Isn't it refreshing, in a world frequently dominated by monotonous grays and uncompromising neutrals, to enter a space that's alive with brightness and color?
Houseplants have long been our silent partners in creating warm, inviting living spaces. They clean our air, boost our mood, and invite a little slice of nature indoors. But their charm isn't limited to their lush green shades.
This article will introduce you to colorful houseplants that are as varied and vibrant as the colors of the rainbow. With hues ranging from fiery red to soothing purple, these plants don't just transform your home into a visual feast; they are also easy to care for and health-boosting.
1. Croton
Meet the Croton, nature's flamboyant artist. Its foliage is a canvas of colors that outshine even the most vibrant autumn leaves. From yellow speckles and deep green veins to red edges and orange hues, each leaf is a unique blend, creating an impressive spectacle in an indoor garden.
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Crotons favor bright indirect sunlight and evenly moist soil, but beware; they don't appreciate cold drafts. Keep them cozy, and they'll brighten your space with year-round colors.
2. Purple Heart Plant
The Purple Heart Plant is a hardy, fast-growing plant known for its striking, deep purple leaves. This royal-hued beauty loves sunlight but will also tolerate partial shade. Water sparingly in the winter, but during its growing season, ensure the soil remains moist.
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Its cascading vines make it an excellent choice for hanging baskets, adding a stunning burst of color to any room.
3. Coleus
With its intricate kaleidoscope-like patterns, coleus offers an explosion of color unmatched by most houseplants. This plant features heart-shaped leaves adorned with red, yellow, pink, and green tones.
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While it can handle a bit of morning sun, coleus is primarily a shade-loving plant and prefers well-draining, rich soil. This unique plant will give your indoor garden a touch of intricate elegance.
4. Mother of Thousands
Few plants are as prolific or eye-catching as the Mother of Thousands. Its long, arching leaves, each dotted along the edges with dozens of tiny plantlets, are a soothing shade of bluish-green. But the plantlets—ready to drop and start a new generation at a moment's notice—give it a mesmerizing, dynamic quality.
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When it comes to house plant care, one of the most important things is choosing the right pot with holes because of the delicate roots. It’s also best to choose sandy soil.
5. Red Aglaonema
Red Aglaonema, also known as the Chinese Evergreen, is prized for its resilience and stunning multi-colored foliage. The dark green leaves are elegantly suffused with blushes of red, providing a dramatic contrast that can light up any corner.
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This plant is remarkably adaptable, doing well in low-light conditions and brighter spots and tolerating sporadic watering.
6. Polka Dot Plant
With its freckled, colorful foliage, the Polka Dot Plant is an absolute eye-catcher. This small but robust plant comes in various colors, including pink, red, and white, contrasting beautifully with its green leaves.
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It's a sun-lover, so place it near a window. The Polka Dot Plant likes consistently moist soil, but be careful not to overwater, as it's sensitive to waterlogged conditions.
7. African Violet
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The African violet is a favorite among houseplant enthusiasts for its ability to bloom indoors. Its fuzzy leaves provide a beautiful backdrop for vibrant flowers in shades of violet, pink, white, and even multicolored varieties.
8. Fittonia
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Also known as the nerve plant, Fittonia is known for its striking, vein-like patterns that contrast beautifully with its lush green leaves. The vein colors can range from vibrant pink to silvery white, making this plant a stunning addition to any indoor garden. It thrives in low to medium light and enjoys moist soil and a humid environment.
9. Rex Begonia
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The king of the begonias, the plant has colorful, variegated leaves. This begonia doesn't bloom often, but with leaf colors ranging from silver and white to pink, purple, and metallic hues, you won't miss the flowers. The foliage is often textured, adding another layer of interest to this already stunning plant.
10. Calla Lily
Photo by Andreas Hoja from Pixabay
Elegant and graceful, the calla lily is often associated with celebrations and ceremonies, and it's not hard to see why. Its spectacular, trumpet-shaped blooms rise majestically from its lush, glossy, arrow-shaped foliage, making it a centerpiece in any indoor garden.
The flowers range from purest white to deepest purple, fiery orange, sunny yellow, and even an arresting near-black.
11. Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus gets its name from the vibrant blooms that emerge around Christmas when most other flowers are dormant. This plant is unique because its leaves cascade beautifully over the rims of pots or hanging baskets, with blooms forming at the ends.
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Christmas cacti require different care than regular cacti. You can't go wrong if you just replicate the natural environment indoors. All you need is well-draining soil, high humidity, and good watering every few weeks.
12. Flaming Katy
Flaming Katy features clusters of flowers in vibrant colors ranging from orange, pink, yellow, red, and white. It is popular for its long-lasting flowers and succulent green leaves. These succulents have been bred as indoor plants since they require low maintenance, very little water, and a bright, sunny location to promote flowering.
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Although Flaming Katy is mainly grown indoors, it can be outdoors in warmer USDA zones.
13. Guzmania
Guzmania is a popular houseplant for its spiked flower bracts, which come in an astonishing range of colors. They grow as tropical plants, and though they may look complex, they require very little maintenance.
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Guzmania plants prefer filtered or distilled water over tap water and enjoy moderate humidity. Once you have one Guzmania, filling your house with colorful houseplants is easy because they often produce pups that can be repotted.
14. Anthuriums
Recent years have seen a resurgence of this vintage plant, which has waxy spathes in the most interesting colors. Some anthuriums usually have bright, flat colors, while others combine several colors that blend into intriguing patterns. Anthuriums are easy-to-care-for houseplants that will give you an easy time.
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These plants can bloom all year long with breaks in winter, and each bloom lasts 2-3 months, surrounded by lovely heart-shaped leaves that offer even more decorative value to your indoors.
15. Cyclamen
There is much to be said about stunning cyclamens that blossom in shades of white, red, and pink (to mention a few) in the fall and winter. These plants prefer low humidity and cool temperatures. During hot, dry summers, they become dormant. The leaves turn yellow and fall off, but don't panic; the tubers under the soil will rest until it is time for them to sprout up again in a few months.
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If you keep them in a cool, dry spot during this time, they will come back and produce more foliage and blossoms for years.
16. Streptocarpus
Streptocarpus plants have fuzzy, large leaves and stunning flowers from spring to fall. The large trumpet flowers usually come in red, white, and shades of pink and lilac, with dark stripes flowing from the center.
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In their natural habitat, they grow in dappled shade beside forests, making great houseplants where a lot of light is an issue. However, they produce better flowers with bright light. They don't like to be overwatered, meaning they are not needy. Conversely, a streptocarpus plant is still worth adding to a houseplant collection even when it is not flowering since it has good-looking leaves.
17. Calathea
You can't go wrong with many varieties of Calathea plants if you love foliage and want to add color to your indoors. This genus is full of beautiful leaves in two tones, such as green and cream, with pink undertones, green and pink, or even two-tone greens.
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The plants are easy to care for despite their complex look. They prefer bright, indirect light and enjoy high humidity and warm temperatures. These leafy plants add appeal when other plants are not in bloom and offer a wonderful contrast to other green foliage plants.
18. Prayer Plant
The prayer plant has quite similar characteristics to Calatheas but differs in leaf shape and patterns. This plant has a peculiar growth behavior involving folding its leaves at night, earning the name prayer plant.
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Prayer plants are a little more cold-hardy than Calatheas and have a spreading behavior that works well in a hanging basket. They will easily become your favorite colorful houseplants for their low maintenance and nightly rituals.
19. Purple Shamrock
Purple shamrock looks like hundreds of dark purple butterflies that have landed on a mound and decided to stay for a while. The eye-catching color is made even more interesting when the triangular leaves bend downward to resemble small umbrellas at night and on overcast days.
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These houseplants will let you know when it is time for the leaves to start falling. Stop watering for 4 to 6 weeks and then start again to allow it to sprout and grow. They are great container plants and will survive year after year if provided with bright, indirect sunlight.
20. Hoya
Hoya plant has many interesting colors, adding elegance to indoor spaces. Some varieties feature unique curly foliage that's highly sought-after. But what sets them apart are the fuffy clusters of flowers.
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Only mature plants flower, so you may have to wait, but enjoy the colorful leaves. Hoya plants enjoy high humidity and moderate watering. They prefer to cascade from a single pot, like a container or hanging basket.
21. Snake Plant
The Snake Plant, also known as Mother-in-Law's Tongue or Sansevieria, is a popular, low-maintenance houseplant known for its air-purifying properties and distinctive appearance. This houseplant has extremely few alternatives.
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The snake plant features long, upright green leaves with a bold yellow or white border. The best colorful varieties include Gold Hahnii, Whitney, Black Gold, and Futura Robusta. Avoid overwatering this plant and allow it to dry out between watering cycles.
22. Aluminum Plant
The aluminum plant, with its incredibly shiny foliage and almost liquid-like quality on its surface, create the rhythm of a stunning tapestry with its leaves, adding a touch of elegance to indoor spaces.
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This fast-growing houseplant usually grows to a height of 6–12 inches. It prefers bright light for nurturing, although it may also withstand low light. We recommend keeping it in bright, filtered sunlight and partial shade during the summer.
23. Philodendron Pink Princess
The philodendron 'Pink Princess' is a unique plant that collectors gravitate towards due to its mottled pink and green leaves. Every new leaf on this low-maintenance plant is a surprise. It has gained popularity as one of the best colorful houseplants on the market, with several Instagram feeds showing off its enticing leaves.
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With moderate humidity, bright indirect light, and regular watering, this plant will produce many new leaves, adding a stunning burst of color to any room.
24. Orchid Plant
Orchids are probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a houseplant with long-lasting flowers. Even if you neglect them most of the time, orchid flowers can last months.
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There are many different orchids, but the most common houseplants are moth orchids, which come in various bright colors. You will be rewarded with magnificent flowers if you put them in a brightly lit space and water them by soaking the entire pot every 1-2 weeks.
25. Arrowhead Vine
Arrowhead plant offers a gentle touch for those who prefer a more subtle approach to color. This houseplant's leaves range in color from light pink to light green.
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Arrowhead Vine plants prefer a warm, humid environment with bright, indirect light. As a vining plant, as the name implies, provide it with a moss pole to grow on or a hanging basket to trail from, as its vines may grow up to six inches long.
26. Bird of Paradise
The bird of paradise plant got its name from its distinctive blue and orange flowers sitting atop long, thick stems. The plant's leaves are large and green, giving any space a jungle-like appearance.
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Unfortunately, they grow slowly and may not produce flowers without adequate light indoors. Bird of Paradise plants require at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily, warm temperatures, and plenty of water. They may also grow indoors in bright, direct sunlight.
27. Rubber Plant
Rubber plant is one of the most gorgeous colorful houseplants to go for. While the glossy, green leaves of the rubber plant are a classic aesthetic, the stunning variegated variant is a must-have for any plant collector. The leaves of these variegated plants, also referred to as ruby ficus, are streaked with seafoam green, cream, dark green, and pink colors.
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These tall plants are ideal for filling an empty spot beside a bright window. Because they grow quickly, keep up with your rubber plant's potting requirements and replant it when it outgrows its pot.
28. Spiderwort
Spiderwort, also known as inch plant, is a no-fuss option that is attractive and easy to propagate from cuttings. Its trailing foliage comes in different color combinations, including solid dark purple, solid green, striped green and lilac, striped green and purple, or, my favorite, striped white and green.
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Spiderwort is often found in hanging baskets, but you can also feature it in smaller, beautiful tabletop containers. The plant will grow in various indoor light settings, from medium to bright indirect sunlight.
Conclusion
Who said houseplants could only be green? As we've explored, nature offers us a rich palette of colors to bring our indoor spaces to life. These plants offer an easy and beautiful way to bring more color and well-being into your home. Experiment with these suggestions, mix them up, or add your favorites, and create your unique indoor garden—after all, life's too short for dull corners. Let's celebrate the bold and beautiful and make our living spaces a true reflection of this celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions on Colorful Houseplants
1. What is a colorful indoor plant?
Croton is at the top of the list of colorful houseplants because of its exquisitely multicolored leaves, beautifully lined with stripes and blotches. Croton plants thrive in partial sunlight and can make a striking impression in your home. Petra Croton is the perfect indoor variety, which can survive in low light.
2. Which color flower is best for the living room?
Fresh blue flowers are ideal for relaxing our nerves and creating a stress-free living space. Pink is a rather soft color that stands for innocence and happiness. Plants with pink flowers in different shades are perfectly suitable to add gentility and grace to your living room.
3. How do I make my plants more colorful?
Keeping plants nourished is one way to make them more colorful. Traditional fertilizers promote general plant growth, and well-nourished plants produce colorful flowers. On the other hand, bloom booster fertilizers are labeled as "bloom boosters" as they encourage plants to produce more flower buds.
4. Is it good to sleep with plants in your room?
Plants don't only add style and warmth to your bedroom—many studies have shown that they are good for physical and mental health, too, potentially including better sleep. Several studies have shown that being around plants and spending time in nature can enhance mental health, lower stress levels, and help us feel happier.
