Beginner-first plant wiki

Know your plant.
Grow with confidence.

Search any plant to get instant care guidance, beginner tips, and honest difficulty ratings — all grounded in verified botanical data.

Browse collections

View all →

Featured plants

See all plants →
How we rate difficulty

The Care Difficulty Scale

Every plant on FloraDex is rated on a 1–5 leaf scale calibrated for indoor beginners. One leaf means nearly unkillable. Five means for experienced growers only.

See all levels →
Very Easy — almost unkillable
Easy — forgiving of small mistakes
Moderate — needs some attention
Demanding — consistent care required
Hard — for experienced growers
Showing all plants
Coming soon

Identify a plant

Upload a photo and FloraDex will match it to our curated plant database. The identification engine is in development — for now, search or browse our catalog below.

Upload a photo
PNG, JPG or WEBP · Max 10 MB
or

Browse manually instead

Use our search and filters to find your plant by name, appearance, or care needs.

Browse all plants Back to search
🪴

No saved plants yet

Browse the catalog and tap the bookmark icon on any plant card to save it here.

Start browsing
Reference

Care Difficulty Scale

Every plant on FloraDex is rated 1–5 based on how much attention, consistency, and skill it demands. Ratings are calibrated for indoor conditions and beginner growers.

1 / 5

Very Easy

Almost unkillable. Tolerates neglect, low light, missed waterings, and dry air. A perfect first plant.

Examples: Pothos, Snake Plant, ZZ Plant
2 / 5

Easy

Forgiving of small mistakes. Benefits from some consistency but won't die from occasional neglect.

Examples: Spider Plant, Echeveria, Parlor Palm, Basil
3 / 5

Moderate

Needs regular attention. Watering, light, and humidity must be reasonably consistent. Good for growers with some experience.

Examples: Moth Orchid, Tomato, Monstera
4 / 5

Demanding

Consistent care required. Sensitive to water, light, humidity, or temperature changes. Rewarding but not beginner-first.

Examples: Fiddle Leaf Fig, Calathea
5 / 5

Hard

For experienced growers only. Specific care routines, controlled environment, or advanced knowledge required.

Examples: Maidenhair Fern, Carnivorous plants, rare Aroids
Ratings are calibrated for indoor apartment conditions. Outdoor growing or experienced growers may find ratings easier than shown.

Care Guide Series

Understanding Light
for Your Plants

Light is the single most important factor in plant health. Use this guide to match any plant to the right spot in your home.

Beginner tip: Most indoor plants don't want direct sun — bright indirect light is the sweet spot for the majority of houseplants.

The Five Light Levels

From sunniest windowsill to the shadiest corner.

☀️
Direct Sun
10,000 – 50,000+ lux

Unfiltered sunlight shining directly onto the plant for several hours a day. Typically right at a south- or west-facing window, or outdoors. Most cacti and succulents thrive here; many tropical houseplants will scorch.

🌵 Glass can intensify heat — even sun-loving plants may need brief acclimation before moving to a full direct indoor sun position.
CactiSucculentsBasil & Rosemary
Bright Indirect
3,000 – 10,000 lux

Strong, abundant light without the sun's rays touching the plant directly. Within 1–2m of a bright window, or behind a sheer curtain. The ideal range for a huge variety of popular houseplants.

💡 If you can comfortably read without a lamp, you likely have bright indirect light. This suits most aroids, monsteras, and fiddle-leaf figs.
MonsteraPothosFiddle Leaf Fig
🌿
Medium Indirect
500 – 3,000 lux

Moderate, diffused light several feet from a window, or in rooms with smaller or north-facing windows. Many foliage plants adapt well here, though growth will be slower.

💡 Hold your hand 30cm above a white page — a faint soft shadow means medium light. A sharp shadow = bright indirect; no shadow = low light.
Peace LilySnake PlantZZ Plant
🪴
Low Light
100 – 500 lux

Dim conditions typical of interior walls, hallways, or rooms with small windows. Only a small number of hardy species can survive here. Low light does not mean no light.

⚠️ No plant thrives long-term in truly dark rooms. Even “low-light” plants appreciate some natural daylight — consider a grow light if it’s hard to read without a lamp.
Cast Iron PlantChinese EvergreenDracaena
🌑
Shade / No Natural Light
Below 100 lux

Very deep shade where almost no usable light reaches the plant — deep interior offices or rooms with no windows. Virtually no plant can sustain itself here without supplemental grow lighting.

💡 A simple full-spectrum LED grow bulb in a standard lamp socket is often enough to keep low-light plants alive in truly dark spaces.
Grow lights neededArtificial light only

Quick Reference

A glance summary in real-world terms.

Direct Sun
Sunrays touch the leaves. South/west window or outdoors.
Bright Indirect
Very bright but no direct rays. Near a sunny window.
Medium Indirect
Comfortable indoor light a few feet from a window.
Low Light
Dim conditions — hallways and interior walls.
Shade
Very little natural light. A grow light is recommended.
Legal

Disclaimer

Please read this disclaimer carefully before using FloraDex. By accessing or using this site, you agree to the terms outlined below.

Last updated: April 2026
⚠️

General Information Only

FloraDex is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. The plant care guidance, difficulty ratings, and growing advice presented on this site are not a substitute for professional horticultural, botanical, or veterinary advice. Always consult a qualified expert before making decisions that may affect human health, animal health, or plant health.

🐾

Pet & Animal Toxicity

Toxicity data displayed on FloraDex is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants Database. This information may not be complete, current, or applicable to all animal species. Pet-safe and toxic designations are provided as a general guide only. If you suspect your pet has ingested a plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately at (888) 426-4435. Do not rely solely on FloraDex for emergency decisions.

🔬

Data Accuracy & Sources

Plant taxonomy and identification data is referenced against POWO (Plants of the World Online, Kew Gardens), USDA PLANTS Database, IPNI, and GBIF. Care guidance is compiled from published horticultural sources. FloraDex makes no warranty — express or implied — as to the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of any information presented. Taxonomy, classification, and care recommendations are subject to change as botanical science evolves.

🌍

Regional & Climate Variation

Care ratings and growing guidance are calibrated for general indoor conditions in temperate climates. Results will vary based on your specific location, climate, season, local water quality, soil composition, and individual plant cultivar. FloraDex difficulty scores and care advice should be treated as a starting point, not a definitive prescription.

📸

Plant Identification

Plant identification features on FloraDex (including any AI-assisted identification) are intended as a guide only and may not always be accurate. Never consume, handle, or use a plant based solely on an identification made by this site. Misidentification of plants can have serious health consequences. Always verify identification with a qualified botanist or horticulturalist before use.

⚖️

Limitation of Liability

FloraDex and its operators, contributors, and affiliates shall not be liable for any loss, injury, damage, or adverse outcome — direct or indirect — arising from reliance on information presented on this site. This includes but is not limited to plant misidentification, care errors, toxicity incidents, crop failures, or financial loss. Use of this site is entirely at your own risk.

🔒

Privacy

FloraDex does not collect, store, or sell personal data. No account registration is required. Saved plants are stored in your current browser session only and are not transmitted to any server. Standard server access logs may record anonymised visit data for performance monitoring purposes only.

🔗

External Links

FloraDex may contain links to external websites including POWO, USDA, and ASPCA. These links are provided for convenience and reference only. FloraDex has no control over the content, accuracy, or availability of external sites and accepts no responsibility for them.

Questions about this disclaimer? The FloraDex project is currently in development. Contact information will be provided upon public launch.