Indoor GIANTS - 6 Huge Houseplants You Can Easily Add to Your Home
Welcome to the 11th edition of the Happy Planters Newsletter! We had 2102 people join since the last release - SO EXCITING!!! It means a lot to see you all here. I will do my best to create quality content you will continue to enjoy :)
My goal is to create a portfolio of houseplant-related content that can allow ANYONE to create an indoor jungle of their own with thriving, happy plants.
Indoor GIANTS
Giants don't have to be constrained outside; sometimes, they fit PERFECTLY right in your home. Giant plants, of course!
Some plant species grow to be quite large, and these monsters can perfectly fill an empty corner, cover a blank wall, or make a statement piece in any room.
One advantage of a big houseplant is you can add a LOT of green to a room, and you only have to care for one plant to do it! They cut down on the care time required to be surrounded by plants.
Continue reading for tips on caring for these giants and a list of the best large houseplants to add to your home.
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How to grow huge plants indoors
Big houseplants aren't that different to care for than small houseplants, they still need all the essentials: light, water, room to grow, and proper nutrients.
If you can provide these things, you can have a picture-worthy green giant growing in your home as well!
In case you forgot, or this is your first time here, I will do a quick breakdown of these essentials.
LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT
Your plant will need a lot of light to grow properly. Bright indirect light is a MUST if you want to grow big plants.
Think of a greenhouse or a forest. It's very bright, but the glass panels and the forest canopy filter the sun. This filtered light allows the plant to photosynthesize without being burned by the sun's intense heat.
Some types of plants enjoy direct sun, like cacti, but most houseplants come from tropical or rainforest climates that would be better suited to bright indirect light.
Just do a quick Google search to find out if your plant can handle direct sun or not.
Water
"photosynthesis, the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light energy into chemical energy. During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds."
1
Photosynthesis uses light to convert water, as stated above. Sooooo, the more light your plant gets, the more water it will need.
This is the key to growing HUGE plants! Lots of bright indirect light and enough water to fuel its growth.
Note: Doing the finger test before watering is still a very good idea. If you stick your finger in the soil and it's dry an inch or two down, go ahead and water. If it is still damp, wait another couple of days and try again.
Proper Pot Size and Room to Grow
It should be obvious that a big plant can't grow out of a 4-inch nursery pot! Your plant will need plenty of space to expand and grow.
This doesn't mean you want to put your baby Monstera into a 12-inch pot. It will surely rot away and die. You have to gradually increase the pot size by about 2 inches in diameter every time your plant is ready for a repot.
Just keep an eye out for your plant outgrowing its current home. If you see roots starting to stick out of the drainage holes, or even worse, come right out the top of the pot, it's time to upgrade.
Fertilizer
When plants grow in the wild, they are constantly supplied with rain water, animal poop, bugs, and rotting leaves to create fertile ground to grow in.
When in your home, your plant is not receiving any of this natural fertilizer, and a fast-growing plant will absorb a lot of nutrients, so it's up to you to supply it with what it needs.
If you are unsure how to use fertilizer properly, below is the best explanation I've found. Marden explains it better than I can. Click on the link below or right here to read the full thread.
Huge Plants
Some plants are large by nature and can fill up your room much faster than others. Below is a list of my favorite indoor giants you could easily add to your home.
Monstera Deliciosa
The Monstera might be the most Instagrammed plant of all time. It grows rich green leaves filled with fenestrations (holes) and can quickly become immense.
Although the plant pictured above is a bit of an extreme case, when purchasing it, make sure you account for how big it CAN get, not how big it is. I didn't do this when I bought mine a while back, and now it reaches well into my living room!
Elephant Ear (Alocasia macrorrhizos or Giant Taro)
Elephant Ear gets tossed around as a plant name pretty freely. Some might argue that another plant is the Elephant Ear plant, but this is the one I originally learned.
One thing you CAN'T argue is that this Alocasia macrorrhizos is one big houseplant! It can add a jungle feel to any room it's in.
Make sure to give it plenty of water and dust its massive leaves to keep it looking happy and healthy!
Bird of Paradise
Long stems and big floppy leaves, what's not to love? I always see baby versions of these at the store for pretty reasonable prices. Buying a small one is an excellent way to save money if you have the patience to wait for it to mature. Given the proper care and enough time, it will eventually become the staple of any corner it takes over.
One fun fact about the Bird of Paradise is that it got its name due to the shape of its flowers. They rarely flower indoors, but you will understand the name if you are lucky enough to see it happen.
If not, you can enjoy this meme instead ;)
Fiddle Leaf Fig
Everyone seems to love the Fiddle Leaf Fig! They can grow tall and bushy, and their waxy green leaves look great in any aesthetic. These plants are large trees in nature but can be kept room size quite well.
Compared to other plants on this list, the FLF is the pickiest plant to care for as it gets large brown spots on its leaves when it isn't happy. Finding a proper location and watering schedule for your plant may take some time, but once you figure it out, you should be good to go. They enjoy indirect light and consistency.
Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans Massangeana)
Ahhhh, the Corn Plant. What it lacks in name, it makes up for in looks. This tall woody plant won't give you a delicious yellow veggie to gnaw on, but it will provide a unique look to your room.
This is one of my favorite and easiest plants I own! Other than battling through spider mites once, this beauty has never given me any problems. I have it near a large east-facing window and water it about once a week when the soil is dry.
It has never even dropped a leaf on me! If you decide to pick up one of these funky plants, I hope it treats you as well as it treats me :)
Pony Tail Palm
Last on the list is the Ponytail Palm. It should be obvious how it got its name based on its looks, but surprisingly it isn't even in the palm family! In fact, it isn't even closely related to the palm family. It's part of the Asparagaceae family or better known as the asparagus family.
It has a bulbous trunk that it uses to store water which means it's perfect for the busy, forgetful, or traveling owner. I only water mine every few weeks, and it has been very happy. The draught-resistant properties make the Ponytail Palm the easiest plant to care for on this list.
Be careful; if you move it outside, it might become too big to bring back inside! Just look at that beast in its natural habitat.
Final Notes
If you are looking to fill an empty corner of your house or make a statement in your living room, I hope these tips help you add some significant green to your home.
Remember to account for growth when buying one of these plants, or you might be purchasing a bigger place next!
This Weeks Happy Planter Submission
In my family this Christmas cactus is called Papa’s Christmas cactus. For 20 years after my mom died my dad (Papa) would dutifully give it one plastic cup of water every Saturday morning. My grandmother brought this plant to my mother when I was in fifth or sixth grade, so it is probably 48 years old! I have had it about 15 of those years. And, yes, it does flower around Christmas.
I hope some of my plants grow to be that old! You must be taking fantastic care of Papa's Christmas cactus. Thanks for the submission @Runrunrun_71 :)
That’s All For Now!
I will continue to improve these newsletters and add more exciting content as I go. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
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Talk soon! Feel free to enjoy my content on Twitter until the next newsletter :)
-Houseplant Hobbyist
Sources:
1
Bassham, James Alan and Lambers, Hans. "photosynthesis". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis. Accessed 7 September 2022.