Many times we want to give our home a natural touch by helping us with the company of some plants. And although plants with showy or brightly colored flowers are always very popular, sometimes simple green works even better, which can be even more attractive than other colors.
In this article we are going to see which are the best plants of this type to have at home. Read on and discover 51 green indoor plants , know their names and the characteristics, care and photos of many of them. Which one do you like the most?
List of indoor green plants
This is a list of names of indoor green plants , although there are many more:
- Nucifera coconut or coconut palm
- Aloe Barbadensis Miller or aloe vera
- Plectranthus Australis or Money Plant
- Asparagus densiflorus “Meyerii” or asparagus
- Dracena marginata or dracaena
- Codaieum variegatum or crotron
- Chamaedorea elegans or parlor palm
- Dracaena fragrans or Brazilian trunk
- Crassula ovata or jade tree
- Euphorbia mili or thorn of Christ
- Spathiphyllum or spatifilos
- Chlorophytum comosum or ribbon
- Epipremnum aureum or poto
- Ficus benjamina or Java fig tree
- Fittonia verschaffeltii or fitonia
- Sansevieria or mother-in-law’s tongue
- Monstera deliciosa or Adam’s rib
- Ficus pumila or climbing fig
- Adamtium capillus veneris or hair of Venus
- Peperomia obtusifolia or peperomia
- Maranta Leuconeura or Prayer Plant
- Zamioculca zamiifolia or zamioculca
- Dieffenbachia siguine or diefembaquia
- schefflera gold or cheflera
- Fatsia japonica or aralia
- Pilea peperomioides or missionary plant
- Calathea crocata or calatea
- Sedum sediforme or cat’s claw
- Aspidistra elatior or aspiditra
- Ficus microcarpa or Indian laurel
- Tillandsia magnusiana or tilansia
- Dieffenbachia camilla or diefembaquia
- Pachira aquatica or Guiana chestnut
- Aeschynanthus or achinanto
- Yucca gigantea or Yuca
- Yucca elephantipes or also Yuca
- Soleirolia soleirolii or angel’s tears
- Ceropegia sandersonii or parachute plant
- Araucaria Araucana or Araucaria
- Ctenanthe oppenheimiana or cenante
- Beaucarnea recurvata or elephant foot plant
- Alocasia zebrina or elephant ears
- Senecio vulgaris or Senecio
- Ficus lyrata or lyre tree
- Howea forsteriana or Kentia
- Muse paradisiaca or banana tree
- Musa basjoo or Japanese banana
- Aglaonema creta or algaonema
- Tillandsia aerea or carnation of the air
- Coleus blumei or coleus
- Asplenium nidus or bird’s nest
Below you will see the images of some of the most popular indoor plants with green leaves on this list and, in addition, in the following sections you will be able to discover the characteristics and care of many of them.
Coconut tree
With the scientific name Cocos nucifera , the coconut tree is one of the most widely planted species in the world, both for its ornamental value and for its fruits. It is a plant native to the tropical sandy beaches of the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.
It can be grown in a pot and it is a tremendously striking plant that gives a colorful tropical touch to any space, but due to its origin, it requires a series of care that we cannot ignore.
Among the care of the coconut tree , the following must be taken into account:
- It requires a large amount of light, even direct and during the cold months.
- Also, its original tropical climate means that the plant does not tolerate temperatures below 21ºC well, not even in winter, and temperatures of 16ºC or less will harm it.
- In addition, it must be kept away from air conditioners or radiators, which can dehydrate the plant or damage it with excess heat or cold.
- Finally, the waterings must be abundant and regular, since the coconut tree wants a lot of humidity. Spraying water on your leaves in summer or using humidifiers will do you good.
Money plant
Of the Plectranthus Australis it is said that, if we are able to care and maintain them properly, we will not have financial difficulties. Regardless of this little superstition, the many varieties of this plant are commonly cultivated to beautify interiors due to the beautiful green color of their leaves .
Most Pectranthus Australis are hanging plants , so the usual and easiest way to keep them in good condition is to place them in pots or hanging baskets. It is a fairly simple plant to care for and very decorative, suitable for amateurs without much experience.
Aloe vera, one of the best known green plants
Also commonly called aloe or acíbar , this plant is a beautiful succulent that has its origin in the area of Arabia, although it has currently spread throughout much of the subtropical and temperate areas of both hemispheres.
Although its yellow inflorescence is very striking, aloe vera is a great decorative plant throughout the year thanks to its striking green, serrated leaves . It is a fairly resistant plant that, in addition, has a large number of medicinal properties.
As with many succulents, the key to taking good care of aloe is the substrate: it must offer good drainage. In the same way, it is vital that the pot has drainage holes. Use a substrate for cacti, place the plant in a spot as bright as possible and do not overdo it with watering. This plant does not tolerate excess humidity well, which can rot its roots. Depending on the climate, irrigation can be up to monthly in the cold months. If the leaves turn brown, the plant is getting too much sun and will appreciate a move and slightly damp leaves.
Elephant foot
Its scientific name is Beaucarnea recurvata orNolina recurvata and it is a succulent native to Mexico and other Central American countries. It is very striking due to its unique shape, from which it receives its common name elephant foot , and is that this plant accumulates its water reserves at the base of its stem or trunk, making it gain a large volume at its base.
Although in the wild they can reach quite considerable heights, in pots they rarely exceed one or a half meter, so it is a large plant but perfectly valid for indoor use. It needs to be in a very bright environment, and it is important that its substrate offers great drainage and that we do not overdo the watering.
Trunk of Brazil
Scientific name Dracaena fragrans Massageana , this dracena native to Brazil, as its common name indicates, is a great classic for indoor plants.
Its success is due to its striking intense green leaves and its markedly vertical bearing, with a thick and firm stem that is very aesthetic. Regarding its care, it is a tropical climate plant, so these are in line with its origin.
The Brazilian trunk requires a lot of humidity, both environmental and in the substrate, so warm water must be sprayed on its leaves every two or three days. In addition, it does not tolerate cold, and with temperatures of 14 ºC or less the plant suffers. Its ideal temperature is around 24ºC. Finally, we must avoid exposing it to drafts, so it is better to avoid placing it in the path of these.
Poto
Almost all of us know it as poto or potus , although its scientific name is Epipremnum aureum . It is a climbing plant of tropical origin that stands out for its bright green leaves, with cream-colored spots or bands.
When given adequate support to climb, it can reach heights of up to 20 meters, although in pot it remains in much more moderate sizes. Its heart-shaped leaves are evergreen, and they stay small unless they start to climb.
The potus is a very resistant plant that practically only requires a bright location with indirect incidence, although a curtain is enough. We must be careful not to overwater it and, if we want its leaves to grow, we can spray them with warm water.
Adam’s Rib
With a nickname as sonorous as Adam’s rib , Monstera deliciosa is a plant that is very easy to recognize because of its large, deep green leaves, which are split as if they made the shape of a rib, which gives it its nickname.
It is an original climber from the jungles of Mexico, highly valued decoratively for being able to give by itself a great natural environment to any room. Grown indoors it does not produce flowers, but its leaves are more than enough to attract the eye.
It requires temperatures above 5 ºC, as well as illuminated locations but without direct sun. Regarding water, it is advisable to let the substrate dry superficially between waterings. It does not need to be sprayed, as it tolerates dry environments.
Asparagus
The African asparagus or Asparagus densiflorus is a native South African plant that has spread to many parts and is not uncommon to find in climates such as the Mediterranean. And, although it is sometimes a species that many overlook at first glance, it is a very charming plant that can give life to our home in exchange for very little.
It reaches heights of just under half a meter, so its size makes it ideal for indoor pots. Its woody stems are covered with a large number of small cylindrical leaves of a showy green , which are then dotted with its inflorescences. It requires a lighted or semi-shaded location, with good drainage and well-spaced waterings. It does not withstand very low temperatures and it is important to keep it out of the reach of pets, as it is toxic to them if ingested.
Yucca
Under the name of Yuca we usually refer to a whole group of plants that are usually cultivated as green indoor plants. The Yucca elephantipes , or also called yucca or elephant foot yucca , is one of the most common due to its great resistance and moderate size.
It is a plant that has its origin in Central America and tends to be grown by planting two or three stems of different heights in a single pot of sufficient size, so that the leaves are at different heights. Its most important need is that of light, which it can bear even directly, which in fact favors it. Excessive watering should always be avoided and its leaves do not require spraying.
Ficus benjamina
The ficus benjamina , also called Java fig tree , is actually a tree that, although it can reach large sizes outdoors, can be grown in pots without any problem, remaining in a much smaller size. Its deep green leaves can survive temperate or mild winters, and it is also commonly grown as bonsai.
With regard to its care, it needs regular waterings, since it loses a lot of water through perspiration. For this reason, in the warm months it is advisable not to let the substrate dry out completely. It also requires a lot of light, although it does not need the direct incidence of it. In fact, it should not be done for many hours a day.
