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Are you looking for a wonderful selection of large plant options for your living room? Besides looking great, the sense of peace and ambiance that large houseplants add to your living room space is so important for your well-being.
In this post, I’ve listed a variety of plants whose growing requirements range from tolerating low light to needing bright light. I’ll go into more detail for each plant, and ultimately, I will help you choose which beautiful plant (or two, or three…) makes the most sense for your space.
Here are the best large plants for living room placement.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. FIDDLE LEAF FIG
This popular plant is often abused indoors, but makes a strong architectural statement in your living space. The large, dark green leaves add a touch of elegance to your space and is one of the best tall plants that you can add to your living room.
Most people struggle with these plants because they don’t provide them with enough light. These plants do best with as much direct sun as you can give them so they are great for sunny windows.
It’s not to say that you can’t grow them in windows with no direct sun, but if your windows have no direct sun, be sure to keep them immediately in front of that window.
Fiddle leaf fig plants will eventually reach your ceiling, but you can always prune them back to keep them inbound.
2. MAJESTY PALM
Few plants add a touch of the tropics like an indoor palm tree. Majesty palms will be happiest if you have a sunny window in your living room. These plants will grow several feet tall indoors over time, and outdoors, they can grow up to 80 feet tall or more.
Like any palm, they need excellent drainage, but they don’t like to dry out completely. If you start to get brown leaf tips, you may be keeping your plant too dry.
Maintaining a humid environment will help deter spider mites, which palms can be prone.
3. SNAKE PLANTS
Snake plants, or mother-in-law tongue plants, are some of the best low-maintenance indoor plants that you can grow. Large Sansevieria can grow a few feet tall, though very slowly.
So if you don’t want to wait, you’re better off buying one that is the size that you want. There are many Sansevieria varieties ranging from dwarf to large, so choose wisely for your space.
4. MONEY TREE
Pachira aquatica, commonly known as the Money Tree, is a great indoor plant that can get several feet tall. It is often sold as a small plant, but these can get large under good conditions!
For best results, give your money tree at least a few hours of direct sun indoors.
These are moisture-loving plants so make sure that your plant’s potting mix doesn’t dry out completely. Check out my blog post on money plant care for more details.
5. DRAGON TREE
Dracaena marginata, commonly known as Dragon Tree, is a great houseplant that is long-lived and is one of the best large house plants that you can grow indoors.
These plants are versatile when it comes to light indoors, but they will do best with some direct sun.
Windows with no direct sun are fine too, but the growth will not be as compact, though they will still grow.
A well-grown dragon tree is a beautiful sight and dragon tree care isn’t all that difficult.
6. PARLOR PALMS
If you don’t have room for a big palm, but still want a nice palm in your space, Parlor palms are a good choice. They are pretty slow growing and will usually grow 2-3 feet tall.
These plants are ideal for lower-light living rooms and don’t need direct sun to thrive, though they will appreciate some morning sun.
Parlor palm care is pretty simple. Making sure their potting mix never dries out will go a long way in keeping your plants in good shape.
Like any palm, increasing humidity will help to deter spider mites.
7. OLIVE TREE
If you’re looking for a unique plant for your living room, look no further than an olive tree.
The silvery green foliage is unique. Olive trees need plenty of direct sun, so only acquire one if you have a sunny living room to place it in.
8. BIRD OF PARADISE
The bird of paradise plant is one of the best larger plants that you can grow indoors. The dramatic larger leaves on long, arching stems are really beautiful.
These plants are also sun lovers, so if you want them to bloom, be sure to provide them with as much direct sun indoors as you can.
If you can’t provide direct sun, you can still grow this plant and enjoy the beautiful foliage.
9. RUBBER PLANTS
Ficus elastica, commonly known as rubber plant, is one of the best tall houseplants you can grow indoors.
They are large trees in nature, and indoors they will reach your ceiling with good care, but you can prune them to manage their size.
Though these can tolerate low-light conditions, they will not grow well in such conditions. Give them the brightest light that you can indoors for best results.
Check out my blog post on rubber plant care for more details, and also the beautiful rubber plant varieties that are out there.
10. MONSTERA DELICIOSA
Who doesn’t love a well-grown Monstera deliciosa? Their dramatic foliage sure makes a big statement indoors. These vining plants need a support and they can grow several feet tall after a few years.
You can even make your own moss pole for it to grow into.
Monstera plant care is also quite simple and they are very forgiving plants to grow indoors. There is even a gorgeous variegated Monstera deliciosa that is highly sought after for the gorgeous coloration of the leaves.
11. ARECA PALM
Like any palm, they like high humidity if you can provide it indoors, and they do not like their soil to dry out.
Keep your Areca palm fairly moist and only allow the top couple inches of soil to dry out before watering again.
Growing several feet tall indoors, give these palms a nice, sunny window for best results.
12. KENTIA PALM
Kentia palms can tolerate lower light conditions, but will certainly do better if you have a nice bright space indoors, including a few hours of direct sun if possible.
Their fronds are particularly graceful, even for a palm.
13. NORFOLK ISLAND PINES
Though not true pines, Norfolk pines make for beautiful, tall indoor plants. Outdoors, these grow into giant trees.
Indoors, place your plant immediately in front of any window. They will grow faster and be more vigorous and full if you give them a few hours of direct sun.
Try not to let the potting mix dry out completely, otherwise, they will quickly lose their lower branches, which will not grow back.
14. CORN PLANT
Dracaena fragrans, or the common Corn Plant, is a very popular indoor plant and one of the best tall houseplants around. The broad leaves will need periodic dusting.
Relatively slow growing, they will tolerate lower light conditions, but will do better right in front of a window.
15. SPIDER PLANTS
If you’re looking for a big hanging plant to grow, look no further than spider plants.
As they grow, they will produce numerous stolons (long stems) with plenty of plantlets that you can use for propagation.
16. UMBRELLA TREES
Umbrella plants (Schefflera) are wonderful houseplants. There are varieties with small leaves (even a variegated version), as well as ones with larger leaves.
They are very easy to care for and do their best if you can give them a few hours of direct sun, but they will be equally happy in front of a window with no direct sun.
They can easily grow several feet tall over time indoors. Outdoors, they get much larger.
17. BAMBOO PALM
Bamboo palms get their name from their bamboo-like stems that they develop as they age. These plants can grow several feet tall and make for wonderful houseplants.
These have a more upright habit than other palms, and require the typical care that any palm needs indoors.
18. AUSTRALIAN TREE FERN
This dramatic, tropical plant can grow quite tall. The trunk will develop a hairy appearance as it grows, with fronds growing at the top of the trunk.
They love high humidity and appreciate a warm environment. Keep the soil pretty moist and never let it dry out.
19. YUCCA
Yucca plants are one of the easiest large plants that you can grow indoors. Their spiky foliage lends a strong, architectural statement to your living room.
They are very drought tolerant and prefer to sit in front of a sunny window.
20. BANANA PLANT
Banana plants are best grown indoors if you have very sunny windows, otherwise they are best avoided because growth will be too weak.
In the summer time when it’s warm, you can move them outdoors and return them back indoors as weather gets chillier. Make sure you acclimate your plant slow to higher light outdoors otherwise they will burn.
Place them in complete shade for a few days, and slowly increase the amount of sun until they are fully hardened off.
21. DIEFFENBACHIA
The large-leaved dieffenbachia is a wonderful tall houseplant for your living room area. They will grow well with no direct sun, but will do better with some morning sun.
These plants will eventually reach the ceiling, and you can always manage the size by pruning them, and you can propagate the cane while you’re at it!
Be sure to regularly wipe the broad leaves with a damp sponge to keep the leaves dust free.
22. PONYTAIL PALM
The drought-tolerant beauty is not a palm at all, but rather quite succulent. They do best with at least a few hours of direct sun and may get too weak without it.
Beaucarnea recurvata care is quite simple and will make for a long-lasting houseplant.
They are fairly slow growing, so if you want a good size plant, you’re best off purchasing a large plant from the get-go.
23. FISHTAIL PALM
The Caryota genus of palm tree is commonly known as fishtail palm due to the shape of their leaves.
It makes an elegant statement in the home. Be sure to never let the potting mix completely dry out, and give it a nice, sunny window indoors for best results.
24. RHAPIS PALM
Commonly known as the Lady Palm, Rhapsis excelsa is one of the sturdier ones that you can grow indoors. Tolerating lower light than many houseplants, at a minimum, place it near a window that gets no direct sun.
Like any palm, make sure the potting mix doesn’t dry out completely.
25. FICUS ALII
Ficuss Alii (Ficus maclellandii) is sometimes called Banana Leaf Fig because of the long and narrow leaves which have a slight pendulous habit. This ficus tree makes for a delightful houseplant.
Give it a few hours of direct sun indoors for best results.
26. AFRICAN MILK TREE
Euphorbia trigona, commonly known as the African Milk Tree, is a delightful, tall growing succulent plant.
It doesn’t ask for much more than a sunny window and a good watering when the potting mix has gone completely dry.
27. WEEPING FIG
Ficus benjamina, commonly known as the Weeping Fig, is another member of the Ficus genus. They do not like to be moved, so try and keep it in the same location otherwise they’re prone to dropping their leaves.
There are some newer varieties that hold onto their leaves much better. These plants are versatile with light, but will do best with some direct sun.
28. FICUS AUDREY
Ficus Audrey is actually the famed “strangler fig” or Ficus benghalensis. In nature, the trees grow into gigantic proportions and will completely surround and choke out their host tree.
If you’ve struggled with the fiddle leaf fig, try growing a Ficus Audrey.
29. RHAPHIDOPHORA TETRASPERMA
Sometimes known as “mini Monstera” this is not a Monstera at all, but the leaves do slightly resemble smaller Monstera deliciosa leaves.
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is easy to care for. The plants will grow very tall, even several feet or more, but they don’t get bushy. If you want a bushy specimen, plant several individual plants in the same pot.
Windows with no direct sun will do, but they will grow better indoors with a handful of hours of direct sun, especially morning sun.
30. TREE PHILODENDRON
Previously known as Philodendron selloum and Philodendron bipinnatifidum, it was reclassified as Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum. Phew! Let’s just call it the Tree Philodendron for simplicity’s sake.
This plant will require plenty of room because it can grow very wide.