11 Houseplants That Love Coffee Grounds

Coffee is one of the world’s most beloved and widely consumed beverages. In many countries, it’s hard not to drink a cup or two, or three, before starting your day. As gardeners, we eventually started experimenting and putting our used coffee grounds into our houseplant soil and compost. 

Today, coffee grounds are a common gardening hack for adding valuable nutrients to the soil and suppressing harmful pathogens. To be effective, compost them first so microbes consume the caffeine. This stimulant slows down plant growth in large quantities. 

Another important consideration is not all houseplants like coffee grounds, while others can tremendously benefit from them. This goes for our beloved houseplants, too. These houseplants love nutrient-dense and slightly acidic soil that coffee grounds can help create. Below are the 11 houseplants that will benefit from composted coffee grounds. 

Azaleas

	botanical name Rhododendron spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 3’-20’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Azaleas are stunning spring bloomers that fill an indoor space with powerful reds, oranges, pinks, and even purples and blues. There are over 10,000 varieties, each with its own color, size, and flower shape. They grow well in slightly acidic soil and love a well-balanced fertilizer when they’re young. 

When you’re planting or transplanting your azaleas indoors, add a little coffee ground compost to the pot. This will help boost the nutrients and may help to lower the pH slightly, which azaleas love. 

As they grow, give them a little coffee ground compost once every spring. These flowers aren’t big feeders, so don’t add too much. 

African Violets

	botanical name Streptocarpus spp.
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 6 –12”
	hardiness zones 10-11

Gardeners love African violets for their bright blue, purple, white, pink, and even red blooms and compact nature. They’re herbaceous perennials that bloom throughout the year. Besides their flowers, they have attractive fuzzy green foliage that perfectly frames their adorable blooms. 

African violets grow well in nutrient-dense and slightly acidic soil. They love feeding on coffee ground compost because of its high nutrient content. It also helps make the soil extra fluffy and improves drainage. 

Try not to over-fertilize your plants with coffee grounds or other fertilizers. These flowers are delicate, and too much of a good thing can harm them. 

Bromeliads

	botanical name Bromeliaceae family
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height Depends on species
	hardiness zones 9-11

It’s hard not to love the dagger-like leaves and multi-colored patterns of bromeliads. In nature, they grow on stumps, trees, and rocks as epiphytes, where they absorb water and nutrients. They love rich organic matter to feed on. 

Coffee ground compost is an ideal fertilizer for these plants because it adds a huge amount of nutrients without overpowering the root zone. Composted coffee grounds add a good amount of drainage and slight acidity to this pretty houseplant. 

When you add the coffee ground compost, add it directly to the soil. Whatever you do, don’t get any in the central part of the plant. This area collects water and saves it for droughts. Nutrient-dense plant food may end up harming your plants if it gets in its reserve water source. 

Peace Lilies

	botanical name Spathiphyllum spp.
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 1-6′
	hardiness zones 11-12

Peace lilies are grown for their ornamental beauty, delicate foliage, and air-filtering powers. They are also easy to grow as houseplants, requiring very little care and maintenance. 

They take around two to three years to mature and bloom. Once they do, they’ll fill your indoor space with their stunning white bracts and deep green foliage. 

These tropical houseplants love well-draining soil with plenty of organic material. Few forms of plant food work as well with these plants than used coffee ground compost or compost tea. Feed them regularly, but make sure to dilute their food first. 

Philodendrons

	botanical name Philodendron bipinnatifidum
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height Up to 20’
	hardiness zones 9-11

There are almost 500 species of philodendrons out there. They come in many sizes and shapes, including the popular heartleaf philodendrons, which have romantic heart-shaped foliage. 

These indoor plants are easy to care for and maintain. They require a well-draining medium that won’t hold too much moisture. Perlite with typical garden soil works great for these plants. 

Although they’re not heavy feeders, philodendrons love organic fertilizer, such as used coffee grounds. Try using them in compost or tea and apply them to the soil to boost its nutrients. Be careful not to overfeed, and watch your plants closely to see how they improve with a little coffee boost. 

Miniature Roses

	botanical name Rosa chinensis v. minima
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 6-9

Roses may be popular outdoor ornamentals, but nothing beats miniature roses as houseplants. These tiny varieties pack a punch in terms of color, fragrance, and romantic foliage. They’re relatively easy to grow and thrive in containers. 

These compact houseplants come in almost every color imaginable. You’ll find tons of varieties, so shop around for good seeds or starters to get the color and aroma you want. Once you have your varieties, you can grow them indoors as houseplants. 

Miniature roses prefer loamy soil with good drainage and slight acidity. They thrive with organic nutrients. Apply coffee ground compost to the soil surrounding your plants and watch them thrive. Repeat this three to four times a year for stunning blooms. 

Snake Plants

	botanical name Dracaena trifasciata
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height Up to 5′
	hardiness zones 10-12

Snake plants are diverse houseplants that love to grow indoors. They have beautiful foliage that turns a room bright green with multi-colored accents. They look like swaying snakes dancing above their containers.

If you’re a novice gardener looking for some dense tropical greenery in your home, it’s hard to beat these low-maintenance beauties. They’re also some of the best plants for purifying indoor air. 

They need little maintenance or water since they’re similar to succulents and store water in their leaves. Try growing them in an alkaline to neutral, well-draining soil composed of perlite, sand, peat, and organic potting mix. Add a healthy amount of composted coffee grounds once or twice a year, and these houseplants will be extra happy. 

Christmas Cactus

	botanical name Schlumbergera x buckleyi
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 6″-1′
	hardiness zones 10-12

Christmas cacti are houseplants that bloom in the coldest months of the year, hence their name. They are compact, easy to grow, and thrive indoors with the right amount of light and care. 

They are epiphytic, so they don’t need a lot of soil to thrive. In their native habitat in southern Brazil, they grow on trees and rocks in the jungles of the Atlantic Forest. As houseplants, they’ll bring a touch of the tropics to your home with their brightly colored blooms. 

These tiny succulents thrive in well-draining potting mix with plenty of nutrients. Add peat moss and coffee ground compost to boost the nutrient values and add a little acidity.

Spider Plants

	botanical name Chlorophytum comosum
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 1-2′
	hardiness zones 9-11

Spider plants add easy-to-care-for greenery to indoor spaces. They don’t need too much light or maintenance to thrive indoors. If you’re a beginner, you’ll love growing these plants in pots. 

Contrary to their name, they look nothing like spiders. They have long, arching leaves that look like curved green swords. 

These houseplants prefer growing in well-draining potting soil and perlite with plenty of aeration. They don’t like to be over-fed but prefer well-balanced and soft compost fertilizers. Used grounds from your morning cup are perfect for enhancing growth, especially when composted or applied as tea. 

Aloe Vera

	botanical name Aloe vera
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2′
	hardiness zones 10-12

Aloe veras are grown for their ornamental and health value. As indoor houseplants, they’re easy to take care of and have a ton of uses. If you’re growing them, you can use the gel in their leaves as soothing sunburn ointment or as a health food. 

They prefer to grow in well-draining soil composed of sand and compost. Coffee grounds are especially helpful because they slightly lower the soil’s pH while delivering a variety of nutrients to this iconic houseplant. Unlike chemical fertilizers, aloes can easily absorb these nutrients without over-feeding. 

Jade Plants

	botanical name Crassula ovata
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height Up to 6’
	hardiness zones 11-12

Jade plants are popular succulents that are easy to grow indoors as houseplants. They have soft, squishy leaves that are dark green and almost alien-like. 

They’re originally from southern Africa and thrive in a diverse range of climates. Their low-maintenance needs make them an excellent houseplant for novice or busy gardeners.