Are you looking for a houseplant that will brighten your home and add more than a touch of greenery to your living space? Indoor trees can transform even the smallest apartments into luxuriant tropical paradise.
So, how to grow a tree indoors? Growing a tree indoors is more challenging than taking care of regular houseplants. There are many different types of indoor trees with specific water, soil, and light needs. Most indoor trees need indirect light, regular feedings, and enough, but not too much, water to stay healthy and thrive.
If you want to learn how to grow a tree indoors – you’re in the right place! This article will list the best indoor trees and share tips for growing an indoor tree.
Can You Grow a Tree Indoors?
Yes, you can grow a tree inside your living room or any other part of your home. Trees are popular houseplants because of their air-cleaning qualities and the tropical feel they add to a living space.
But, just as different household plants have different care requirements, so do different types of indoor trees. Before you choose an indoor tree, consider its mature size, light, and moisture requirements.
Don’t choose an indoor tree that’ll grow as tall as your living room! A tree must be at least two feet shorter than the room’s ceiling.
Growing trees indoors can be challenging, so consider whether you have enough time to commit to taking care of a high-maintenance tree. If you don’t have time to water, mist, and prune a tree regularly, get a lot-maintenance indoor tree that won’t mind some neglect.
There are many low-maintenance trees you can grow indoors that are also compact in size and will increase the visual appeal of any corner of your home. But first, let’s see how you should care for an indoor tree.
Caring for Indoor Trees
One thing you should know about growing a tree at home is that trees need a lot more care and attention than an average houseplant. Like some houseplants, trees can be picky about water, light, temperature, and drafts.
But once you figure out what your tree likes and doesn’t like, taking care of it shouldn’t be too hard. Here’s everything you need to know to care for an indoor tree properly:
Watering
Most indoor trees have low watering requirements. In most cases, over-watering a tree is a bigger problem than under-watering it.
The good thing is that most indoor trees will show you that they are getting too much water. For example, the leaves of an umbrella tree will turn yellow if you over-water it, and Ficus trees will drop their leaves when overwatered.
The air’s humidity can also affect the health and appearance of an indoor tree. Most indoor trees and tropical plants prefer humid conditions, but an average home is too dry for these plants to stay healthy.
To increase humidity, put a humidifier near your indoor tree or mist it with water regularly.
Sunlight
Many types of indoor trees need indirect light to thrive. East-facing or south-facing rooms are ideal, but the tree shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight because it can burn the plant’s leaves.
Some types of trees, like citrus trees, prefer brighter direct sunlight and need eight to 12 hours of sunlight per day. Get a grow lamp if you can’t provide sufficient sunlight to a citrus tree.
Fertilization
Although not as large as outdoor trees, indoor trees are still quite big and need many nutrients to grow five or six feet tall. To encourage active growth, fertilize your indoor tree at least once a month during spring and summer.
Most trees don’t require food during winter months, so you can stop fertilizing until spring. However, some plants, including citrus trees, can benefit from occasional fertilization during fall and winter.
Pruning
Indoor trees grow slower than outdoor trees, but they still grow. If you care for it properly, your indoor tree might get so big it requires pruning.
Certain types of Ficus trees and umbrella trees benefit from occasional pruning. Regular pruning improves the plant’s shape and appearance, helps you control the tree’s growth, and prevents it from taking up your entire space.
Repotting
As your tree grows, its roots will get bigger and will eventually outgrow the pot they are in. Leaving the tree in a small pot can cause it to wilt or even wither and die. Repotting the tree into a slightly larger pot will encourage growth.
Another thing you can do is trim the plant’s roots. Pruning the roots won’t harm the tree but will help you control its growth. Pruning the tree’s roots will also allow you to keep the tree in the same pot instead of repotting it to a larger one.
Popular Indoor Trees
Trees grown indoors are usually much smaller than their outdoor cousins. Indoor trees are often specifically bred to be miniature varieties.
Here’s the list of the best indoor tree that can thrive in your living room or other areas of your home:
- Fiddle leaf fig
- Norfolk Island pine
- Parlor palm
- Yucca
- Corn plant
- Madagascar dragon tree
- Ficus
- Ponytail palm
- Dracaena Anita
- Fishtail palm
- Majesty palm
- Rubber tree
- Money tree
- Weeping fig
- Ficus ginseng
- Orange tree
- Dracaena margarita
- Lime tree
- Lemmon tree
- Banana tree
- Umbrella tree
- Areca palm
- Kumquat
Conclusion
Growing a tree indoors is possible, but it takes much more time and effort than growing a common household plant. The key to successfully growing a tree indoors is to care for it properly.
The many different types of indoor trees have different care requirements. Most trees do best in low light, but some, like citrus fruits, prefer direct light and lots of it.
Before you choose a tree, research more about it and its unique care requirements. If you don’t have time to water, prune, mist, or fertilize a tree regularly, choose a low-maintenance tree that won’t start dropping leaves if you skip a watering or two.
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