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9 Stunning Large Indoor Trees to Enhance Your Home’s Ambiance

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Written By Lyrae Willis

Environmental Scientist & Plant Ecologist

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Home » Tree Selection » 9 Stunning Large Indoor Trees to Enhance Your Home’s Ambiance

Indoor trees are fantastic for brightening your home with lush foliage and occasional flowers if the conditions are right.

People often worry about growing large trees indoors because they fail to thrive without proper care. However, most of the time, a bright sunny window or supplemental grow lights, plus regular watering and occasional feeding, are all you need.

Some trees require more humidity than homes usually have, so consider using humidifiers or placing them on a pebble tray filled with water.

Let’s look at nine large indoor trees that will bring your home to life!

1. Fiddle Leaf Fig – Ficus lyrata

The Fiddle Leaf Fig is a gorgeous tree with big, beautiful fiddle-shaped glossy green leaves that will bring any room to life.

This tropical tree likes warm, humid environments with bright but indirect light. So make sure it gets enough light but not too much direct sunlight.

Also, mist it occasionally or keep the pot on a pebble tray filled with water and keep it away from vents or drafts that will reduce the humidity.

Since it likes moisture, keep the soil moist but never wet. It’s also a good idea to feed it slow-release fertilizer to help promote growth.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 6 – 10 ft tall, 2 – 3 ft spread (Indoors)
  • Flowering / Fruiting Season: These will occasionally flower and produce inedible fruits indoors if the conditions are right and wasps are available to pollinate them.

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2. Dwarf Cavendish Banana Tree – Musa acuminata

Dwarf Banana Trees are gorgeous tropical plants that will flower and fruit if the conditions are right. They need a fair bit of light but will tolerate low light if you don’t want them for fruit production.

These tropical plants require adequate moisture, so make sure you put them in a deep pot and water often, but ensure your soil drains well. Coco coir or some pebbles will help ensure drainage.

They also like humidity, so mist often or use a pebble tray filled with water. You can even put it on your patio in summer to encourage growth and flowering.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 8 – 10 ft tall, 6 – 8 ft spread (Indoors)
  • Flowering / Fruiting Season: They typically flower and fruit about 15-18 months after planting, then die back, and a new plant sprouts from the roots.

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3. Meyer Lemon Trees – Citrus × meyeri

Lemon trees make gorgeous indoor trees, but it’s best to choose dwarf varieties for indoor use.

Ensure they get at least 8 hours of light daily, or use supplemental LED grow lights if you don’t have a bright enough window.

They like ample water but allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Feed them in the spring and again in summer.

Putting them outdoors in summer will encourage them to produce more intoxicatingly fragrant flowers.

To encourage fruiting, it’s a good idea to “be the bee” indoors by dipping gently into each flower with a small, clean paintbrush to encourage good cross-pollination.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 7 – 8 ft tall, 3 – 4 ft spread (Indoors)
  • Flowering / Fruiting Season: Fragrant flowers appear in late summer or early fall; fruits mature over winter.

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4. Windmill Palm – Trachycarpus fortunei

The Windmill Palm is a hardy palm popular outdoors, but people often don’t realize they do well indoors. They have large leaves that emerge from the top of their stems and fan out like a windmill.

They like bright, indirect light, so consider supplemental LED grow lights if you don’t have enough natural light.

Windmill Palms don’t require a humidity tray or misting. When watering, water deeply, but allow the soil to dry before you water it again. Make sure your soil drains well since they don’t like wet feet.

Like all palms, these are non-toxic to pets and humans.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 6 – 10 ft tall, 4 – 8 ft spread (Indoors)

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5. Bay Laurel – Laurus nobilis

Bay Laurels are great indoor trees. Not only are their leaves beautiful and fragrant, but they are also tasty and can be used as a seasoning in your kitchen.

They tolerate a wide range of temperatures and lighting indoors, but it does require some light, so consider supplemental lighting if you don’t want it in your window.

Bay Laurels require moderate watering, so allow it to dry a bit between watering and ensure it has well-draining soil. But no need to worry about low humidity indoors since this shrub is native to drier Mediterranean climates.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 4 – 6 ft tall, 2 – 3 ft spread

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6. Bird of Paradise – Strelitzia reginae

The Bird of Paradise is an amazing plant with gorgeous thick green leaves and spectacularly unique flowers.

While getting it to flower indoors isn’t impossible, it does require the right conditions. It needs a bright, sunny window or supplemental grow lighting and frequent misting, a humidifier, or a pebble tray to increase humidity.

Also, be careful not to overwater. Plant it in a large pot and allow the top 2-3” to dry before you water it again to avoid root rot.

Never let it sit in standing water. If your water is highly alkaline, consider using an acid to lower the pH or use filtered water.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 3 – 8 ft tall, 3 – 5 ft spread
  • Flowering Season: With the right care, these will bloom after 3-4 years.

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7. Corn Plant – Dracaena fragrans

The Corn Plant gets its name from the long, thick leaves resembling corn leaves, although they are two-tone variegated green. The leaves come out of a thick, woody stem.

These plants do best in low or indirect light; never place them in a south-facing window.

They are easy to take care of and don’t require much watering. Keep the soil slightly moist during the growing season and allow it to dry more in the winter.

With only a little care, these beautiful trees will easily reach 6 ft indoors, giving your home a lovely, vibrant green life.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 4 – 6 ft tall, 2 – 3 ft spread
  • Flowering Season: Fragrant off-white flowers will occasionally appear indoors.

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8. Rubber Tree – Ficus elastica

Rubber trees are popular indoor trees for their big, shiny, dark green to reddish green leaves that will brighten and liven any indoor space. They are also quite effective at removing indoor air pollutants.

They do best in bright, indirect light but will handle less. Keep it away from drafts, and if you have low humidity, consider using a humidifier or a pebble tray filled with water. Misting the leaves occasionally will improve humidity and remove dust.

Be careful if you have fur or human babies; the milky sap of the Rubber Tree is mildly toxic.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 3 – 10 ft tall, 2 – 3 ft spread* *Height depends on variety

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9. Bottle Palm – Hyophorbe lagenicaulis

The Bottle Palm is a unique tree that will immediately give your home an air of tropical beauty.

It has a curious-looking trunk that looks like a bottle when mature, with a group of feather-like fronds that come out of the top in a rosette.

It is easy to care for when grown in well-draining soil; using a cactus mix or adding coco coir will help ensure drainage. Like most palms, it may get root rot if its feet remain wet.

Bottle Palms like bright light, so plant it in a sunny window or provide supplemental grow lighting.

  • Average Size at Maturity: 5 – 7 ft tall, 6 – 8 ft spread (Indoors)

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Quick Overview

Tree NameDescriptionAverage Size
Fiddle Leaf FigA tropical tree with big, glossy green, fiddle-shaped leaves, prefers warm, humid environments and indirect light.6-10 ft tall, 2-3 ft spread
Dwarf Cavendish Banana TreeTropical plant that flowers and fruits under right conditions, requires moisture and bright light but tolerates low light.8-10 ft tall, 6-8 ft spread
Meyer Lemon TreesDwarf citrus tree that needs bright light and regular water, can fruit indoors with hand-pollination.7-8 ft tall, 3-4 ft spread
Windmill PalmHardy palm with fan-like leaves, prefers indirect light and well-drained soil, non-toxic to pets and humans.6-10 ft tall, 4-8 ft spread
Bay LaurelGreat for indoor with fragrant leaves usable in cooking, tolerates a range of temperatures and light, needs moderate watering.4-6 ft tall, 2-3 ft spread
Bird of ParadisePlant with thick leaves and unique flowers, needs bright light and high humidity, requires careful watering.3-8 ft tall, 3-5 ft spread
Corn PlantVariegated green leaves resembling corn, thrives in low or indirect light, easy to care for.4-6 ft tall, 2-3 ft spread
Rubber TreeFeatures large, shiny leaves, effective at air purification, needs bright, indirect light and careful watering.3-10 ft tall, 2-3 ft spread
Bottle PalmUnique trunk resembling a bottle with feather-like fronds, requires well-draining soil and bright light.5-7 ft tall, 6-8 ft spread

Indoor Trees Add Vibrancy and Life to Your Home

Indoor trees are the perfect choice when you want to add life to your home. They often have impressive foliage, so with a little care, they will thrive and fill your home with life and beauty.

Pay attention to the specific requirements of your tree(s); you can even get flowers and fruits indoors with a little extra attentiveness. Don’t be too attentive and overwater, though! Few indoor plants will tolerate wet feet.

Now that you have some ideas of trees that might work for you, the hard part is deciding which one(s) to buy!

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Lyrae Willis

Environmental Scientist & Plant Ecologist

Lyrae grew up in the forests of BC, Canada, where she got a BSc. in Environmental Sciences. Her whole life, she has loved studying plants, from the tiniest flowers to the most massive trees. She is currently researching native plants of North America and spends her time traveling, hiking, documenting, and writing. When not researching, she is homeschooling her brilliant autistic son, who travels with her and benefits from a unique hands-on education about the environment around him.

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