Plants are an essential element for balancing any space, primarily because greenery helps stabilize our emotions and makes us feel closer to nature. They also serve as excellent decorative elements for common areas, such as living rooms, that cannot be replaced by any other object. In this article from Grow Your Patch, we will present the best plants for the living room.
Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)
Ferns are among the most popular plants for living rooms due to their suitability for indoors and their unique appearance among all plants, as they are one of the oldest in geological history. This particular species is large, with long fronds that grow upward.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
This plant is striking because it has long, slender leaves that alternate between white and light green, bringing freshness to the living room through white colors. It is named Spider Plant because as it matures, it produces yellow stems from which new plants dangle. It is an indoor plant that requires little light, but it is best placed in a bright spot or near a window.
Rubber Tree (Castilla elastica)
It has become very popular in recent years because it develops glossy, large dark green leaves that are about 15 centimeters thick. It can grow up to 20 meters tall, but when kept in a pot, it will not grow too much. It is low-maintenance and can be kept in a living room with good lighting.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
This is another basic plant that is very common in living rooms. Its glossy leaves create hanging garlands easily, adding dimension to the spaces. Furthermore, it is one of the plants recommended by NASA for air purification from xylene, benzene, and formaldehyde, making it excellent for enclosed living rooms.
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes spp.)
For warm living rooms that retain temperature, this plant is a great choice. Its leaves have very special white, red, or pink spots. It grows from herbaceous to shrub, and is usually kept compact in indoor pots. It requires high watering, about three times a week, but it is worth it for the color it brings to the living rooms where it is placed.
Dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
The Dracaena marginata develops long, flat dark green leaves with reddish edges that rise above thin, striated stems. They grow slowly, so they can thrive well indoors. They require only indirect light and moderate watering once a week. For the pot, it should be small, as this is how they develop best.
Phalaenopsis Orchid
To give an elegant and opulent appearance to the living room, orchids are a must. Their blooming lasts 2 to 3 months, providing long-lasting decoration for the surroundings. They are relatively easy to care for, as they should be placed near a window for indirect light and watered by immersion once a week.
Although it may be tempting to place it in a decorative pot, it should always be kept in transparent pots because the roots also photosynthesize, and restricting this could hinder its growth. There are many colors available, so you can choose the one that best fits your space.
Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophyla)
This plant develops leaves from the tip of the stem, hanging down like an umbrella. They can withstand drafts, making it excellent for living rooms with open windows or in entrances that receive wind. It needs to be near a source of indirect light.
Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
The Dypsis lutescens, or Areca palm, adds a vacation touch to the living room. Fortunately, it thrives very well indoors, as long as it is placed near a window.
Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)
For a low-maintenance living room plant, we have the saguaro, a columnar cactus that grows tall but takes up little space. Watering is minimal, as it is a succulent, but it needs plenty of light. The best location will be near a living room window, where it receives at least 6 hours of constant light, never in complete shade.
Monstera
If the living room has low light or few windows, a shade plant should be chosen. If there’s enough space, one can use a Monstera deliciosa, which has large leaves approximately 30 centimeters in size. However, if space is limited, the best option is Monstera adansonii, which grows as a hanging or climbing plant and has smaller leaves. These plants thrive well in low light without compromising the beauty of their striking holey leaves. They do require high humidity on their leaves and warm temperatures.
Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
This plant grows as a small upright tree, with large, shiny, thick leaves with prominent veins. It should be placed near a source of filtered natural light that does not scorch the leaves. It can grow up to 20 meters tall, but keeping it in a container allows for controlling its height to a desired level, normally used at 2 meters height for interiors. It requires warm temperatures, never below 15 °C. It transpires a lot, helping maintain good humidity in the living room.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is another low-water succulent plant. It is easy to grow indoors, even though in its native habitat it thrives in full sun. It tolerates low light conditions very well, and here watering is even less than outdoors. It can be kept as a single cluster in a small pot or in larger pots to have several plants.
Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans)
The corn plant requires little light, making it ideal for living rooms with little sun. The leaves have broad stripes in two shades of green, they are flat and wide, and fall downward. They rise above a sturdy trunk with a paper-like texture, light beige in color. It can be kept as a medium tree of one meter in height, or small enough to place in the center of a table.
Croton
Its scientific name is Codiaeum variegatum, and it features striking foliage that is not green but comes in yellow, red, brown, with very little green. The leaves are long and elliptical. They dominate the plant, with the stem being scarcely visible, giving a lush appearance. It is used in living rooms to provide a color accent. These are completely indoor plants and will thrive without issues. They require warm temperatures and moderate watering once a week.
