Best house plants

Bring greenery to the interior of your home. House plants will create a connection to the natural world and look fabulous.

Best house plants
(Image credit: @Annie Spratt on Unsplash)

It’s widely acknowledged that introducing a natural element into our homes is important for our well-being. The easiest way to do it? Grow house plants. There are lush and lovely options for every situation and every size space, so check out our selection of the best.

Best overall

Plants for Pets Succulent Plants

(Image credit: Plants for Pets)

Plants for Pets succulent plants

Five individual species

These succulents will bring architectural shape and fabulous foliage shades to any interior. They don’t require much space, and they can be displayed in a whole host of ways to great effect. They’re easy to look after, needing water but not fertilizer.

Best mini tree

Brussel’s Bonsai Live Hawaiian Umbrella Indoor Bonsai Tree

(Image credit: Brussel’s Bonsai )

Brussel’s bonsai live Hawaiian umbrella indoor bonsai tree

Compact and beautiful

Bring the beauty of the forest to your room with this scaled-down Hawaiian umbrella. It has glossy green leaves and will produce orange-red to blackberries that’ll add plenty of interest to any space. It’s already three years old and comes in a six-inch decorative container.

Best for impact

Costa Farms Majesty Palm Tree

(Image credit: Costa Farms)

Costa Farms majesty palm tree

Prefers east or west light

With its sculptural foliage and at around 36 inches high, this palm will make an instant statement. It has lush dark green foliage that will look attractive in any room. It’s a slow to moderate speed grower and will need repotting in time.

Best low-maintenance option

Plants for Pets Ionantha Tillandsia Air Plant Pack

(Image credit: Plants for Pets)

Plants for Pets ionantha tillandsia air plant pack

Great multi-plant set

If you’re often away from home, these air plants could be a great choice. They’ll only require that you water them about once a week. These plants don’t need soil, so there are plenty of ways to display them, including in hanging planters to put them at eye level.

Best for flexibility

Hirt’s Garden Store Heart Leaf Philodendron

(Image credit: Hirt’s Garden Store)

Hirt’s Gardens store heart leaf philodendron

Can trail or climb

You can grow this philodendron to take up vertical space or in a hanging container. It can be positioned almost anywhere except in full sun. It’s easy to look after and will just need a monthly feed plus watering when the top inch of the soil is dry. 

Best for sunny spots

Costa Farms Aloe Vera

(Image credit: Costa Farms)

Costa Farms aloe vera

Shapely foliage

This Aloe vera makes a fabulous addition to a desktop or credenza with its upright serrated leaves. The gel renowned for its medicinal properties is found on its inside. It’s a sound choice for forgetful waterers as it only needs it every two to three weeks.

Our verdict

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House plants can add life and beauty to any space in your home, and they can fit into compact spaces as well as create sizeable focal points. Our top option is the Plants for Pets succulent plants, which includes five individual plants with attractive foliage and color, and which won’t prove hard to look after. 

For an eye-catching effect, go for the Costa Farms majesty palm tree. Perfectly positioned at floor level, it will fill a corner or space along the wall with its sculptural foliage. If small-scale interest is what you’re after instead, the Brussel’s bonsai live Hawaiian umbrella indoor bonsai tree is a miniature treasure you’ll love looking at.

Why trust us?

At GardeningEtc, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.

Sarah Warwick
Freelance writer

Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor writing for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She’s spent most of her journalistic career specialising in homes and gardens and loves investigating the benefits, costs and practicalities of home improvement. It's no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house revamper.