How do I Choose the Best Tall House Plants?

Tall house plants or indoor trees, about 4 feet (1.2 m) and up, are popular in homes, as they can work with any decor style to add visual interest as well as a natural element. If the tall plants aren't thriving in the environment and show signs of decay, however, they can have the effect of making interior decor look worse. It's important to choose tall house plants that will work best in your climate as well as with the amount of light and humidity in your home.

If your home is very damp and humid and you live in a warm climate, you may want to consider a reed palm, or Chamaedorea seifrizii. Tall house plants such as this one can help reduce home humidity levels to help prevent dangerous conditions such as mold growth. The Chamaedorea seifrizii doesn't need a lot of light; it's fine in a darker indoor area.

Jasmine plants have beautiful, aromatic flowers that bloom most of the year. They also adapt to either shady or sunny locations indoors, so a variety of jasmine may be a tall houseplant you'd want to consider. You should pick either a shady or sunny place for jasmine though; they may react by dropping leaves if the location is later changed.

For the best-looking tall house plants in your home, choose ones that suit your plant care skill level. Research the plants you're considering to make sure you'll be able to follow the watering and fertilizing instructions properly. If you're new at caring for tall house plants, choose ones that are considered hardy and fairly easy care.

If you want a tropical, dramatic look in a fairly easy care, very tall, bushy houseplant, the Rhapis excelsa, or lady palm tree, may be a good choice. It's often seen in office buildings and shopping centers, as it can thrive in minimum light and low humidity. The lady palm tree can reach up to 13 feet (4 m) tall though, so it's only suitable for above-average ceiling heights.

Common household placements for tall plants are entryways and living room corners. Pairs of tall house plants may be placed on either side of a dining room cabinet or a window. When choosing taller plants to fill in spaces in your home, don't forget about their width. A bushy plant that will require constant pruning to prevent it from blocking a walkway may not thrive if you prune it too much. On the other hand, a bushy plant would be better than a tall one that's too spindly to fill a large corner.