Large houseplants: 33 plants that make a statement
A large plant transforms a room: it fills an empty corner, softens a big window, adds height to a living room. These plants grow taller than 5 ft (1.5 m) indoors, given time and a bit of light.
Avocado tree
Persea americana5 dSunMediumAlso called avocado
Banana plant
Musa acuminata3 dSunMediumSafe for cats and dogsAlso called dwarf banana
Coffee plant
Coffea arabica5 dBrightMediumAlso called coffea
Rubber plant
Ficus elastica9 dBrightEasyAlso called ficus elastica
Coconut palm
Cocos nucifera4 dSunExpertAlso called cocos nucifera
Ti plant
Cordyline fruticosa6 dBrightMediumAlso called cordyline
Croton
Codiaeum variegatum5 dSunMediumAlso called codiaeum
Sago palm
Cycas revoluta10 dSunMediumAlso called cycas
Dumb cane
Dieffenbachia seguine7 dBrightEasyAlso called dieffenbachia
Corn plant
Dracaena fragrans10 dBrightEasyAlso called dracaena fragrans
Dragon tree
Dracaena marginata9 dBrightEasyAlso called dracaena marginata
African milk tree
Euphorbia trigona14 dSunEasyAlso called euphorbia trigona
Japanese aralia
Fatsia japonica6 dShadeEasySafe for cats and dogsAlso called fatsia
Ficus Alii
Ficus maclellandii8 dBrightEasyAlso called ficus binnendijkii
Weeping fig
Ficus benjamina6 dBrightMediumAlso called ficus benjamina
Fiddle-leaf fig
Ficus lyrata8 dSunMediumAlso called ficus lyrata
Hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis3 dSunMediumSafe for cats and dogsAlso called chinese hibiscus
Kentia palm
Howea forsteriana8 dBrightEasySafe for cats and dogsAlso called kentia
Mini monstera
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma7 dBrightEasyAlso called rhaphidophora
Monstera
Monstera deliciosa7 dBrightEasyAlso called swiss cheese plant
Bird of paradise
Strelitzia reginae7 dSunMediumAlso called strelitzia
Money tree
Pachira aquatica10 dBrightEasySafe for cats and dogsAlso called pachira
Areca palm
Dypsis lutescens5 dBrightMediumSafe for cats and dogsAlso called areca
Lady palm
Rhapis excelsa7 dShadeEasySafe for cats and dogsAlso called rhapis
Pygmy date palm
Phoenix roebelenii5 dSunMediumSafe for cats and dogsAlso called phoenix roebelenii
Madagascar palm
Pachypodium lamerei10 dSunMediumAlso called pachypodium
Majesty palm
Ravenea rivularis4 dBrightMediumSafe for cats and dogsAlso called ravenea
Ponytail palm
Beaucarnea recurvata14 dSunEasySafe for cats and dogsAlso called beaucarnea
Norfolk Island pine
Araucaria heterophylla7 dBrightMediumSafe for cats and dogsAlso called araucaria
Ming aralia
Polyscias fruticosa7 dBrightExpertAlso called polyscias
Umbrella tree
Schefflera arboricola8 dBrightEasyAlso called schefflera
Arrowhead plant
Syngonium podophyllum7 dBrightEasyAlso called syngonium
Yucca
Yucca gigantea10 dSunEasyAlso called yucca elephantipesOur tips
The bigger a plant, the more light it needs: most of these are happy near a large window. Give the pot a quarter turn now and then so it grows straight.
Buy it in spring if you can, so it settles in during the growing season, and plan a heavy pot or a stable outer pot: a large plant in a light pot often ends up tipping over.