Small houseplants are great. Unfortunately, as any plant parent’s obsession grows, so does the desire for different types of plants. What types of plants you ask? Trees. I’m talking about giant indoor trees that instantly convert your home into a Babylonian garden everyone wants.

Hotel interior

Until fairly recently, I had only seen indoor trees in minimalist restaurants, Anthropologie, and the occasional city hotel. Indoor trees are pretty cool in places like this, sure, but a tree in a house just sound tricky. Honestly, trees in homes seems like a trendy and poor life choice – I’m picturing something you see on a design show that looks amazing for the room unveiling but is realistically impossible for a busy family of four to maintain in a cold house in Maine. Anyway.

Well, let me tell you that, despite how intimidating and questionable adding an indoor tree to your home may be, they’re not. With some planning and a sensible way to get a 6′ plant home from IKEA, you may be on your way to bringing a new plant giant into your life.

Indoor trees and plants
By Alina Fassakhova

So before you go ahead and read on, let’s plan ahead. Here are some things to think about:

  1. Do you have a place for this tree?
    Space is important, so be sure you have space for this tree. More importantly, all of these indoor trees LOVE light. They need at least a South or bright East/West window; dark corners or windowless hallways are abominable. At the end of the day, first and foremost, you need a sunny, open spot for this guy.
  2. Are you prepared for leaf shedding?
    Some of these trees shed their leaves and dried blooms during certain seasons and can be messy. Shedding trees are specified below, and if this is a problem, choose one without leaves. Just kidding, that’s impossible.
  3. Do you have well-behaved pets?
    Cats are notorious tree climbers and dogs like marking, like, everything. If you have well behaved pets and not climbers, urinaters, or leaf eaters, you should be all set. I also specify which large plants are pet safe and which are toxic in case you only want to provide pet safe plants in your pet filled home.
  4. Are you able to keep track of watering?
    A big to-do is assembling a watering schedule. Large houseplants are well, large. It can be very difficult to see when they need water, and sometimes the “once a week” rule will change drastically depending on the season.

If you answered yes to all of these questions, and be honest, go on your merry way to pick one of these beefy babies.

THE List of Non-toxic and Toxic Indoor Trees

Fiddle Leaf Fig

  • Ficus lyrata
  • Medium to high light, no direct sun
  • Keep lightly moist
  • Medium humidity
  • Toxic to pets
Giant Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Weeping Fig

  • Ficus benjamina
  • High light
  • Keep lightly moist
  • High humidity is best
  • Leaves and small berries will drop all year long
  • Toxic to pets
Weeping Fig Tree
By Olive. See her IG.

Rubber Tree

Rubber Tree

Banana Tree

  • Musa
  • High light
  • Keep moist, do not let dry out
  • High humidity
  • Safe for pets
Variegated Banana Tree, safe for pets
By Alina Fassakhova

Hibiscus

  • High light
  • Keep very lightly moist
  • High humidity
  • Flowers will drop and are slippery
  • Safe for pets with reservations. While not considered 100% safe, the flowers are the main problem. Cats and dogs may experience gastrointestinal issues if flowers/buds are consumed. Given the flowers drop on these plants, I would only add a hibiscus to your indoor plant collection if your pets are 100% uninterested.
Giant Hibiscus Tree is safe for pets
By Cara Anderson / Plantroost

Yucca

  • Yucca elephantipes
  • High light
  • Let dry out between waterings
  • Medium humidity
  • Toxic to pets
Yucca Tree
By DirtQueenNYC

Umbrella Tree

  • Schefflera
  • Bright, indirect light
  • Keep very lightly moist
  • Medium humidity
  • Fast grower
  • Toxic to pets
Variegated Schefflera
By Alina Fassakhova

Norfolk Island Pine

  • Araucaria heterophylla
  • Medium, indirect light
  • Keep lightly moist
  • Small needles do drop, turn plant regularly
  • High humidity
  • Safe for pets, be aware of needles
Norfolk Island Pine as indoor plant tree
By Cara Anderson / Plantroost

Money Tree

  • Pachira aquatica
  • Medium, indirect light
  • Keep lightly moist
  • Medium humidity
  • Safe for pets
Money Tree

Palm Tree

  • Various types, go for fan palms or areca palms.
  • High light
  • Let dry out slightly between waterings
  • High humidity
  • Safe for pets, except Sago palm, which is deadly
Palm Tree in plant interior
By Alina Fassakhova

False Aralia

  • Plerandra elegantissima
  • Medium light
  • Keep lightly moist
  • Medium to high humidity
  • Keep away from drafts
  • Safe for pets
False Aralia, Indoor Tree

Bird of Paradise

  • Strelitzia
  • High light
  • Keep very lightly moist
  • High humidity
  • Slow grower
  • Toxic to pets
Bird of Paradise, Indoor Tree
By Cara Anderson / Plantroost