10 of the Easiest Houseplant to Grow from Seed or Bulb

Our third youtube video is finally here! You can click on the link below to watch :) We also have a video breakdown below.

In this video we cover 10 easy houseplant seeds & bulbs that are great for beginners just getting started out in the hobby! They’re great practice before getting into the more tricky intermediate and advanced-level seeds.

1. Coleus Seeds

   The easiest and fastest-germinating houseplant seeds in our catalog! You can use the greenhouse method we covered in our last video(How to Grow Houseplants from Seed), they should germinate within a week.

   They like bright, indirect light, and are great options indoors or in shadier patches of your garden outdoors.

2. Hypoestes or Polka Dot Plant Seeds

   A close second in terms of how easy these are to germinate, Polka Dot Plants are small bushy plants with a polka dot pattern on their foliage(thus the name), and come in White, Pink and Red(more of a Rose) colors.

   The greenhouse method works best, they should also germinate within a week. Keep them out of direct sunlight, grow lights or bright indirect sunlight works best. The brighter it is, the better color you’ll get out of the foliage.

3. Oxalis Bulbs

   The first bulb on this list! Oxalis bulbs are super easy to start, you can plant them in soil with the tip just poking out of the soil, keep them >65F, brightly lit and moderately moist and they should start to grow their first leaves within a couple of weeks.

4. Caladium Bulbs

   Caladium bulbs are a little trickier than Oxalis bulbs, requiring more time and warmth. Their ideal range is 70-85F, and the warmer it is, the faster they’ll start to sprout. They can take a month or even longer sometimes to sprout, just keep them brightly lit and moderately moist.

5. Adenium Obesum or “Desert Rose” seeds

   Probably the cutest seedlings you’ll ever grow! Succulents in general tend to produce some pretty adorable seedlings since they have such chunky little stems where they store their water. Desert Rose will usually germinate within 2-3 weeks using the greenhouse method.

6. Monstera Deliciosa seeds

   Everyone’s favorite seed! I’d put these higher on the list, but the thing that makes Monstera seeds so challenging is how hard it is to store them. 90% of issues we’ve experienced is them going bad during shipping, so if you’re not planting them right away, you need to store them in a baggie or waterproof container of some sort in your fridge with some sphagnum moss or vermiculite so they don’t dry out or rot.

   The seeds themselves are pretty easy to germinate, and will usually sprout within a week or two!

7. Radermachera Sinica or “China Doll Plant” seeds

   An underrated tropical plant variety, China Doll plant seeds do very well with the greenhouse method or the paper towel method. They usually germinate within 2 weeks - 1month, and once they start producing adult leaves they start to grow quickly given enough light and fertilizer. Make sure you’re keeping a close eye on pests, because these plants are very susceptible!

8. Chlorophytum Amaniense or “Fire Flash Plant” seeds

   Another underrated houseplant, the Fire Flash Plant is a cousin to the popular Spider Plant, except it has wider leaves with a lush, green color and a bright orange color at the base of each leaf stem. Seedlings are just green to start and that orange coloration starts to come in around 6 months given enough light. As for planting, like the China Doll Plant, the greenhouse method or paper towel method work great!

9. Beaucarnea Recurvata or “Ponytail Palm” seeds

   The second succulent variety on this list, Ponytail Palm seeds are just a little more finicky than Desert Rose seeds. The greenhouse method or paper towel method work well, and they’ll usually germinate within 3-4 weeks. Just make sure to keep the soil moist and warm, use a heat mat if you have one.

10. Asparagus Ferns (Sprengeri, Asparagoides ‘Smilax’, Meyeri, and Plumosus Nana)

    Asparagus Ferns are not actual ferns, but do somewhat resemble them, so if you like how ferns look but don’t like the hassle of caring for one, these are a great alternative! The seeds usually take about a month to sprout, after which they start to grow rather quickly. They can do well in direct sun, you just need to gradually acclimate the seedlings to sun so they don’t get sun damage.

That completes this list! Let us know, do you agree with the list, or do you feel some of the seeds are not beginner-level or that there are some other houseplant seeds or indoor plant bulbs that belong on this list? Tag us in photos of your seedlings or setups on instagram @plantflix, and send over any questions you may have!