Page 2 | Indoor tree

Placestogo · 2026-08-17T17:15:30+00:00

Hello, i would like some kind of indoor tree (almost to ceiling) with large leaf and easy maintenance. what kind of tree do you recommend? (I have different areas where i could place it at home so im flexible in terms of light and humidity factors).

ErrolTheDragon · 18/08/2026 15:57

PatioDwellers · 18/08/2026 09:47

start with small pots and pot on in increments - otherwise it's too easy for the soil to get too wet and it to rot.

Definitely this for all houseplants. You can always get a beautiful big pot, put a plate or liner in and use it as a cache pot as you move up the sizes of the inner pot, and/or group more than one small pot in it. I’ve got a couple like this with a humble spider plant spilling over at the front, looks quite lush.

Agapornis · 18/08/2026 15:59

@ToddlersAreBananas hahaha ditched because its roots were too creepy 😁 You would hate clivia roots...

My sympathies to everyone who has posted a photo of an inner pot too large for its outer pot. Or just plastic pot only. I also have a house full of brown plastic edges peeking out from their nice pots. Nice large pots get quite unaffordable!

(Offtopic, soz)

cuckoolodger · 18/08/2026 17:11

ToddlersAreBananas · 18/08/2026 15:39

We had both bird of paradise and fiddle leaf fig. Both grew massive and were very healthy initially - even though I'm not good with indoor plants (I seem to kill every peace lily possible, though, tbf, I can grow hords of aloe vera).

The reason I kept the flf, and not the bop, was due to a couple of reasons. The bird of paradise kept getting weevily creatures, which I controlled quite successfully with turmeric powder - so not an issue. But it kept on out growing its pot and needing a bigger one (unlike the bop, which seems fine slightly pot bound). The final nail on the great for the bop was when I canme to divide it (I accidentally ended up with two growing in one pot) and then I saw the root system. I've never seen anything more creepy in my life... Plus, once I'd taken it out of its original pot and separated the creepy roots, there was no way it was going to fit into a normal size pot anymore...

Yes!! I put my first BOP in a solid bottom pot and the roots went bonkers growing into the water and it was very “day of the triffids”. I was so scared breaking that plastic pot open as the roots had swelled terribly and I had to prise the bugger free with a knife. Was brutal and made me feel really weird.

IHeartFridays · 19/08/2026 09:19

Ok so it doesn’t have large leaves but for visual impact and a super easy going cheap plant look at my 4 year old Sainsbury’s £4 umbrella tree. It was a foot high when I got it. You do need to be patient for a bit but once it gets started, it really grows. I have a grow light behind mine as I love the dappled shade it casts. Mine is about 9ft now. I have another one in my conservatory but it’s not quite as big - think it doesn’t like the temp swings between summer and winter and it sulks a bit. I’ve repotted twice.

ToddlersAreBananas · 19/08/2026 09:22

IHeartFridays · 19/08/2026 09:19

Ok so it doesn’t have large leaves but for visual impact and a super easy going cheap plant look at my 4 year old Sainsbury’s £4 umbrella tree. It was a foot high when I got it. You do need to be patient for a bit but once it gets started, it really grows. I have a grow light behind mine as I love the dappled shade it casts. Mine is about 9ft now. I have another one in my conservatory but it’s not quite as big - think it doesn’t like the temp swings between summer and winter and it sulks a bit. I’ve repotted twice.

That's lovely! My grandparents had an umbrella tree and it was nice too. Apparently it too thrived on neglect. I've been thinking I might get myself one for the conservatory

Original poster

Placestogo · 19/08/2026 09:25

The question is: do umbrella trees have scary roots?? 🤣🤣
ive been put off the bop for that reason!

An Umbrella tree that thrives on neglect does seem a good contender!

OP posts:

IHeartFridays · 19/08/2026 10:45

@Placestogo Having had to repot my BOP it’s a valid question. They really are quite something, aren’t they. I had to cut the plastic pot off mine and it gave me the ick, thank you for the thread, I do now feel seen.
But no, standard normal roots. I will say they don’t like to be moved. I did, years and years ago move a similar sized beast and then watched as every single leaf dropped off. Lesson learnt. Oh and a bonus- I chopped a side branch off and randomly stuck it in water, it did root but it never did very well - it’s alive but hasn’t grown a single new leaf.
I love my indoor jungle!