Air purification, improving health, beautiful décor and adding moisture to the air—those are only some of the great rewards of having houseplants. I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but the larger the vegetation growing within my living space, the closer to nature I feel. Indoor trees are fantastic for adding a greater amount of green-environment to your residential setting. For those of you who would like to make your house feel more like a small forest—or at least close to it—try growing one or more of these 10 terrific trees for your home interior.
When considering what indoor tree to get for your home, keep in mind important factors such as spacing and lighting. A lot of trees can survive in shadier areas, which is good news for those of you who do not get a lot of sunlight in your homes. Another important thing to know is what kind of soil is best for your tree. Some do better with moist soil while others do better with dry or sandier soil. Always make sure your pot is large enough for your indoor tree’s root system. And now for some awesome tree options for the interior of your home!
- Bamboo Palms
Bamboo Palms (Chamaedorea) are low maintenance and great for adding some calmness to your home. Proper drainage is a key factor in keeping this indoor tree alive and healthy. There are many different varieties of bamboo, and the amount of sunlight required does depend on what kind you have.
- Money Tree
The Money Tree (Pachira aquatica), also known as the Malabar chestnut or Saba nut, is a bonsai tree that is said to bring good fortune and luck! It has a beautiful braided trunk, along with leaves that make the shape of a small umbrella. These trees are low maintenance, but they do live best in sunny locations.
- Areca Palm
The Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens) is probably one of the least difficult trees to grow indoors. It requires filtered light and lower light conditions. It can grow to be 6-7 feet tall, but can remain smaller based on the container size. What’s neat about Areca palms is that they have small white flowers and dark purple oblong fruits which can grow year-round.
- Yucca Tree
The Yucca tree (Yucca brevifolia) can bring a feeling of energy and excitement into your home. Yucca trees need a little bit more love than most trees—meaning that at least once a week it’s recommended that you place the tree in sunlight and gently wipe off the leaves. It’s only needed once a week though, so it’s not too high maintenance.
- Weeping Fig (Ficus)
I absolutely love the weaving trunk of this tree! The Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) is a popular choice for an indoor tree because it removes pollutants in the air, and it does well in indirect sunlight. Some interesting things about this tree: it doesn’t like change, and its leaves grow a darker green as it gets older. Weeping figs are very sensitive to chlorine and fluoride chemicals, so make sure to use water without these chemicals when watering this tree.
- Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
The Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) is another indoor tree that is said to bring good fortune to its owners. Furthermore, this tree is known for removing indoor toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde. Aglaonemas are perfect in spaces short on windows because they grow in low-light areas.
- Norfolk Island Pine
This gorgeous, soft evergreen tree can reach to be 6 feet tall, but it grows very slowly indoors. Norfolk Island Pines (Araucaria heterophylla) thrive best in environments with a lot of light and humidity.
- Fiddle-leaf Fig
With fiddle-shaped leaves, this fabulous tree will make a unique addition to your home. Outdoors the fiddle-leaf fig tree (Ficus lyrata) can grow to be up to 40 feet tall, but it grows much smaller when it is placed in a container. You can also cut the leaves to manage the tree’s shape and to promote healthier leaf growth.
- Ponytail Palm
The ponytail palm tree (Beaucarnea recurvata, also known as elephant’s foot) has a bottle-shape with leaves that pop out of the top like a ponytail. The base of it stores water, so you don’t have to be concerned with watering it all the time. It does love sun though, so make sure to put it somewhere sunny.
- Mini Cedar Pine
These small pines do not grow very big, and they will make your home smell phenomenal! Mini cedar pine trees require at least 6 hours of sunlight, and must be watered thoroughly but infrequently. Pruning is a must for this indoor tree as well.
There are a lot of options for indoor trees – many more than just the 10 terrific ones mentioned above. Exploring the different varieties can be fun, but I encourage you to choose one that is native to your area. Having indoor trees is an excellent way to combat pollution in urban areas so you’ll be doing good for the outside environment, too.
Stay tuned for more organic home gardening tips and ideas!
