Last updated on March 14th, 2022
Our site is reader supported, this means we may earn a small commission from Amazon and other affiliates when you buy through links on our site.
If you are looking for a large indoor plant to truly make an impact, there are many from which to choose. Not all houseplants have to be small. In fact, with larger indoor plants you can grow nearly an entire garden inside and fill your space with colour and light.
Most larger houseplants are easy to grow with the right amount of light, which usually means direct, for example in front of a window that gets plenty of light or indirect light which means in a bright room but not directly in the window where it would be exposed to a lot of light. Some will even grow well in low light conditions.
1. Areca/Dypsis Palm Tree – Golden Cane Palm
The Golden Cane Palm is known for its distinct colour, with golden yellow stems and green foliage. It is a stunning small tree that grows well inside the home. Even though it is a palm, it is a slow grower, meaning you can grow them indoors for quite some time before they start to get too big.
These plants love indirect sunlight and will also grow well in low-level light positions. The amount of direct sunlight correlates to the vibrancy of the yellow canes; the more full sun, the brighter the golden yellow the canes are. They do require a little care in terms of keeping the soil moist but not too wet, so it is important you don’t let the soil dry out.
2. Ficus benjamina – Weeping Fig
This Ficus is the most common indoor plant used in offices, however, you can easily grow them in your home too. It is great for removing toxins from the air such as benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde. It will grow into the size of a small tree or bush indoors, between 1 metre and 2 metres. It needs fast-draining soil and filtered bright light. Maintenance is simple indoors, it needs a bright space, moist soil and otherwise fast-draining potting soil.
3. Monstera deliciosa – Swiss Cheese Plant
This plant prefers full sun although it can adapt to partially shaded conditions if necessary, and it is fast becoming one of the most popular houseplants. Inside the home, it can grow quite large, with substantial leaves that are rife with holes, hence the name.
In containers, they need the opportunity to let the soil dry out in between waterings and these plants prefer warm and humid conditions. Beyond that, you can enjoy the heart-shaped leaves as they add texture and shape to your home. It’s worth noting that it’s actually a climber and often come attached to a moss pole when purchased as a larger plant, generally, they can reach around 6ft if allowed.
4. Howea forsteriana – Kentia Palm
This palm is quite popular because of its shape and the fact that it is very easy to grow, and can almost thrive when neglected. It requires indirect sunlight to get the best out of it. If you are growing somewhere with low light, you will not get as much foliage but the plant will survive, which is why it is such a popular choice for these kinds of conditions. It should be watered weekly but allowed to dry out in between waterings. Grown indoors you need to fertilise once per month over summer. It can grow to a very large 3 metres indoors but is unlikely to outgrow its space.
5. Yucca elephantipes – Spineless Yucca
These varieties of plants are flexible, insofar as they can be grown as indoor or outdoor plants. Indoors it has a dramatic shape that is sure to get attention. The leaves are not too sharp but still have pointed ends like wide swords. They grow from the large trunk creating an umbrella-like shape. In terms of light, a south-facing window would be perfect.
6. Beaucarnea recurvata – Ponytail Palm
The ponytail palm gets its name from the many long, slender green leaves that fan out like thin hair in a ponytail. Very distinct in its appearance it has a thick stem and curly dark leaves. As it gets taller, it takes on the appearance of a small tree. It does not need much care, making it perfect for beginners. In fact, the trunk is so thick because it stores water so it can get by with little water or food.
7. Schefflera – Umbrella Plant
This popular plant comes in many varieties, including dwarf varieties, making them flexible for all situations and growing environments. Grown indoors you need to make sure they get access to a lot of bright, indirect light. With adequate light, the plant will grow quite robustly and really make an impact wherever you put it in your home.
The smaller variety is Schefflera arboricola (which is known as the dwarf umbrella plant) and they reach around 3-4ft, however, the larger variety, the Schefflera actinophylla, can reach an impressive 10ft. Choose wisely for the space you have and try to provide them with medium light levels.
8. Japanese aralia – Caster Oil Plant
An evergreen plant that is often sold as an outdoor shrub, it’s also very popular for growing indoors as a large houseplant, which is why we have included it on our list. If you want to add colour and stunning shapes to your home all year round, this is the plant to pick. It will grow even in shadier areas of your home where many other plants won’t. It creates an umbrella of white flowers come spring/summer.
9. Croton – Codiaeum
One way to really brighten your home is with colourful foliage. This plant likes dappled light and humid temperatures, so you will need to work hard to recreate these natural environments indoors if you want to experience the explosion of yellows, oranges, greens and reds they provide. They prefer dappled sunlight (as mentioned) and the brighter the light, the more vibrant the colours. They need to be kept moist, something you can help with by frequently misting and watering. Not many plants can compete in terms of vibrant foliage colours.
10. Dracaena marginata – Dragon Plant
Tough and tolerant of drought, this Dragon Plant has stiff leaves and colourful foliage. They grow as a single stem but you can try to grow multiple plants in one container and they will braid together. They have aggressive root systems, which make them easy to grow indoors, especially for beginners. At full maturity, they will reach 1 metre in height.
We have also listed some of our favourite plants for smaller spaces here.
Image credits – Shutterstock.com
