Style your space with these tropical indoor plants for that cozy green nook to unwind after a long day!
Tropical plants are truly a burst of life, and their natural love for warmth, humidity, and gentle sunlight makes them ideal for indoor settings. Whether you’re looking to drape a vining plant over some eclectic art or place a statement plant by your entryway, we’ve got the top picks for tropical indoor plants that will be happy in your space!
Tropical Rainforest Plants that You Can Grow Indoors
1. Swiss Cheese Plant
Botanical Name: Monstera deliciosa
With truly monstrous leaves that can reach upto 3 feet in the wild, Monsteras rightfully reserve the first spot in this list. Plus, their dramatic splits and holes make it a standalone feature in any space. Apart from their elegant stature, Monsteras make a cult favorite with the plethora of benefits they carry!
Hot Tip: While an indoor Monstera might not produce a three-foot-tall leaf, it can definitely reach half its size with a glossy shine with these tricks!
2. Fiddle-Leaf Fig
Botanical Name: Ficus lyrata
Loved for their wavy, violin-shaped foliage, the Fiddle Leaf Fig can grow impressively large, about 5-8 feet indoors, if provided with enough room to spread and ample sunlight. Native to the tropical rainforests of West Africa, this popular plant is often seen in design magazines for a good reason.
3. Calathea
Botanical Name: Calathea spp. better
With its stunningly patterned leaves that seem painted with vivid greens, purples, and pinks, Calathea is a must-have for your mini indoor jungle. The leaves fold up at night like praying hands, which might initially seem alarming, but it’s just the signature nyctinastic behavior of these American rainforest natives.
4. Philodendron
Botanical Name: Philodendron spp.
Whether climbing or trailing, the Philodendron’s glossy, heart-shaped leaves deliver a lush, overflowing vibe to any space. With several varieties out there, cultivars like ‘Gloriosum’ or ‘Heartleaf’ vividly emulate the dense greenery of rainforests.
5. Anthurium
Botanical Name: Anthurium spp.
Featuring colorful spathes in pink, red, and white, Anthuriums are perfect for those who love colorful trinkets amidst greenery. Plus, their warm tropical natives help them appreciate a humid atmosphere, so its good to keep them strictly indoors in frost-prone areas.
6. Elephant Ear
Botanical Name: Alocasia spp.
Alocasia’s large, arrow-shaped leaves evoke an unmistakably tropical feel with their deep veining and unique shapes. Whether the Alocasia Polly with its dark leaves and bright veins or the massive Alocasia Macrorrhiza, they will turn your home into a mini woody retreat you’d be proud of!
7. Dumb Cane:
Botanical Name: Dieffenbachia
With its large, variegated leaves streaked with green, yellow, and cream, Dieffenbachia lends both color and volume. Endemic to the dense understory of the tropical Americas, it thrives in the low light and humidity of any typical home and comes with plenty of varieties to choose from!
8. Bromeliads
Botanical Name: Bromeliaceae
Bromeliads are literally the badge of the tropics with their brilliant rosettes of colorful leaves and central flower spikes. Many varieties grow as epiphytes in the canopy of tropical rainforests, making them comfortable in warm, humid environments with dappled sunlight.
9. Bird of Paradise
Botanical Name: Strelitzia reginae
The Bird of Paradise stands tall with its long, arching leaves and exotic flowers that literally look like birds in flight. It further cements its tropical look when in full bloom with its vibrant orange and blue flower amidst the long, glossy foliage. Just take care of its indirect sunlight needs, and position the plant accordingly in the changing seasons.
10. Devil’s Ivy
Botanical Name: Epipremmum aureum
If there were an award for versatility, Pothos would definitely take the crown with its countless styling possibilities and the lush ambiance it brings to any area. Just meet a few simple care requirements, and you can have a mini jungle by showcasing its various types around your space.
11. Grey Star
Botanical Name: Ctenanthe setosa
In case you desire to collect the most beautifully patterned plants around the world, ensure to count this in! Justifying its common name, this beauty boasts elongated leaves variegated with uniform silvery-grey patterns throughout the upper face of the foliage and purple undersides.
12. Fishtail Palm
Botanical Name: Caryota mitis
Needless to say, this palm won’t disappoint you either with its lush fishtail-like foliage that fans out in layered tiers, making for an elegant potted setting. Native to the tropical regions of Asia, its dense canopy brings the feeling of the rainforest canopy into your home.
13. Mini Monstera
Botanical Name: Rhapidophora tetrasperma
Often mistaken for a smaller cousin of the Monstera Deliciosa, the Mini Monstera features similarly split leaves that are smaller and more compact. Hailing from Southeast Asia, its climbing vines and lush green foliage bring depth and texture to your space, creating the perfect layered greenery for a jungle-like ambiance.
14. Parlor Palm
Botanical Name: Chamaedorea elegans
The Parlor Palm is a favorite for its gentle, feathery fronds that add a breezy, light feel to any room. Originating from the lush rainforests of Mexico and Guatemala, this slow-growing palm fits beautifully into any space with bright, indirect sunlight.
15. Lobster’s Claws
Botanical Name: Heliconia
Just like Birds of Paradise, a lobster claw blooms with bright waxy flowers amidst lush green foliage that would evoke the image of the tropics. The only caveat is that it requires plenty of sunlight to flaunt those wonderful flowers.
16. Umbrella Plant
Botanical Name: Schefflera
While it doesn’t bloom indoors, its lush green canopy more than makes up for it. Also, it can grow upto 8 feet tall when provided with a mini rainforest-like environment, i.e., moist air and dappled sunlight.
