You can also plant some indoor plants to reduce the levels of pollution in your home by purifying and freshening up the air to make it more clean and fresh.
Indoor trees and shrubs can be grown in various ways – they can be placed directly into the soil or potted and sometimes even mounted. With so many varieties you can choose from, you will surely find something that matches your home decor and suits your taste.
What to Look For in An Indoor Shrub or Tree
Popular indoor trees and shrubs are an essential part of any home. Not only are they a great way to add charm, but they can offer many other houseplant benefits. All you need to do is make sure that the shrubs or trees you are purchase will grow harmoniously with other plants in your home.
When looking for the best indoor shrubs and trees, there are some qualities that make them good for indoors, including:
These are factors to consider when choosing indoor shrubs and trees. Now you have the tips in hand; you should have an easier time deciding which ones are best for you.
15 Best Indoor Trees and Shrubs
Shrubs and trees are a great way to add color and life to any indoor space. It is important to choose the best kinds for your specific requirements. Here are some of the best indoor trees and shrubs you should consider.
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Snake Plants (The Mother-In-Law’s Tongue)
The Snake Plant comes with long, stiff leaves that are dark green and arranged like swords forming a rosette. This indoor tree looks pretty while it purifies the air by removing toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene.
While this plant enjoys as much light as you can give it, you should not allow it to have full sun as its leaves can scorch. Under the right conditions, these plants can grow up to 4 feet tall.
Snake plants also produce oxygen at night, which makes them great for bedrooms. People who have asthma should consider getting a snake plant to help reduce the symptoms. This is also a great addition to your child’s bedroom since it makes the air cleaner while they sleep.
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Areca Palm Tree
This indoor tree has beautiful glossy green fronds and is one of the most popular houseplants. It looks great in every corner of your home, especially if you place it next to large windows where the sunlight can fall on its leaves. This will make them look more vibrant. That being said, the plant enjoys bright, filtered light though it can be trained to grow in full sun.
Areca palms are known to cleanse indoor air by removing toxins such as trichloroethylene. It also requires very little light, so it will not need much sunlight to grow. It is also easy to take care of this indoor tree, so it’s a great choice for people who are new to gardening.
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Fiddle Leaf Figs
The popular Fiddle leaf fig tree is so named because it has a fiddle-shaped leaf. These trees are popular for their large leaves that provide great shade at the bottom and reduce the need for floor or table lamps if you position them near a window.
Fiddle Leaf Figs grow well in bright, indirect light. They do well in rooms where there are large south-facing windows if they are not directed by the window. This indoor tree also requires consistent watering and likes slightly moist soil, but should not be kept in standing water, as it could cause root rot.
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Heart-Leaf Philodendron
The heart-leaf philodendron is a very popular indoor tree with large and heart-shaped leaves. The plant can be found in many homes and offices since it does not require direct sunlight to survive. You just need to place this houseplant near a window where it can receive indirect sunlight.
This indoor tree can grow up to 30 feet if left untrained and is known for its tolerance to adverse conditions such as low light, drought, and overcrowding.
This plant also produces small white flowers in spring and fall, turning them into berries in the summer.
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Money Tree
The money tree is considered by many to be one of the luckiest plants you can get. It is said that money trees bring prosperity and wealth to your home while absorbing negative energy. It’s also known as pachira aquatica, which has large glossy leaves with ribs that resemble folded green or golden dollar bills held together by a brown stem.
The tree needs bright, indirect light in order to thrive. You will also want the soil to mostly dry out between waterings. You will want to water it thoroughly, but allow it to properly drain.
If you want to try to grow fruit indoors, the money tree produces a white or cream-colored flower that turns into small yellow fruit, edible, and tastes like sweet potato.
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Arrowhead Plant
Also known as Syngonium podophyllum, the arrowhead plant has leaves with arrowhead-shaped lobes arranged in two rows.
This indoor tree will only need indirect sunlight, but it should be placed away from drafts. You can also keep this houseplant outside during summer and bring it back indoors when the temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius or less.
This indoor plant thrives in moist soil and requires a lot of water, so keep the soil moist but not flooded.
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Kentia Palm
This houseplant has long, slender leaves that are dark green and form a feather-like crown at the top. The Kentia palm is also known as Howea forsteriana, which thrives well in an environment with filtered light and warm temperatures.
This indoor tree does not require much water, but it’s important to ensure that the soil is kept moist at all times. This houseplant also makes a great home for small animals such as geckos, which will help you control pests such as roaches and termites.
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Bird of Paradise
Also known as Strelitzia reginae, the bird of paradise is a tropical plant with strap-shaped leaves arranged symmetrically around a central shaft.
These trees will produce beautiful flowers in spring and summer. The Bird of Paradise trees should be placed in an area with filtered light and can withstand temperatures between 50-85°F (10 to 30°C).
This indoor plant is easy to care for, but it’s important to protect the leaves from any molds that may develop on them due to high humidity levels.
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Windmill Palm Tree
The windmill palm tree is also known as Trachycarpus wagnerianus, and it’s a popular choice for indoor decor because of its beautiful and symmetrical fan-shaped leaves.
The Windmill palm tree likes bright sunlight, but it should be protected from any direct exposure to the sun. It thrives best in humid environments and requires frequent watering.
You should also make sure you protect this houseplant from any drafts and extreme temperatures, which will damage the leaves and cause brown spots to develop on them.
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Dragon Tree
The popular indoor plant known as Dracaena marginata is one of the easiest houseplants to care for since it does well in low light, heat, and drought.
This tree has green spear-shaped leaves that are arranged in a rosette shape around its trunk. It produces white flowers during spring and fall, which eventually turn into berries. This indoor plant requires little watering and will grow faster when placed in direct sun.
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Jade Plant
It is also known as Crassula ovate, which has fleshy green leaves that resemble pine needles and produces tiny pink or white flowers during summer. The plant holds water in its leaves and prefers if you don’t keep its soil moist.
This houseplant thrives best in filtered light and requires little watering. It’s best to keep this houseplant away from extreme temperatures since they can cause brown spots to develop on the leaves.
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Peace Lily
Also known as Spathiphyllum, peace lilies have glossy dark green leaves that resemble a spear. These houseplants will grow new spikes with white flowers during spring and summer.
This indoor plant needs indirect sunlight, and its soil should be kept moist at all times. It thrives best in humid environments and is also known to improve the air quality in your home. This houseplant does not need frequent watering and will grow faster if exposed to direct sun.
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Norfolk Island Pine
This indoor tree is also known as Araucaria heterophylla, and it’s easy to care for since it thrives well in bright light.
This plant has long green needle-shaped leaves that are arranged on its trunk in symmetrical patterns. Over time, this houseplant will produce small pinecones on its branches.
It’s important to keep this houseplant away from extreme temperatures, and it should also be watered frequently to kept moist of the soil at all times. This houseplant requires little care and will grow faster when exposed to direct sunlight.
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Corn Plant
Corn plants have long spear-shaped leaves and are often found in offices and homes. This plant requires very little light, and it will produce small flowers during spring and summer.
Keep them moist at all times, and you should make sure the pot drains excess water to avoid its roots from rotting. It’s best to keep this houseplant away from extreme temperatures and drafts, as they can cause brown spots on its leaves.
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Elephant Bush
The indoor tree has small green leaves that are arranged around its trunk symmetrically. It grows new leaves in fall that turn into vibrant pink flowers during spring. This plant thrives best in bright, indirect light, and it should also be protected from drafts.
If you place this houseplant too close to a window, the direct sunlight may harm its leaves but it still prefers bright light. It requires little watering throughout the year.
These houseplants are popular choices for indoor plants because they produce lush foliage and flowers. If you want to add some colorful greenery to your home, these are some of the easy-to-care-for indoor shrubs and trees that are perfect for your home.