How often to water your houseplants

Watering guides for 49 plants

Pick a plant to see how often to water it.

Every guide gives a starting interval, how to check the soil, how your pot, light and plant size change it, and how much water to give. For a schedule that combines all of that for your own plant, use the free watering schedule tool.

Thirsty plants — every 3 to 6 days

Plants that dry out quickly or like their soil kept evenly moist, including Peace Lily, Areca Palm, Boston Fern and Calathea.

• Peace Lily Spathiphyllum wallisii every 6 days
• Areca Palm Dypsis lutescens every 6 days
• Boston Fern Nephrolepis exaltata every 3 days
• Calathea Goeppertia orbifolia every 5 days
• Prayer Plant Maranta leuconeura every 5 days
• Croton Codiaeum variegatum every 6 days
• Elephant Ear Alocasia amazonica every 5 days
• Begonia Begoniaceae family every 5 days
• Coleus Plectranthus scutellarioides every 3 days
• Tradescantia Tradescantia zebrina every 6 days
• Bonsai Various species every 3 days
• Dieffenbachia Dieffenbachia seguine every 5 days
• Heuchera Heuchera micrantha every 4 days
• Dwarf Citrus Citrus microcarpa every 4 days
• Caladium Caladium bicolor every 4 days
• Scaevola Scaevola aemula every 5 days
• Cordyline Cordyline terminalis every 6 days
• Anthurium Clarinervium Anthurium clarinervium every 6 days

About once a week — every 7 to 10 days

The middle ground for most foliage plants, including Monstera Deliciosa, Pothos, Philodendron and Spider Plant.

• Monstera Deliciosa Monstera deliciosa every 9 days
• Pothos Epipremnum aureum every 9 days
• Philodendron Philodendron hederaceum every 9 days
• Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum every 10 days
• Rubber Plant Ficus elastica every 7 days
• Fiddle Leaf Fig Ficus lyrata every 7 days
• Orchid Phalaenopsis spp. every 7 days
• Dracaena Dracaena marginata every 10 days
• Anthurium Anthurium andraeanum every 7 days
• Peperomia Peperomia obtusifolia every 7 days
• Pilea Peperomioides Pilea peperomioides every 7 days
• Neon Pothos Epipremnum aureum every 7 days
• Satin Pothos Scindapsus pictus every 10 days
• Swiss Cheese Plant Monstera adansonii every 8 days
• Bird of Paradise Strelitzia reginae every 7 days
• Parlor Palm Chamaedorea elegans every 7 days
• Variegated Rubber Plant Ficus elastica 'Variegata' every 10 days
• Monstera Deliciosa Variegata Monstera deliciosa 'Variegata' every 10 days
• Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus Scindapsus pictus every 7 days
• Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Rhaphidophora tetrasperma every 7 days

Drought-tolerant — every 11 days or longer

Plants that store water or cope well with dry soil, including Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Succulents and Cactus.

• Snake Plant Sansevieria trifasciata every 18 days
• ZZ Plant Zamioculcas zamiifolia every 16 days
• Succulents Echeveria spp. every 21 days
• Cactus Cactaceae family every 24 days
• Aloe Vera Aloe barbadensis every 21 days
• Jade Plant Crassula ovata every 21 days
• String of Pearls Senecio rowleyanus every 21 days
• Hoya Hoya carnosa every 14 days
• Ponytail Palm Beaucarnea recurvata every 21 days
• Aglaonema Aglaonema modestum every 11 days
• Aspidistra Aspidistra elatior every 14 days