PSA: These Are the 15 Best Indoor Trees to Add to Your Home (2024)

Fiddle-Leaf Fig

• Botanical Name: Ficus lyrata
• Sun Exposure: Bright, filtered light
• Soil Type: Well-draining soil, like a regular potting soil mixed with coconut coir
• Soil pH: 5.5 to 7.0

Perhaps one of the most popular indoor trees is the fiddle-leaf fig. It's probably been all over your Instagram feed, but don't be fooled—it can be an incredibly picky plant to take care of. It prefers bright, filtered light, and it can burn in direct sunlight. Water only when the top one to two inches of soil are bone dry, and then give it a good soak. Make sure to turn the pot every once in a while so all the leaves receive light evenly.

Bird of Paradise

• Botanical Name: Strelitzia reginae
• Sun Exposure: Direct or bright light
• Soil Type: Moist, well-draining potting soil
• Soil pH: 5.5 to 7.5

This gorgeous evergreen is native to South Africa, where it flowers during the winter and early spring. Indoors, however, you may not see any blooms on your plant until it's around five years old. Make sure to fertilize every now and again to ensure your bird has the nutrients it needs to grow tall (up to six feet!) and produce new leaves.

Rubber Tree

• Botanical Name: Ficus elastica
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Well-draining, peat-based potting soil
• Soil pH: 5.5 to 7.5

Despite its name, this species of the rubber tree actually belongs to the fig family, not to the same family that has the actual trees we gather rubber from. Its dark, shiny leaves make a gorgeous statement in any room, but you can also find variegated varieties with white, pink, and sage leaves that look similar to watercolor paintings. Despite their beauty, these trees are toxic to cats and dogs, so be careful if you have furry friends around.

Parlor Palm

• Botanical Name: Chamaedorea elegans
• Sun Exposure: Medium or indirect light
• Soil Type: Peat-based potting soil
• Soil pH: 5.1 to 7.5

Bring the beach to your living room with this plant's fabulous fronds. A parlor palm, which you can get in smaller varieties or tall versions like the one above, is not only easy to take care of, but it also can survive in low light conditions—like that awkward office corner or dark living room wall.

Bonsai

• Botanical Name: Ficus microcarpa
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Well-draining, sandy soil mix
• Soil pH: 6.1 to 7.3

Chances are you know someone who's already got a little bonsai tree growing in their home. While some owners are meticulous about shaping and grooming their bonsai, you don't have to be. This tiny treasure takes more water than most trees, needing a good soak every two to three days so it doesn't dry out. A sandy soil mix ensures drainage so that the roots don't get soggy and lead to rotting. Place this one in a window that's sure to get plenty of daylight, but try to avoid drafts. Temperatures over 50 degrees Fahrenheit are best and sure to help promote growth.

Ficus Audrey

• Botanical Name: Ficus benghalensis
• Sun Exposure: Direct or bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Potting soil mix
• Soil pH: 6.5 to 7.0

The Ficus Audrey, sometimes confused with the fiddle-leaf fig, is a sleek, minimal tree with beautifully veined leaves. The plant is native to India, where it receives tons of natural light, which it also needs indoors. This plant will not tolerate low light. It prefers consistently moist soil, but don't be afraid to let it dry out every once in a while. When the top two to three inches of the soil feel dry, give it a good drink of water, soaking the plant until it leaks out of your pot's drainage hole. To keep the leaves growing evenly, rotate your Audrey every few weeks.

Hibiscus Tree

• Botanical Name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
• Sun Exposure: Direct
• Soil Type: Potting soil mix
• Soil pH: 6.5 to 6.8

This tropical plant is known for its stunning, colorful flowers, but it also grows into a gorgeous tree when not trimmed back. For your plant to reach maximum blooming potential, place it in an area with a ton of sun—the more sun, the better! In terms of soil, go for something slightly acidic, like a standard potting mix. Hibiscus plants like to be moist, but not wet, so water when the top inch of soil is dry. If you can, don't let the leaves start to wilt, as that places a ton of stress on the plant. If you're looking to add color to your home, this is the plant for you!

Olive Tree

• Botanical Name: Olea europaea
• Sun Exposure: Direct
• Soil Type: Well-draining, loamy soil mix, like cactus or succulent soil
• Soil pH: 6.5 to 7.5

Native to the Mediterranean, Africa, and Asia, the olive tree thrives in full, direct, bright sunlight, so this is for those of you with lots of sunny space inside! When it comes to water, try starting by giving it a good drink once a week. When it's well-established in its new home—your home—you can move waterings to once a month. Just be sure to really soak it when you do water it. Since it's indoors, you won't be able to grow any actual olives, as that would require it to be pollinated. In summer months, you could move it outside, but make sure it's not in a spot that would burn the leaves (i.e., a spot with strong sunlight a majority of the day).

Meyer Lemon Tree

• Botanical Name: Citrus limon x Meyeri
• Sun Exposure: Direct
• Soil Type: Potting soil mix
• Soil pH: 5.5 to 6.5

Want to grow your own citrus for co*cktails or fresh lemon water? You're in luck. Meyer lemon trees, or mini lemon trees as they're also called, grow well in containers and indoors. The only catch? If you want fruit, you're either going to have to pollinate it by hand if you keep it indoors, or move it outdoors during warm months to have the bees do their job. In terms of care, this tree can grow in just about any well-draining potting mixture; just make sure to have drainage holes in your pot.

Ponytail Palm

• Botanical Name: Beaucarnea recurvata
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Sandy soil mix, like a cacti and succulent soil
• Soil pH: 6.5 to 7.5

While this plant isn't the fastest grower, it sure makes a big statement. The ponytail plant is identifiable by the long, thin leaves that protrude from the top of a woody trunk. It's native to Mexico, where it can grow up to 30 feet tall and live hundreds of years. Plus, it thrives on neglect—kind of. This tree prefers dry soil, so you only have to water it when the top couple of inches of soil are bone dry. In the winter, you can cut back even more on watering. This may be the choice for you if you've got more of a black thumb than a green one.

Weeping Fig

• Botanical Name: Ficus benjamina
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Well-draining, fertilepotting soil
• Soil pH: 6.0 to 6.5

How can you resist the glossy, sweeping leaves on this ficus? The weeping fig, also known as Ficus benjamina, is a tall, easy-to-care-for indoor tree that can grow up to six feet tall inside. It prefers moist soil, but doesn't like to be soggy. Always check the top couple of inches of soil to see if it needs a drink. With as many leaves as it has, it's also good to give your weeping fig a bath every now and again. Dust can collect on the foliage, blocking light and moisture from reaching the leaves. Don't want to clean each leaf individually? Pop it in the shower for a good rinse.

Money Tree

• Botanical Name: Pachira aquatica
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Sandy, peat-based soil
• Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5

This native jungle plant is a big fan of humidity—but not of having wet feet. If you've got a window that allows quite a lot of light into your bathroom, that could be the perfect place for this plant. Or, if the lighting situation isn't great, consider using a humidity tray or humidifier to keep the tree happy and healthy. While you can get money trees at any size, they have the ability to grow up to six or eight feet tall, so keep that in mind when you purchase one.

Umbrella Tree

• Botanical Name: Schefflera actinophylla
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Peat moss–basedpotting mix
• Soil pH: 6.0 to 6.5

This striking plant gets its name from its umbrella-like leaves. It's native to Australia and New Guinea, where it can grow up to 50 feet tall outdoors. Inside, it can grow anywhere from two to eight feet tall, but you can also control how high it goes by pruning it back. This is a perfect option for new plant parents, given that it's pretty low-maintenance: You only have to water when the soil is bone dry, and they can survive being root-bound. However, if you have pets, be careful: It is toxic to dogs and cats.

Dragon Tree

• Botanical Name: Dracaenamarginata
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Loamy, well-drained
• Soil pH: 6.0 to 6.5

There are more than 100 types of dracaena trees, but the dragon tree is one of our favorites. In its natural habitat, it can grow up to 70 feet tall—but most people keep theirs pruned around six feet indoors. Its sword-shaped leaves give it a spiky, funky look, which makes it the perfect addition to an office space or bare room corner. While this plant can grow in lower light conditions, you'll find it's much happier and sprouts more leaves when it's next to a window that gets bright, filtered light.

Norfolk Island Pine

• Botanical Name: Araucaria heterophylla
• Sun Exposure: Bright, direct light
• Soil Type: Sandy potting mix
• Soil pH: 4.5 to 5.5

Looking to add an evergreen to your home? This festive mini that's native to the Norfolk Islands (in the South Pacific) grows to be nearly 100 feet tall in outdoor gardens. While it looks like a pine tree, it's actually more closely related to orchids, meaning it cannot tolerate cold weather. For this plant to thrive in your home, it needs to be in a bright location, like a south-facing window, and to have plenty of humidity. It also loves acidic soil, like a peat-based mix, but it has to have good drainage so the tree doesn't end up sitting in water for too long.

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2. Schefflera. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.