if you're one of those people, this post is for you.

1. Swiss Cheese Plant

World Farm’s Monstera Deliciosa (Left and right)

Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss Cheese Plant is a species of flowering plant native to tropical forests of southern Mexico, south to Panama.

The specific epithet deliciosa means ‘delicious’, referring to the edible fruit, while monstera means ‘monstrous’, in reference to the size that this plant can grow up to, which is around 9 metres (30ft) if given the right environment or in an open garden. Smaller specimens of this species are popular as house plants as it is tolerant of indoor light levels — from very bright to bright shade.

It's popularly known as ‘swiss cheese plant’ or ‘cheese plant’ due to the holes which develop in the leaves, being humorously compared to some Swiss cheeses like Emmenthal cheese, which also have holes, but please do not consume the leaves!

Feeding a monstera plant with slow-release fertiliser will ensure the leaves grow lush and huge. They also prefer highly ventilated areas to grow well, otherwise, the leaves will develop fungus growth.

The Swiss Cheese Plant is currently retailing at S$21.40.

2. Birkin

World Farm’s Philodendron Birkin (Left and right)

Philodendron Birkin is a beautiful plant with striking white stripes on its green leaves. These patterns might make you think that the Philodendron Birkin is a difficult plant to take care of, but well don’t judge a book by its cover, luckily that's not true!

It is the perfect house plant when it comes to light requirements. It doesn't want to be in a low-light place, but also not in direct sunlight. However, you can put it in any other type of light exposure. This makes it great for windowsills that don't get any direct sunlight, or just any other place away from windows in sunny rooms—getting the right balance of sunlight is relatively important here.

Being a fast-growing houseplant also means that it uses a lot of energy to grow new leaves. During the growing season of spring and summer, you should fertilize your Philodendron at least once per month. This will give your house plant the energy it needs to keep growing quickly. Liquid fertiliser is one of the easiest ways to feed your plant, simply add some fertiliser to the water once per month.

The Philodendron Birkin is currently retailing at S$9.63.

3. Snake Plant

World Farm’s Sansevieria (left) and Sansevieria superba (right)

Another one on the list — if you’re new to plant ownership or simply looking for an easy-care houseplant, Sansevieria is for you. Sansevieria is colloquially known as 'snake plants' are hardy plants that remain popular because of their adaptability to a wide range of growing conditions. They can withstand full sun and handle low light—though they will do best in indirect sunlight. And because Sansevieria is native to the arid deserts of West Africa, they do not require much water, especially in the winter.

Do you know that Sansevieria has been put through its paces by NASA? – this was in

NASA’s Clean Air Study, a fascinating study that looked at how the air in space stations could be cleaned and filtered. It found there were a number of plants that can naturally remove toxins in the air and Sansevieria was one of the top performers!

The Sansevieria is currently retailing at S$16.05.

4. Prayer Plant

World Farm’s Maranta Fascinator Tricolor (From left to right)

Grown for their bold and striking foliage, Marantas are beautiful houseplants to brighten up your interior. The oval, variegated leaves are intricately patterned in a range of colors and patterns that look like an artist’s brushstrokes. The undersides of the leaves are often dark red. Also generally known as the nicknamed prayer-plants, the Marantas close up their leaves at night, like hands in prayer, before opening them up again at dawn. This daily movement is known as nyctinasty and is fascinating to witness. Marantas do best in bright, indirect light but will tolerate a bit of shade.

Caring for Marantas isn’t much of a chore as well, but just a little bit more attentiveness is needed to keep it thriving—they don’t grow upwards as much they grow outwards, so be prepared for a wave of new leaves making their way over the sides of the pot!

Best to keep your Marantas in a bright, humid spot away from direct sun. Water frequently to keep the soil moist but not soggy. If using tap water it is best to leave it to stand for a couple of hours before using. Marantas do best in a humid environment with little moisture, so this is your best chance now in getting them to spice up your interior without worrying that it will die off despite the little attention!

The Marantas is currently retailing at S$21.40.

5. Laceleaf

World Farm’s Anthurium Andreaeanum (left), Mixture of Anthurium (middle),

Anthurium Strawberry (right)

The “flowers” of the Anthurium are some of the longest-lasting on earth, which means that their dazzling color will last in your home for months. Originally found in areas of the Andes Mountain range in Colombia and Ecuador, this beauty enjoys a warm spot in your home with a bit of extra humidity – perfect here isn’t it?

Did you know the colorful “flowers” of the Anthurium have actually modified leaves? The true flowers of the plant grow from the center structure called an inflorescence. It symbolizes hospitality with its open heart-shaped flower and inspires happiness and abundance.

Caring for an Anthurium plant does not require too much fertilizer. It only needs to be fertilized with a one-quarter strength fertilizer once every three to four months. To get the best blooms, use a fertilizer that has a higher phosphorus number.

The Anthurium (Laceleaf) is currently retailing at S$7.49.

6. Eternity plant

World Farm’s Zamioculcas Zamiifolia (left), Zamioculcas Zamiifolia Close-up (right)

If you are always scrolling for home interior feed on IKEA or Pinterest, you would realize that Zamioculcas zamiifolia is the quiet hero to nearly any Instagram-worthy houseplant collection.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia has been around for centuries. A couple of decades ago, Dutch nurseries located in South Africa saw the plant’s propagating potential and in 1996 started distributing it around the world. Since then, Zamioculcas zamiifolia plants have entered hearts, homes, and offices worldwide.

With its wide, attractive, dark green leaves, it boasts many favorable traits for offices and homes. It tolerates neglect—is drought tolerant, and accepts low-light conditions without throwing a fit. Its waxy, smooth leaves reflect sunlight and brighten rooms.

The care for Zamioculcas zamiifolia is simple, making it the gold standard for houseplant beginners, it does not need any special type of potting soil: any well-drained potting soil will do. Apply a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer once a month when watering.

The Eternity Plant is currently retailing at S$8.56.

7. Money Plant

World Farm’s Money Plant (Epipremnum Aureus) (left) & Money Plant Manjula (right)

Pothos plants which are also known by one of their parent nicknames, Money Plant (Snow Queen Pothos) are one of the most common houseplants. Their trailing vine is a stunning addition to any indoor plant display. They are durable and hearty, and they are one of the many excellent plants to start with if you are new to growing plants.

Generally, the Pothos plant is known for its air-purifying quality, and broad heart-shaped leaves help maintain fresh indoor air. They are not just great for their own properties, but they are very easy to propagate by taking stem cuttings that have a node on them and placing them in water. It is considered an invasive species in some areas and it propagates so easily, it can grow wide quite quickly as several different plants in one pot.

The Money Plant (Snow Queen Pothos) is currently retailing at S$10.70.

8. Peace Lily

World Farm’s Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily),

Spathiphyllum hybrid (Peace Lily) (left), Spathiphyllum Sp (right)

Peace lily, Spathiphyllum Wallisii, is a popular, low-maintenance house plant with glossy green leaves and white flowers, called spathes. Native to Central America, it’s used to a warm, humid environment and is perfect for growing in a bright bathroom. Peace lilies are easy to grow and relatively trouble-free.

The name ‘peace lily’ relates to its white flowers, which are thought to look like white flags (a symbol of peace). Peace lilies are easy to grow and they do not need a lot of light and help to clean and purify the air.

The Peace Lily is currently retailing at S$8.56.

Not only do houseplants improve our homes aesthetically by softening spaces, studies also show that they promote an array of emotional, physical and mental health benefits from air purification to boosting productivity and reducing stress. Whether you're a pandemic plant parent or a horticultural enthusiast looking to spice up your new home, drop by World Farm at their recent new space at Jurong Gateway to discover the endless variety of plants they offer. Our Organic Black Soldier Fly Fertiliser is also currently retailing at World Farm and on our Shopee and Lazada site.

All prices are correct at the point of publication and might be subject to change as it goes.