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If you have a corner that needs perking up, consider getting tall indoor plants. They beautify any room, add a tropical tough, drama, warmth, and personality to your surroundings, especially in combination with companion plants.
When selecting tall indoor plants, consider their ultimate size when mature, the growth rate, texture, flowers, fruit, and the form, whether it is spreading, weeping, or climbing. This will help you select plants and provide enough room for them to grow.
This list of 35+ tall indoor plants will help you in your selection. The results? Instant beautification.
35+ Tall Indoor Plants
Bamboo Palm
This is a medium-light plant that grows on multiple stems from 3 to 6 feet tall indoors. It sometimes produces small yellow flowers and orange fruits.
It requires medium to bright light, but not direct sun. Normal room temperatures, moderate watering, and diluted liquid fertilizer during the growing season. Mist for increased humidity. Use fast-draining, humus-rich soil.
Angel’s Trumpet
This plant is a favorite for a big, bright room. It has large, showy, trumpet-shaped flowers that give away the knock-out evening perfume. It is not pet-friendly as all parts of poisonous.
Provide filtered sun, moderate humidity, and temperatures of at least 16 degrees C.
Bird of Paradise Plants
Bird of Paradise plant is an indoor tree with lush, bluish-green leaves with a red midrib. The thick evergreen foliage resembles small banana leaves. The flowers are brilliant orange and may appear year-round. It can achieve a height of 4 feet.
Provide bright direct sun, but it will tolerate some shade. Keep soil moist and mist often. Use a loamy, rich soil with peat moss or leaf mold.
Corn Plant
Dracaena fragrans normally grow to 4 to 6 feet tall in ideal conditions. Their leaves resemble corn plants, but with greater leaf variegation. It doesn’t bloom indoors, but it has a huge impact on empty corners.
It prefers bright indirect light, regular water, and feeding, including heading back and pinching side shoots as required.
Croton
Codiaeum variegatum achieves a height of 3 feet in ideal conditions. Some species are broad-leaved, while others are narrow-leaved. They are all slow-growing plants indoors. Flowers are insignificant and small.
It needs regular watering and feeding. Mist daily. Use humusy and sandy soil. Head back and pinch side shoots as required.
Crown of Thorns
This is a slow-growing, exotic-looking succulent plant that makes an unusual addition to any sunny place in the house. It blooms profusely year-round, featuring reddish-orange or pink blooms against glossy deep-green leaves and dark, thorny stems that earned it the name.
It loves high light and even some direct sunlight. It needs to dry out well between waterings. Provide well-drained soil with coarse sand and perlite.
Dumb Cane
Dumb Cane can grow to 4 feet under normal conditions. It produces blooms similar to those of calla lilies.
It likes partial to full shade, high humidity, feeding from March to October, and repotting in spring in soil that contains peat.
Dragon Tree
Dracaena marginata or Rainbow Plant is a very tall tree that can reach a height of 10 feet or more. It is a fast-growing low-maintenance plant that never flowers indoors. Other tall plants of the Dracaena genus also grow to be tall indoor plants, especially Corn Plant or Madagascar Dragon Tree.
It grows best in bright light to half-shade. Water often in summer and feed once every 2 weeks during active growth. Use humus-rich soil with sand for all dracaena plants.
Fan Palm
Fan palm is one of the low-growing but wide exotic plants that need plenty of room to spread out. Like other large palms, it creates a botanical paradise out of your home.
It loves light but can tolerate partial shade. It responds well to misting and can tolerate some drought.
Fiddle-Leaf Figs
Fiddle-Leaf Fig is an evergreen indoor plant that boasts huge fiddle-shaped dark green foliage that can grow up to 15 inches long and 10 inches wide.
Fiddle-Leaf Fig thrives in high indirect light, but never full sun. Provide for good drainage and repot in early spring using rich humus or peat.
Fig Tree
Fig Tree features fast and bushy growth that tends to become taller and lankier with age. It is one of the most popular indoor trees to grow.
It prefers bright indirect light to shade, water bi-monthly throughout the year, and report every 3 years in rich fast-draining soil.
Jade Plant
The Jade plant is a prolific grower when exposed to direct sun, growing to 3 feet or higher. It rarely blooms indoors unless provided with direct south exposure, but the blooms are relatively insignificant. They make a great focal point.
Beware not to overwater and water only when the leaves begin to droop in winter. Prune at any time if it gets too large.
Magnolia Tree
Magnolia Tree is a flowering plant that has white, pink, red, purple, or yellow flowers. There are both evergreen and deciduous kinds, tall or dwarf versions.
Magnolia indoor trees require lots of bright direct light, warmth, and regular feeding to produce flowers. Prune away dead leaves and deadhead dead flowers.
Mistletoe Fig
Mistletoe Fig is a slow-growing airy species that can reach a height of 5 feet indoors. It prefers indirect light, moist soil, bi-monthly feeding, commercial potting soil, and heading back as required.
Money Trees
Pachira aquatica or Money Tree is the perfect addition to an interior with a tropical feel. It is often purchased with trunks braided together.
It thrives in full sun to partial shade, so supplement the exposure using grow lights. Drench thoroughly, allowing the soil to dry out. Repot every 2 years in humusy or peaty soil.
Neem Tree
This is a hardy tree that can be trained and grown indoors. It thrives indoors and produces small clusters of white flowers.
It prefers a well-lit location, indirect sunlight, never direct sunlight. Water once a week and feed bimonthly during the growing season.
Norfolk Island Pine Tree
Norfolk Pine Tree is a slow-growing, exotic-looking evergreen indoor tree that can reach a height of 5 feet indoors.
It prefers a well-lit location away from the direct sun such as an east-facing window, thorough weekly watering, and nutrient-dense soil with clay, peat, compost, and fine sand. Repot every 3 years.
Olive Tree
The olive tree is a compact-growing evergreen tree that performs quite well indoors. It produces mildly scented yellow-white flowers in early spring.
Provide strong indirect light, frequent watering, rich loamy soil, and aggressive pruning. It can tolerate some low light but prefers a bright window.
Parlor Palm
Parlor palm is a slow-growing species that does well in a medium-light environment and can be kept for years without pruning or transplanting.
Grow it in low-to-medium light, watering moderately, feeding every 3 weeks during the growing season, and using humus-rich, slightly alkaline soil.
Ponytail Palm
Don’t be tricked into thinking that this is a palm – it is a succulent. It features a swollen stem and a rosette of long, narrow, and stiff leaves. It may reach 5 feet high or more but grows slowly.
It requires filtered southern exposure, well-draining soil, but it can survive periods of neglectful watering. Never overwater.
Pygmy Date Palm
This is a delicate-looking member of the palm family that makes a perfect indoor specimen. It is a tall plant with dark green leaves and thrives indoors with little care.
It requires bright indirect light, regular feeding and fertilizing, as well as well-drained soil with peat moss, perlite, or pumice.
Rhododendron
This slow-growing plant can spread to large shrubs or trees. It produces large and showy blooms without significant fragrance.
It requires partial shade to full sun and should be kept moist but not wet. It does well in a mix of peat or leaf mold and coarse sand. Prune as needed to prevent leggy growth.
Rubber Tree
Rubber plants are fast-growing species that require frequent heading back and side pruning because they feature broad leaves that need to be kept under control.
Besides that, provide strong sunlight, average temperatures, and peaty mix for this tropical tree.
Sago Palm
Sago palm is an antiquated, slow-growing palm that grows to be a tree in the wild. It requires a shady to a partly shady spot, liberal watering, regular feeding when new leaves appear, and light, well-draining, sandy soil.
Split-Leaf Philodendron
This member of the Monstera tropical plants family is a large-leaved, spreading plant that can achieve a height of 30 feet in the wild, a lot less indoors.
It prefers good indirect light, monthly fertilizing, and comfortable room temperatures.
Umbrella Tree
Schefflera actinophylla is a glossy deep-green species that makes an unusually hardy indoor plant. It grows rapidly under ideal conditions.
Provide a lot of light for umbrella plants and water during the active period and feed monthly during summer. Sandy soil works best and heading back in the fall when the plant gets too large.
Weeping Fig
Weeping fig is a fast-growing tropical plant in the genus of ficus plants that can reach a tree size in a matter of years. It grows best in bright indirect light and temperatures above 60 degrees F over winter.
Provide plenty of water, but don’t allow it to accumulate in the saucer. Mist occasionally.
Yucca Cane
Yucca forms rosettes of large leaves that grow at a rate of 6 inches per year, but the stem won’t grow or flower.
It prefers a warm, sunny place year-round, thorough watering once or twice a week in the summer, and regular feeding as well. Remove withered leaves.
Pothos
Pothos is a trailing plant with glossy leaves apple-green in color, sometimes with nice markings. It will climb up a moss pole or trail down the shelves.
Harsh sunlight, lack of water, or low sunlight can make the leaves turn pale. If the leaves are yellow, your plant roots are too dry and you should report.
Snake Plant
Snake plant has green, sword-like leaves with dark green or yellow markings. It is known to purify indoor air but it is also very toxic.
The only way to kill Snake tropical plants is through overwatering and cold temperatures.
Song of India
Song of India or Dracaena reflexa is another dragon tree that can achieve a height of around 2 feet. It features lush, palm-like leaves arranged in a spiral around the main stem.
Place it in a bright location out of direct sunlight and keep the compost moist in winter. Wipe leaves occasionally. Increase humidity. The same applies for Madagascar Dragon Tree, another tall indoor species.
Kentia Palm
This plant has been popular ever since the 19th century as it is a low-maintenance plant that adds an air of elegance to your home. It can grow to 10 feet tall and spread to 32 inches.
Provide bright light, keep the soil moist and feed monthly in spring and summer.
Sensitive Plant
Mimosa pudica is a charming tropical plant with leaves that fold up and stems that droop. It can grow up to 2 feet tall.
Provide plenty of bright light and some direct sun. Keep the compost moist, but not soggy.
Swiss Cheese Plant
This plant has been popular since time immemorial. It brings an air of fun and jungle to your home.
Overwatering is the most likely cause of death and it can cause yellow leaves. To prevent that, allow the compost to dry out a little. Place it in a lightly shaded spot.
Lady Palm
Lady Palm is a tropical addition to a home and it is able to tolerate lower light levels. It shares the care of other palms like ponytail palms and majesty palms. It requires a brightly lit position and increased humidity.
Canary Date Palm
Phoenix canariensis was long favored by the Victorians who displayed huge specimens in their houses and conservatories. It is an architectural plant ideal for floor displays or plant stands.
Provide bright indirect light and protect from cold and draughts.
Guidelines
- Select an appropriate container depending on the size of the plant. Consider material, shape, style, color, scale and grouping.
- Use sterile soil to remove unwanted guests. Test the soil’s pH. Provide adequate drainage.
- Know your home’s exposures: northern, southern, eastern and western.
- Know the plant’s ultimate size, habit and preferences, so you can choose adequate spot for it.
- Observe the plant growing. Take necessary measures to keep the clean hygiene, prune regularly and inspect for pests.
Final Word
Spending time outdoors has been scientifically proven to reduce stress levels, boost creativity and productivity, reduce absenteeism and rejuvenate body and mind. Bringing the outside in through tall indoor plants can have the same effect. Select plants on the list and create attractive, peaceful, secure, and healthy settings.