Heartleaf Philodendron has earned its place in homes on every continent by being exactly what it says it is: ivy-like in habit, easy in temperament, and honest about its needs. Native to the tropical forests of Central America and the Caribbean, it trails or climbs to 13 feet given support, its glossy deep green leaves unfurling warm and coppery bronze when young before settling to full green.

It is one of the few plants that genuinely tolerates low light for extended periods, though it prefers medium indirect light for the fullest growth. Keep the soil slightly moist and ease off in winter, and it asks very little in return. What distinguishes it from the visually similar pothos is a small but telling detail: the conspicuous stipules that appear on new growth, ragged and falling on older stems, like shed paper husks.