The best large houseplants are the ones that are easy to take care of and fill your home with tropical vibes. Plants with big leaves are all the rage right now (beyond the insta-famous Monstera).
The most important things to remember when it comes to filling your house with tall houseplants is that most of them are going to be tropical.
That means you’ll need a lot of bright (filtered) light, keep up with the watering and provide enough humidity (or at least mist with water).
If you can provide these basics, and keep up with a little maintenance using the right tools, you’ll be well on your way to an indoor jungle in no time.
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11 Best Large Houseplants and Tall Indoor Plants
1. Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
One of the triendest houseplants on the market lately is the Fiddle Leaf Fig – given the right growing conditions, this can be one of the biggest leafy indoor plants out there.
When the plant is thriving, there’s almost no limit of how big it can get. My office Fig is almost 8 feet tall and oozes rainforest vibes.
Bright morning light is best, and make sure you avoid placing it somewhere where it would get afternoon light. Sunny and hot light is a no-no.
Water when the soil is dry about 2 inches down and use a pot with drainage holes.
My Ficus likes to be watered on a schedule and the same amount of water every time.
These plants love humidity – mist the undersides of the leaves in between waterings.
For best growth, rotate the plant about a quarter turn each time you water it (or when you remember) to evenly distribute the amount of light it gets.
Wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth about once a month to remove the dust to allow optimal photosynthesis.
Tip – these plants don’t like to be moved around much. Once you find a spot, don’t relocate it.
2. Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata)
If you’re looking for a large indoor tree, the Dracaena Marginata (also known as the dragon tree) is the winner.
It’s also one of the easiest to care for large indoor plants. it can grow upwards of 8 feet.
The skinny stems and long, pointed leaves are one of the more unique tall houseplants out there – adding exotic flare to your home.
They love filtered, bright light, but can tolerate shadier areas. As far as watering, keep the soil lightly moist instead of less occasional heavy watering.
Once your plant is established, you might notice bottom leaves starting to drop regularly.
Not to worry though, as long as this is accompanied by new growth, it’s just shedding its older leaves and redirecting energy to the new growth.
3. Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans)
Another familiar plant from the same family is the Corn Plant, which have been a household favorite since well-before Instagram days.
Not to be confused with the Yucca plant’s pointed leaves, the Corn plant has long, fibrous ‘trucks’ and elongated leaves that droop from the top. A true staple household tropical plant.
The Dracaena fragrans typically grows up to about 6 feet tall and prefers a little less light than other tropicals and the leaf tips will begin to turn brown if it’s receiving too much sun.
4. Stromanthe Triostar
A big leafy indoor plant, the Stromanthe Triostar is one of my favorite pink houseplants!
The beautiful long leaves look like they’ve been individually painted in strips of green, white and pink.
They don’t grow as tall (1 to 2 feet), but nice and wide and bushy. And when conditions are just right, it can grow pretty fast.
Since this variety is variegated, it needs lots of sunlight to help it along.
Keep the soil slight moist and give this guy lots of humidity while keeping it away from air vents (dry air should be avoided).
One of the best ways to ensure your tropical plants get enough humidity is to supplement with a plant humidifier.
Not only will your plants benefits from a little extra humidity, you and your family will, too.
5. African Milk Tree (Euphorbia trigona)
A unique option for a tall houseplant that’s low maintenance is the African Milk Tree which is a succulent from the Euphorbia family.
They’re one of the fastest growing plants and can double in size each year.
Since it’s a succulent, give it lots of bright light.
Water is only need when the soil has completely dried out. Don’t worry if you forget to water, it will thrive on a little neglect.
Allow it to grow bigger by repotting into a larger pot.
6. Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia)
Perhaps no other plant on this list will instantly transform your home into a tropical sanctuary than the Bird of Paradise – the quintessential larged-leaved plant.
This is one of the best large houseplants if you’re going for big green leaves. Plus, they grow pretty fast.
It’s the perfect statement plant. It would also make a great anchor plant beside a few smaller ones, since the leaves stay on top with slim stems.
You will need lots of light for this one though. If you have a nice sunny and warm corner, it will thrive.
In regards to maintenance, they will drink lots and lots of water and are heavy feeders – so fertilize often.
7. Alocasia
In the tropical houseplant world, the Alocasia offers a striking visual with its large dagger-shaped leaves that sit atop slender stems.
All varieties get quite large, but for something really stunning, look for the black velvet variety – silky, soft and deep green foliage.
This houseplant is a little more difficult to care for than others on this list.
They look their best when they receive soft sun, morning light is best.
It’s recommended to let the soil be barely dry before you water again, while providing a humid environment.
8. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
The Snake Plant is generally a slow grower, but can get up to 4 or 5 feet tall.
It’s a perfect large houseplants because it grows more tall than wide, so it’s the perfect choice if your space is more compact.
Sansevieria thrive in almost any lighting conditions – if you want to fill a darker corner in your home or office, it’s one of the best choices. That being said, it will grow taller and wider in brighter light.
Plus, they don’t need much water, probably only every 10-14 days depending how much light it gets.
Good news for beginner plant parents – you can pretty much ignore these plants and they’ll still survive.
For the ultimate unique snake plant, look for the Whale Fin variety, which has a very wide and broad stem.
You can find snake plants online.
9. Rubber Tree (Ficus eslastica)
Considered one of the most handsome plants out there, the Rubber Tree has perfectly-oval shaped glossy leaves.
They can get very big, so place it in a spot where it will have room to spread.
Filtered, bright light will keep it growing, water when the top 2 inches of soil is dry, and fertilize once a month.
As long as it’s place in well-draining soil in a pot with drainage holes, your plant will love you and its home. A little humidity will go a long way.
The variegated version of the rubber tree adds another layer of beauty.
Inside tip – to keep the leaves glossy and shining, wipe them with paper towel dipped in milk, rub them with the inside of banana peel, or wipe them with a small dab of mayonnaise (which will also help repel the dust a little longer).
10. Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)
Select the satin pothos if you want a trailing houseplant that can grow very big.
They can be trained to crawl upwards with a stake or a trellis.
Interestingly, the leaves are usually bigger when they climb up. Conversely, the leaves will be smaller when you let the plant hang down.
As far as maintenance, they do best when you let them dry out almost completely.
The satin pothos is generally pretty easy to take care of because it literally tells you when it needs water – the foliage will look dehydrated and wilty.
Give it a huge drink of water and it perks right up.
They also love fertilizer and should be fed twice a month in the growing season.
11. Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera Deliciosa)
The Monstera Deliciosa can grow to be one of the biggest indoor plants. This is your most quintessential jungle-esque houseplant.
If big leaves are your jam, the swiss cheese plant fits the bill. Not only is it glamorous, the Monstera can grow pretty fast in perfect conditions – a plant in a 6 or 8 inch pot will triple in size in less than two years.
Plus, they grow quite well from cuttings, too.
These big green plants love medium light conditions – a few feet away from a window emitting morning sun would be best.
12. Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
One of the most popular tall indoor plants is the Areca Palm, which can reach 8 feet tall.
Unfortunately, they’re one of the more challenging indoor plants to keep alive, but as long as you tend to it several times a week, it should be perfectly happy.
Provide a warm, sunny and very humid environment for it.
They’re an eye-catching tropical that will need high humidity for most part of the day, so a plant humidifier is a must.
You can find Areca palms online.
13. Money Tree (Pachira aquatica)
Lastly, another plant that resembles a large indoor tree is the Pachira aquatica, nicknamed the Money Tree.
It’s got adorable woody stems that spiral into a braid.
Place this plant by a south facing window or somewhere with lots of bright but indirect light all day.
Water when it’s not quite dry – about once a week.
This should yield you a houseplant that becomes at least 5 feet tall.
Expect a lot of growth in the summer without needing to fertilize.
Large Houseplant Tips and How to Help Your Indoor Plants Grow Tall
Most large houseplants originate from tropical and rainforest climates.
So the best thing you can do to take care of your big leaf plants is to emulate their native growing conditions as much as possible.
This means plenty of filtered bright light, enough water and lots of humidity.
Enough Humidity
For large houseplants, you will need a humidifier that’s bigger than a small table top device.
This humidifier holds a large amount of water, so that you don’t have to be filling it up several times a day.
A larger humidifier is also a good idea if you plan to be away for a few days – you know your plants will still get the humidity they need.
Fertilize Regularly
Regularly fertilizing your indoor plants is also a surefire way to help them grow faster, bigger and more full.
Tropical plants need less phosphorus than other plants and they also thrive with added iron and magnesium – exactly what’s found in this tropical plant fertilizer.
Pots With Drainage
Also make sure that your plants live in pots with drainage holes.
None of the plants on this list like sitting in standing water.
Ideally, terracotta or clay pots are best because they will also help pull out excess water.
Read more about what to consider when choosing the best type of pot.
Support Structures
Finally, to keep your houseplants upright, you will probably have to stake them or allow them to grow up a moss pole – especially the Monstera or pothos.
Ready to get started? You can buy live houseplants online!
Stay Green!
