You choose a good large indoor plant for the living room based on three things: how much light falls on the spot, how much room there is in height and width, and how much care you want to give. For a bright room with plenty of sun, the Strelitzia nicolai and the Strelitzia augusta are strong choices. If the plant stands further from the window, a kentia palm, a dracaena or a pachira will do better.
Below you can read how to work out the size and the spot, which species are suitable and how they differ in light and care. You can also read which species are easy and how to choose a matching decorative pot. In our collection large houseplants you will find all species together.
How to choose a large indoor plant for the living room
Light in the spot
Light is the most important factor. Check which way the window faces and how far from it the plant will stand. A metre from a large south or west-facing window, a plant gets much more light than three metres away in a corner. Sun-loving plants such as the strelitzia and the olive tree want to stand right by the window. Partial shade plants such as the kentia palm, the dracaena and the pachira prefer bright light without harsh midday sun and can stand further into the room.
Ceiling height and floor space
In most living rooms the ceiling is between 240 and 260 cm high. Leave some room above the plant, so new leaves do not grow into the ceiling. A plant of 170 to 210 cm therefore fits in almost any living room. Tall houseplants of 225 cm and more mainly suit rooms with a higher ceiling, a double-height space or a conservatory.
Also pay attention to the width. A Strelitzia nicolai and a kentia palm can easily reach a metre or more across with their leaves. A dracaena or a pachira on a stem takes up little room at the bottom and also fits next to a sofa or in a narrow corner.
Height including nursery pot
At XXLplant, the height is measured including the nursery pot. A plant of 190 cm is therefore 190 cm from the bottom of the pot to the highest leaf tip. If you put it in a decorative pot that is taller than the nursery pot, or on a plant stand with wheels, it adds a little more. Take that into account if your ceiling is low.
Pot size
The pot size tells you something about the size and sturdiness of the plant. A large plant in a ø40 cm pot has more roots and soil than the same species in ø24 cm, and needs watering less often. The diameter of the nursery pot is always given in the product title. You also need that measurement to choose a decorative pot.
The best tall houseplants for the living room
These are the species chosen most often as a large indoor plant. For each species you can read what it looks like, how much light it needs and what its care involves.
1. Strelitzia nicolai (giant white bird of paradise)
Appearance: large, elongated leaves on long stalks, which split naturally. That splitting is normal and not a sign of disease. Light: plenty of light, right by the window. It copes well with morning or evening sun. Care: water when the top few centimetres of soil are dry, less in winter. An example is the Strelitzia nicolai 190 cm tall in a ø27 cm pot.
2. Strelitzia augusta
Appearance: very similar to the nicolai, with large green leaves in a fan shape. Plants with several stems, which look broader and fuller, are often sold under this name. In the trade, the names augusta, alba and nicolai are not always used strictly. Light: plenty of light, just like the nicolai. Care: the same as the nicolai. Take a look, for example, at the white bird of paradise (Strelitzia augusta) 210 cm tall in a ø30 cm pot.
3. Ficus lyrata (fiddle leaf fig)
Appearance: large, sturdy leaves shaped like a violin, on a stem or as a bush. This is the classic plant with big leaves. Light: bright light close to the window, without harsh midday sun on the leaves. Care: the fiddle leaf fig does not like being moved or draughts. After moving to a new spot it may drop a few leaves. Give it a fixed spot and water when the top layer is dry. A good example is the Ficus lyrata 180 cm tall in a ø30 cm pot.
4. Kentia palm
Appearance: graceful, arching feathery leaves on thin stalks. A calm, classic palm. Light: bright indirect light, but it also tolerates a spot with less light. Direct sun can discolour the leaves. Care: little. Keep the soil slightly moist and let the top layer dry out in between. It grows slowly, so the size you buy stays roughly the same for a long time. For example, the Kentia palm 220 cm in a ø38 cm pot.
5. Pachira aquatica
Appearance: one or more stems, often braided, with hand-shaped leaves at the top. It looks like a small tree. Light: bright light, no harsh midday sun. Care: the stem stores water, so it is better to give too little than too much. Let the soil dry out well between waterings. A pachira of 170 cm in a ø27 cm pot fits well next to a sofa or in a corner.
6. Monstera
Appearance: large, split leaves with holes and aerial roots. A monstera grows wide and gets taller with a moss pole for support. Light: bright indirect light. In a dark spot the leaves stay smaller and develop fewer splits. Care: water when the top layer is dry and dust the leaves now and then. Allow for the width, because a monstera takes up more floor space than a plant on a stem.
7. Dracaena
Appearance: one or more stems with tufts of narrow or broad leaves at the top. There are many varieties, with green, striped or yellow-edged leaves. Light: partial shade to bright light. It can also stand a little further from the window. Care: needs little water, and the soil can dry out well in between. Too much water is the most common mistake. Take a look, for example, at the Dracaena Cintho 150 cm tall in a ø27 cm pot.
8. Yucca
Appearance: sturdy stems with rosettes of narrow, pointed leaves at the top. Light: plenty of light, ideally right by the window. Care: very little water, especially in winter. A yucca copes well with dry air and a forgotten watering. Watch out for the pointed leaves in a spot where children play.
9. Olive tree indoors
An olive tree is by nature an outdoor plant. Indoors it only does well if there is a lot of light, for example in a conservatory, an atrium or right in front of a large south-facing window. In an ordinary living room with less light it often drops leaves. A cooler spot in winter helps. If you want to try it, choose a compact standard size that you can place close to the window.
Easy large houseplants: which species need little care
If you are looking for an easy large houseplant, these are the species that forgive the most mistakes:
- Kentia palm: tolerates less light and grows slowly.
- Dracaena: needs little water and can stand further from the window.
- Pachira: can skip a watering thanks to its water-storing stem.
- Yucca: wants plenty of light, but needs hardly any water.
The strelitzia is also easy to keep, as long as it gets enough light. The fiddle leaf fig and the olive tree need more attention: the fig because it is sensitive to being moved and to draughts, the olive tree because it needs so much light. If you are unsure which species suits your room, use the plant finder. There you fill in your situation and get a matching selection.
Tall plants with big leaves
If you want a plant with big leaves that is also really tall, the Strelitzia nicolai, the Strelitzia augusta and the fiddle leaf fig are the obvious choices. The strelitzia has long, narrow leaves that stand upright and so add a lot of height. The fiddle leaf fig has shorter, broad leaves that sit close to the stem. The monstera also has big leaves, but grows more in width than in height.
For a high ceiling or a double-height space, there are larger sizes in the collection extra large plants (XXL), such as the Strelitzia nicolai XXL 250 cm tall in a ø50 cm pot. For a living room with a standard ceiling, you will find species up to around 2 metres in the collection large plants.
Placement in the living room
Do not put a large plant directly above or next to a radiator, or in the airflow of an air conditioner or a door that is often opened. Dry, warm air and draughts cause brown leaf edges and leaf drop. Turn the plant a quarter turn every few weeks, so it does not grow crooked towards the light. That does not apply to the fiddle leaf fig, which you would rather leave in its spot.
Place the plant where it can grow freely. A plant whose leaves press against a wall or a cupboard grows crooked and gets damaged leaves. A corner next to the window works well for plants on a stem. Wide species such as the strelitzia and the kentia palm are better off with some space around them.
Choosing a decorative pot for your large potted plant
The plant arrives in a nursery pot. You can put that in a decorative pot without repotting. Choose a decorative pot that is a few centimetres wider than the nursery pot, so you can easily lift the plant in and out. If the nursery pot has a diameter of ø30 cm, a decorative pot with an inner diameter of around 33 to 36 cm fits.
- A decorative pot usually has no hole in the bottom. After watering, check that no water is left standing in the bottom of the decorative pot.
- A tall decorative pot adds to the total height. Keep that in mind with a low ceiling.
- A heavy pot gives a tall plant more stability. That is useful for plants with a large crown of leaves, such as a strelitzia or a ficus on a stem.
Repotting is not needed at first. Large plants usually do well in their nursery pot for one to two years.
Delivery of large plants
Large plants are delivered upright in their own plant box, so the stem and leaves stay intact. Take the plant out of the box as soon as it arrives and give it a few days to get used to its new spot.
Browse the full selection of large plants for the living room or go to the overview of all large houseplants, sorted by size.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good large plant for indoors?
For a bright room, the Strelitzia nicolai and the fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) are the best known large plants with big leaves. For a spot with less light, the kentia palm is a good choice. Choose the species based on the light in the spot and the height of your ceiling.
Which large plant is best for the living room?
That depends on the light. In a bright room with sun right by the window, the Strelitzia nicolai and the Strelitzia augusta do well. If the plant stands further from the window, a kentia palm, a dracaena or a pachira is a better choice.
What is an easy large houseplant?
The kentia palm, the dracaena and the pachira need little care. The kentia tolerates less light, and the dracaena and the pachira need little water. The yucca is also easy, as long as it gets plenty of light.
How tall can a houseplant be with a 250 cm ceiling?
A plant of up to around 210 cm fits well, so there is room above the plant for new leaves. Add the height of a decorative pot or plant stand if it is taller than the nursery pot. At XXLplant, the height is measured including the nursery pot.
How big should the decorative pot be for a large plant?
Choose a decorative pot that is a few centimetres wider than the nursery pot. For a nursery pot of ø30 cm, a decorative pot with an inner diameter of around 33 to 36 cm fits. That way you can easily lift the plant in and out.
Can an olive tree stand indoors in the living room?
Only if there is a lot of light, for example in a conservatory or right in front of a large south-facing window. In an ordinary living room with less light, an olive tree often drops leaves. A cooler spot in winter helps.
Which tall houseplant has big leaves?
The Strelitzia nicolai, the Strelitzia augusta and the fiddle leaf fig combine height with big leaves. The strelitzia has long, upright leaves, the fiddle leaf fig broad leaves shaped like a violin. A monstera also has big leaves, but mainly grows outwards rather than upwards.
