Tony O’Neill, gardener and author of the popular “Composting Masterclass” and “Your First Vegetable Garden,” combines lifelong passion and expert knowledge to simplify the art of gardening. His mission? Helping you cultivate a thriving garden.
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Houseplants are fun. Figuring out how to care for and grow indoor plants is an adventure in and of itself. We love our plants – and today, we’re here to share our favorite tall plants.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned houseplant enthusiast, we’ve got something for you. Today we’re discovering the top 3 beginner-friendly houseplants, the top 3 tallest indoor plants, and the top 3 longest-living tall indoor plants. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
3 Beginner-Friendly Tall Indoor Plants
You may want something easy to care for when looking for a tall plant to add to your space. We’ve searched, so you don’t have to.
Here are my top 3 Beginner-Friendly Tall Plants:
Madagascar Dragon Tree – Dracaena marginata
The Dragon Tree gets relatively tall, growing to an average of 6ft high indoors. This plant is slow-growing, easy to maintain, and tough. It’s perfect for beginners looking for a hardy plant.
These trees are great for beginners. They’ll tolerate neglect and let you know when they’re unhappy. Their leaves will turn yellow if they get too much sunlight, giving you the cue to adjust their light exposure.
Bird of Paradise
The Bird of Paradise is relatively easy to care for. Let’s dive into its requirements!
Direct sunlight is best for this tropical beauty. The Bird of Paradise is tolerant to an array of light, but it is more likely to thrive in a sunny location. They are not suitable for spaces with low light levels.
You’ll want to water a Bird of Paradise consistently, letting it dry in between waterings. It should never sit in water for long periods. Misting the leaves of the Birds of Paradise will make it perk up, but getting a humidifier to help increase moisture in the air would make this plant happiest.
Given enough sunlight and water, this plant will bloom beautifully once it’s matured. Since it’s a tropical plant, the temperature should never reach below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Snake Plant – Dracaena
Snake Plants are easy to care for, hardy, drought-tolerant plants. They prefer indirect sunlight, but they don’t mind dim corners. These plants are perfectly fine with being forgotten. No hard feelings from them.
Snake Plants can get pretty tall, but they’re slow-growing plants. It will likely take them years to grow a few inches. Check out this handy guide to growing Snake Plants.
3 Tallest Indoor Plants
If you’re in the market for a plant, you might also be looking for something to fill a space in your home. These are our top 3 tallest indoor plants that will make a statement in any space.
Fiddle-Leaf Fig
A fiddle-leaf fig tree can typically grow eight to 10 feet tall indoors, and a full height of 50 feet outdoors!
The towering fiddle-leaf fig will certainly make a statement wherever they live in your home. Just be aware that these plants are dramatic and may require an intermediate green thumb or experienced grower.
Fiddle-leaf figs don’t like dry soil but don’t like wet soil. They don’t like drafts or dry air. They want sunlight, but not too much or too direct. It needs high humidity to thrive. Be prepared to give this plant all your attention until you get it right.
They will outgrow your house at some point if you keep them happy and healthy.
Rubber Plant – Ficus
The Rubber Plant can reach up to 10 feet in height. These plants grow moderately fast and will shoot straight upwards if they’re not pruned. Pruning the rubber plants will result in a bushier, thicker plant.
Well-lit areas with plenty of indirect sunlight are ideal places for rubber plants. Give these plants a good soaking, then allow the soil to dry completely between waterings. Avoid soaking the rubber plant in the winter; just give it smaller waterings. Still allow the soil to dry completely before watering again.
Never let a rubber plant sit in a puddle of water in a drip tray. Excessive moisture will result in root rot. They’re tolerant to a moderate range of temperatures, varying from 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
A rubber plant doesn’t mind small pots, but an overly pot-bound plant will have stunted growth. When a plant is severely pot-bound, the roots have no more room to grow, causing the leaves to turn yellow and die. Keep a check on your plants’ roots and repot as needed.
Umbrella Plant – Schefflera
These plants grow fast! The Umbrella plant can grow tall in one growing season. It generally grows up as tall as 6-8 feet indoors, but it can reach a towering 10 feet, given the space.
The Umbrella Plant requires adequate moisture; just allowing the topsoil to completely dry is enough in the warm season. Reduce watering in the cooler months to allow the soil to dry before watering.
As far as sunshine goes, indirect is best for the Umbrella Plant. It needs lots of bright light, but direct sunlight can burn the leaves. The average humidity of an everyday home is suitable for the Umbrella Plant. It might enjoy the occasional misting, but keeping this plant happy is not necessary.
Umbrella Plants regrow quickly. Even after a harsh pruning, an umbrella plant will bounce back bushier than ever. This makes the Umbrella Plant a fun plant to shape.
3 Long Living Tall Indoor Plants
When I’m looking for plants to add to my indoor jungle, I like to consider the plant’s life span. I prefer growing species of plants that will be with me for years. These are our top 3 tall plants with long lifespans.
Norfolk Island Pine Trees
Norfolk Island Pine Trees can reach a staggering lifespan of 150 years. They can grow up to 200 ft tall in the wild, although they generally average 3-8 ft tall indoors.
These pines prefer bright, full sun, although more shade is tolerable in the cooler months.
Norfolk Island Pine Trees prefer sandy, peat soil with adequate drainage. They will tolerate dry periods after their roots are well established. Generally, allow the soil to dry between watering. Reduce watering in cooler months, and increase water in the growing season.
Being a subtropical plant, the Norfolk Island Pine tree likes higher humidity levels, so a regular misting will do wonders for the health and happiness of this not-so-tiny tree.
African Milk Tree
The African Milk Tree is a hedge plant showing vigorous growth of 1-2 feet per year. It resembled a cactus and can live up to 400 years old, growing around 9 feet tall!
The soil of an African Milk Tree needs to be fast draining and/or loamy. Bright indirect light is ideal for keeping this plant happy and healthy. The African Milk Tree might need extra watering if it’s consistently hot.
Generally, an African Milk Tree needs minimal watering, regular pruning, and light.
Philodendron
A Philodendron has been known to live for generations as a houseplant and over 100 years in their natural habitats.
Philodendron can grow 8-10 feet tall, given that it has enough support to expand upwards. The base of the philodendron plant can spread outwards 6 feet! If given the room, the philodendron will make itself at home.
This plant purifies the air, creating a cleaner environment. The leaves and the roots act as an aerial filter, removing toxins and releasing oxygen.
The philodendron is a rainforest native. This means it prefers indirect light, humid conditions, and warm climates. It requires fast-draining soil, often preferring sandy permeable soil.
The Philodendron, similar to the golden pothos and often mistaken for the monstera, is an aerial root grower. It acts as a vine and grows upwards and outwards, growing roots to hold on to whatever it can grasp.
For this plant to grow upwards, it needs some form of support. Whether you use a trellis, an array of sticks, or supportive pins on a wall, this plant will climb if it has the right support.
Plants like the philodendron are super easy to propagate. Simply snip off a section of the vine 8+ inches with leaves and aerial roots. Plant directly in soil or propagate more roots in water first.
In Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a tall plant, I hope this article helped you narrow down which one(s) you might be interested in. If you’re a beginner and unsure if tall plants are for you, check out our article Best Houseplants for Beginners.
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Thanks for gardening with us. Happy growing!
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