Skip to main content

The best indoor trees to add interest to your home decor

Ancient Chinese, Egyptian, and Greek gardeners grew fruiting and ornamental trees in decorative containers thousands of years ago. For centuries, the practice was exclusive to the wealthy, educated, and cultured. It was also limited to those in relatively mild climates. Without glass windows and central heat, it would prove difficult to grow plants indoors through the winter in the colder regions of the world.

In our contemporary world, we can be thankful for big insulated windows, efficient household climate control, and access to a huge diversity of flora from all over the world. Potted trees from tropical and subtropical areas of the world, such as indoor palm trees, have become important design elements in our temperate homes. For some gardeners, moving a tender tree indoors is a temporary solution to keeping it alive through the winter. 

Like our ancient ancestors, in order to be successful growing potted trees inside, we have to replicate the tree’s habitat. Pot size, soil type, and lighting are key considerations from a growing perspective. Plant selection matters, too. In addition to various indoor tree sizes, forms, and textures, if you live with children or pets, beware of potential allergens and toxicity. Read on as we explore what it takes to grow the best indoor trees for your home.

woman sitting on a sofa watering a houseplant
Vlada Karpovich/Pexels

Bring tender trees indoors when the temperature drops

Olives, citrus, and other fruit trees from warm climates need lots of sunshine to make flowers and fruit. The best place to grow them is outdoors — until cold temperatures threaten. Palm trees and tropical hibiscus that adorn the pool deck or patio throughout the summer won’t survive freezing winters, either. Safely overwinter them indoors after a well-planned transition. 

In late summer or fall, when the nighttime temperatures are around 50 degrees and decreasing, it’s time to bring tender plants inside for the winter. Wash the foliage with plain water to knock off insects that you won’t want to bring inside. Then, spray them with horticultural oil as a final precaution against insects and diseases.

small potted palm tree on a balcony
Evgenia Basyrova/Pexels

Give them enough sunshine

Keep these trees in a bright, sunny room near a south-facing window. Most of the plants will initially experience some yellowing and leaf drop, but that is normal. They’ll begin to grow fresh foliage in late winter. Refrain from fertilization until the new growth begins to emerge. 

Most of these plants go through a rest phase in fall and winter. Water them as normal (when they dry out, water deeply). Repot and fertilize them in the spring. When night temperatures reach at least 50 degrees and are rising, transition the trees back outdoors. Place them in the shade first, and slowly expose them to increasing amounts of direct sunlight. Add a few hours each day until they are in their final summer position.

Choose the right pot size

The right pot size allows ample room for the roots to grow for a season or two and provides a sturdy foundation that resists tipping. When you purchase a container-grown plant, turn it on its side and gently slide it out of its pot. If the sides of the root mass appear tangled and tightly matted, repot it into a larger container. The new pot should have an inner diameter two inches larger than the old one. And it should be about half the height of the tree, measured from the soil surface to the top.

Use a quality indoor/outdoor potting mix with a medium-coarse texture. If the tree is pot bound, with a thick, dense layer of roots wrapping around the rootball, use a sharp knife to slice from top to bottom through the mass in four or five places. Gently tease out the roots, and then plant the tree in the new container. Water well after repotting.

potted Shefflera tree in the corner of a living room
Rachel Claire/Pexels

Trees to steer away from

A critical part of gardening success is choosing plants that are right for the gardener and the location. A few otherwise excellent houseplant choices may be toxic to inquisitive children or pets. Some of these include Dieffenbachia, Oleander, and Sago Palm. Also, those with latex sensitivity should use caution with members of the Ficus genus, including Rubber Tree, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Weeping Fig, and others. If you or anyone in your home suffers from serious allergies, it’s best to consult your physician before making a selection. 

The best trees for indoors look great, don’t require a cold dormant period, and need little care beyond occasional watering and feeding. Below are our top picks for easy care, high impact, and general safety for most homes. For more suggestions of houseplants that are safe for kids and pets, check out this list from HGTV.

Indoor trees worth considering 

There are so many great kinds to purchase, but some we think you’d love include:

  • banana tree
  • Norfolk island pine
  • Madagascar dragon tree
  • birds of paradise
  • European olive (here’s our guide to growing an olive tree that thrives)

There’s nothing quite like plants to make the home feel warm and inviting. They help purify the air, and they go with any decor. An indoor tree can anchor a larger plant collection, soften the appearance of a large wall, establish scale and proportion in an open space, and create a sense of intimacy. Be sure to choose trees that are adapted to the conditions your home offers and you’ll enjoy all the benefits of your own personal oasis.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Wolfe
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Mark Wolfe is a freelance writer who specializes in garden, landscaping, and home improvement. After two decades in the…
Make sure your hydrangeas have the best blooms by pruning them properly
The right way to prune hydrangeas for better blooms
Purple and blue hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are beautiful and interesting flowers. They change color based on the pH of the soil, making them a unique and fascinating addition to most gardens. They’re easy to grow and propagate, make wonderful cut flowers, and can even be grown in containers. If you want to add them to your garden, then you'll need to know how to prune hydrangeas. Although cutting a plant can be intimidating, it's surprisingly simple once you know what to do. This simple guide will help you get started.

When to prune hydrangeas
You may have heard some conflicting information on when you should be pruning your hydrangeas. Some say it should be done in spring or in winter, while others say it’s best to prune them in late summer. So which is it? The truth is that it depends on what kind of hydrangea you have. Some hydrangea varieties bloom on new growth, which are branches that grew in that year. Other varieties bloom on old growth, or branches that grew the year before.

Read more
If your yard gets a lot of afternoon light, these are the afternoon sun plants for you
How to choose and grow afternoon sun plants that will thrive
Sunlit garden path and flowers

There are many challenges regarding the sun when it comes to gardening. There's too much, then there's too little. For example, some fruit trees thrive in shady backyards — except most trees do require full sunlight. This is why pruning is necessary. And then there are those conditions where too much sun can affect our plants.

Afternoon sun is challenging. Direct sunlight between midday and sunset is the most intense exposure. Although some plants are labeled for "full sun," extended exposure in that hot afternoon sun may be too much — not all of these are suitable as afternoon sun plants. This is especially so if the sunlight is further intensified by a wall or fence that traps and reflects the sun’s heat during the day, then continues to radiate heat after sundown. These tough areas require tough plants.

Read more
How to grow lavender from seed to keep your garden and your home smelling fresh
What to know about lavender and growing it from seed
A field of lavender flowers

Knowing how to grow lavender is a useful skill. Lavender is a beautiful and useful flower to add to your garden. It has many different uses, due its beauty, soothing scent, and delicious flavor. Aside from the ways it benefits us directly, lavender also attracts many beneficial insects and is an excellent addition to pollinator gardens.

Lavender is easy to grow indoors and out, making it a great fit for practically any garden or living situation. Want to get started growing your own lavender? Here's everything you need to know to grow it from seed!
Planting lavender
Growing lavender from seed is fairly easy, but requires patience. You can sow lavender seeds directly in the garden, but they germinate much more reliably when started indoors inside a seed tray. Use a light, seed-specific potting mix, and gently cover each seed with a thin layer of soil. Lavender germinates more quickly when it's exposed to sunlight, so don’t cover them entirely. Make sure they’re in a warm location or use a heating mat to keep the seedlings warm.

Read more