17 Exotic Indoor Plants: Bring Adventure to Your Home

Every enthusiastic gardener dreams of adding some exotic indoor plants to their collection. Your houseplant collection will stand apart from the rest of the indoor gardeners.

So, here I’ll talk about some exotic indoor plants that will bring adventure to your home.They will take you to remote places just with their scent, the colors of their flowers, or the intensity of the green of their leaves.

Do you want to find out? Let’s dive right in.

Exotic plant species fall into this category due to difficulties in growing, high prices, or special maintenance requirements. Sometimes it is difficult to provide them within indoor conditions.

Do not worry if you are a beginner gardener. Here I’ll walk you through the steps to care for these exotic plants.

Now, I have made a list of the most popular and exotic indoor plants:

• Indoor Carnivorous plants — Venus flytrap, sundew, Trumpet pitchers, Tropical pitcher plants
• Exotic indoor fruit plants— Calamondin (a hybrid of kumquat and mandarin orange), kumquat, fig, potted pomegranate, banana, avocado, coffee, olive
• Hanging plants — Columnea, String-of-pearls, ornamental pepper, passionfruit, Burro’s tail, Fittonia
• Exotic orchids — Brassia, Cambria, Miltonia, Odontoglossum, Oncidium
• Flowering plants — Tuberose, Tabernaemontana, Plumeria (Frangipani), Medinilla, Lantana, Calceolaria (Slipper flowers), Spider flower (Grevillea), Hardenbergia

Bring Exotic Beauty to Your Lovely Home

You can create a perfect distant exotic environment within your lovely home. Some are more suitable for the kitchen or bathroom, while others are perfect in the bedroom, living room, or on a windowsill.

All of them have unparalleled beauty, beautiful colors, and vivid aromas. You can bring home the mountains of the Himalayas, the jungles of Myanmar, or the unique landscapes of Australia or South America.

If you get hold of any of these spectacular exotic plants, your house will look different!

Sleep on the Summits of the Himalayas

Yep, you can make your bedroom a piece of the Himalayan mountain range. A piece of Sampaguita, also known as Arabian jasmine, can make it happen.

This exotic plant will make you enjoy the aroma of the Himalayan mountains. Decorate your bedroom with Arabian jasmine and enjoy its delicate scent.

It opens at sunset and distills a refreshing and delicate scent that you will love.

Keep your Arabian jasmine in a temperate environment. A temperature between 59°F and 86°F is optimum to keep this exotic species in perfect condition.

It likes sunlight, but it’s better if it’s indirect. The good thing is you only have to water it once a week.

Australia in Your Living Room

If you’re looking for an exotic plant that catches everyone’s eye, the Australian Staghorn Fern is what you need. Its leaves have a curious shape, similar to deer antlers.

Native to Australia and New Zealand, it usually grows attached to tree trunks. Keep it away from heat sources (it doesn’t like temperatures above 86°F) and water it twice a week in winter.

Decorate Home With A Shameplant

You can place Mimosa pudica in the hall, dining room, or any other corner of the house where it is visible. Its flowers couldn’t be more beautiful, as well as its stems and leaves.

However, this peculiar semi-tropical plant will not let you touch it. If you do, its leaves close on themselves and reopen within seconds. That’s why it’s called the “shameplant.”

Do not overwater the shameplant! Believe it or not, the best way to care for this exotic plant is to keep the soil moist, not soggy.

A Lot of Flavor in Your Kitchen

One of the most special plants for cooking is Tulbaghia violacea, native to South Africa. Also known as society garlic, it produces leaves that give off a garlic-like aroma.

This plant will also help keep insects away. However, it doesn’t cope well with the cold, so protect it and place it in a warm, sunny corner.

The Jungle in Your Bathroom

You can transform your bathroom into a magical place by decorating it with a Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus). Native to Myanmar, it stands out for its purplish-blue leaves.

As it loves humid and warm environments, the bathroom will be the best place for it. Besides, it doesn’t need much light to grow.

Plants That Take Care of You

Decorating with exotic plants is not just aesthetically pleasing but also beneficial.

For instance, the Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii) not only purifies the air but also acts as a powerful humidifier.

Bonsai Tree

A bonsai is a miniature tree grown from a shrub or tree. Ideal options for bonsai include plants with hard woody trunks and branches, such as conifers (pine, juniper).

You must prune the roots and crown of the tree regularly to maintain the desired shape.

Also, you’ll need to transplant it into new soil. It’s best to transplant bonsai in spring. Make sure to use a pot with a good drainage system. Regular fertilization and careful watering are essential to keep it thriving.

Sprekelia

Sprekelia, also known as Aztec lily, is an unusual Mexican mountain flower from the Amaryllis family.

Rich red inflorescences resemble tropical orchids and look striking against bright green leaves. Sprekelia blooms in mid-June and offers beauty for about 15–20 days.

Sprekelia loves bright, sunny areas. During the warm season, it thrives on a balcony. But with the onset of autumn, you must bring it indoors and store it at a temperature of about 59°F.

Water carefully and moderately until the leaves wither. After the leaves dry completely, stop watering. Sprekelia propagates through bulbs in the spring.

Lithops

Lithops, also called “living stones,” are fascinating plants that mimic the stones in their natural habitat.

Lithops prefer bright light and low humidity. In summer, keep them in warmer conditions. In winter, place them in a bright and dry spot where the temperature doesn’t exceed 53.6°F.

From March to June, water abundantly but ensure the pot has excellent drainage. Overwatering can be fatal. During winter, lithops require no watering.

All lithops resemble small, multi-colored stones, with a size no larger than 2 inches. They’re more of a decorative conversation piece than a traditional houseplant. Lithops propagate only by seed.

Vanda Orchid

The Vanda orchid stands out for its luxurious flowers in shades of pink, raspberry, or blue.

Vanda prefers abundant light and does not tolerate low temperatures. It requires ample moisture during the growing period. In winter, reduce the watering frequency, but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.

Feed the plant year-round with low-concentration fertilizer. You can propagate Vanda by using the shoots that grow at the base of the stem.

Cyclamen: More Than a Houseplant

Cyclamen is a winter plant that brings a bright, cheerful presence to gloomy winter days.

It thrives in cool, bright locations but should be kept away from direct sunlight. A temperature of up to 59°F is ideal. Heated windowsills are unsuitable for cyclamen.

Cyclamen doesn’t tolerate stagnant water, so ensure proper drainage to avoid root rot. During the growth phase, apply weakly concentrated liquid fertilizer every two weeks.

Ylang-Ylang

The ylang-ylang tree, with its bluish bark and oblong dark green leaves, adds a unique tropical touch.

Indoors, ylang-ylang requires greenhouse-like conditions with consistent warmth and high humidity.

In winter, supplement it with artificial lighting to support photosynthesis.

Hypocyrta glabra (Goldfish Plant)

The Hypocyrta glabra, also known as the goldfish plant, isn’t a common indoor plant but is easy to grow with proper care.

Its flowers, which bloom for about 120 days, can be pink, yellow, or orange-red, depending on the variety.

Surprise Guests with Carnivorous Nepenthes and Sarracenia

Nepenthes and Sarracenia are predatory plants that feed on insects. These plants produce digestive enzymes in their pitcher-like leaves to digest insects that fall into them.

Growing these plants indoors can be challenging. They require a moist atmosphere, rainwater for irrigation, fresh air, and occasional feeding with small insects or pieces of fresh meat.

Even with proper care, carnivorous plants often have short lifespans indoors. However, they’re fascinating and worth adding to any exotic collection.

Arabica Coffee 

Arabica coffee is a stunning tree with glossy, wavy-edged leaves. It can grow to a height of about 6 feet indoors.

You can grow Arabica coffee from fresh coffee beans. In spring and summer, the plant produces fragrant, snow-white flowers. With proper care, it will bear orange and red berries, each containing coffee beans.

These berries are edible and have a sweet pulp resembling cherries.

Fill Your Home with the Fragrance of Kumquat

Kumquat, a member of the citrus family, is perfect for growing indoors if given adequate lighting.

With good care, the tree will produce oblong orange fruits that are edible, peel and all. Even if it doesn’t fruit, kumquat is worth growing for its fragrant white flowers and leathery green leaves.

Kumquat prefers high humidity and plenty of light. In winter, supplement it with artificial lighting. Prune the tree regularly to maintain its shape and size.

String-of-pearls 

The String-of-Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) is one of the most unique houseplants. Its bead-like leaves hang from thin threads, making it perfect for hanging baskets.

Native to the arid plains of Namibia, this plant has adapted to store moisture in its leaves. It requires minimal watering and adapts well to indoor lighting.

If conditions are favorable, the String-of-Pearls produces flowers with a subtle spicy scent in spring.

Warning: The plant is toxic to pets and children, so keep it out of reach.

Rules for Growing Indoor Exotics

Healthy and vibrant exotic indoor plants are a sight to behold. To achieve this, follow these essential care tips:

1. Exotic plants require special care during active growth and dormancy.
2. Place them in areas with plenty of natural light. Supplement with artificial light during winter.
3. Maintain optimal humidity (40–60%) and temperature:
   • Spring-Summer: 65–75 °F
   • Fall-Winter: 60–65 °F
4. Water regularly but avoid overwatering. Use normal tap water unless otherwise specified.
5. Fertilize every 10 days during the growing season and sparingly during dormancy.
6. Transplant as needed using nutrient-rich, loose soil and ensure proper drainage.

Exotic plants add a unique charm to your indoor space. With the options listed above, you can create a distant, exotic environment within your home.