There are many reasons why we keep plants in our homes, they clean the air, they look stunning, and it gives us something to take care of. Another reason why someone might keep a plant in their house though, is to make a statement.
If you choose the right plant for the right room, then it could be a powerful decoration tool and turn out to be a standout feature in your space. For some people, this might mean a lot of tiny succulents or other small plants, or perhaps a large plant would better suit your tastes!
But it might be that the rest of the plant doesn’t matter to you in terms of size and your focus is to find a plant with large, beautiful leaves. In that case, this article is for you.
We’re going to be talking about fifteen houseplants that have large leaves, so that you can make the statement you want to make in your home.
Table of Contents
1. Swiss Cheese Plant
We’re starting out strong with this gorgeous plant from the Monstera genus, the Swiss cheese plant. This large houseplant can grow up to ten feet, even indoors! But fortunately, it’s a climber, meaning that it can be threaded around objects, left to drape off of things, or trailed up something.
And the plant’s trademark leaves (which resemble its namesake because of the holes in them) match its large size, each leaf could potentially grow to be 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) wide. Those are huge leaves by any stretch of the imagination!
If you’re trying to find one of these plants to add to your collection then you should probably note that they are sometimes called split-leaf philodendrons despite not being a philodendron.
2. Rubber Tree
The rubber tree plant makes for a great houseplant because its outdoor size of 50 feet (15 meters) or more can be controlled easily for indoor growth by things like pruning and root restriction. But if allowed, it will reach heights of 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters) tall, even indoors.
The glossy leaves of this large plant are normally between 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) long, so it’s more than earned its place on this list! And not only are the leaves large but they’re also beautiful, possible colors including dark green or a rich maroon, and markings that could be even more colorful options such as yellow, cream, or pink.
3. Majesty Palm
The majesty palm has predictably large leaves considering that palms typically have rather big fronds. The majesty palm’s fronds in particular will probably end up being 8 feet (2.4 meters) long.
Between the large fronds and the fact that it’s a palm, this houseplant is perfect if you’re looking to add something of a more tropical nature to your house. But as with most tropical plants, you will need to make sure you have the humidity to handle it! This plant can be a bit of a diva.
It’s worth it to have one these tropical beauties though, and if it’s well taken care of then a majesty palm can grace your home almost 10 years.
4. Bird of Paradise
The bird of paradise plant should definitely be a contender for which large leaved plant you choose due to its easy-going nature. Unlike other tropical plants, the one above it in the list included, this one is quite easy to take care of!
Its leaves can grow up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) long, and the leaves aren’t the only large part of this plant. The bird of paradise can reach heights of 3.5 to 6 feet (1 to 1.8 meters)!
But its large leaves aren’t even the best part of this plant, its most unique feature is its flowers which is responsible for the name it was given. The bright blooms resemble a bird in flight!
5. Elephant Ear
The elephant ear plant is actually a houseplant that is known for its leaves, which can grow to be 3 feet (0.9 meters) long depending on which variety you choose. But don’t worry, even it doesn’t reach that size, every variety of the elephant ear sports large leaves.
And not only are the leaves of the elephant eat long, but they’re also wide! If the leaves grow to be the maximum length that was just mentioned then chances are that they will also be about 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 meters) wide.
You may not have even known this plant could be a houseplant, since most people only discuss it being grown outdoors, but rest assured it can live a healthy life inside your home as well as outside it.
6. Banana Tree
The banana tree plant is another plant that can grow to massive heights outdoors, 25 feet (7.6 meters) to be exact, but could also be grown indoors and kept to a more manageable and desired height.
But the largeness of the leaves can still be achieved indoors, without the hassle of the massive height. A banana tree’s leaves can grow to be 9 feet (2.7 meters) long and 2 feet (0.6 meters) wide when the plant is mature.
Many people would love the look of having a “tree” indoors, and it can definitely add a different look to your room. But keep in mind that wherever you choose to place it, it will need plenty of sunlight to thrive.
7. Croton
The croton plant is probably one of the more colorful options included on this list, and its colorful foliage is actually one of this plant’s most popular features. Some crotons sport green leaves with yellow details, while others might have more reddish foliage.
The leaves aren’t just delightful because of their color though, they can also be quite big. Some leaves of the croton might not be the largest, but the biggest ones will be about 1 foot (0.3 meters) long.
And to add even more possible variety to this houseplant, the shapes of the foliage will also vary from plant to plant. Meaning that one plant’s leaves might be twisted, another’s could be ovular, they might have lobed margins, or smoothed ones, etc.
8. Hosta
The hosta plant, or as it’s sometimes known… the plantain lily, is not really known for being an indoor plant but contrary to popular belief it can actually thrive inside a home if the proper environment and care is given to it.
And as far as its leaf size goes, it can hold its own against the other large-leaved plants on this list. Each hosta leaf can grow to be 28 inches (71 centimeters) long and similar width of 24 inches (61 centimeters).
This is a fairly slow growing plant compared to some others mentioned today though, it could take 2 to 4 years for this plant to reach maturity. But once it’s there, you could enjoy up to 30 years with your hosta as these plants live a long time if proper care is taken!
9. Ruffled Fan Palm
Yet another palm to make the cut, the ruffled fan palm is quite different from the majesty palm that was discussed earlier. In fact, this particular plant is quite different from any other houseplant in the world.
The thing that really sets it apart are its gorgeous leaves which are quite the unique shape! They are shaped like fans as the name would suggest, but they are also delicately ruffled, and two things combined make for a stunning statement piece in whatever room you choose to locate this palm.
As for the actual size of the leaves, they are typically about 22 inches (56 centimeters) across. Since each leaf is so large, you should expect this plant to take up quite a bit of space in your home.
10. Fiddle-Leaf Fig
The fiddle-leaf fig is an appropriately named houseplant, as its best feature is its large and strangely shaped foliage. The leaves are fairly round, but have a distinctive resemblance to the shape of a fiddle and that is a large reason why this finicky houseplant is still so popular.
Perhaps another reason is the fact that although the leaves of the fiddle-leaf fig are large, overall the plant is a pretty manageable size when grown indoors. You can expect the leaves to be about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long.
Another great feature of this plant is that it’s extremely easy to prune and shape, meaning that you can make it have a multitude of different silhouettes depending on what would work best for your space.
11. African Mask Plant
Part of the Alocasia genus, the African mask plant is a true statement piece. This stunning plant is truly one of a kind with it’s long and colorful foliage, each leaf is deep green with lighter colored veining and a gorgeous underside in a purplish hue.
While certainly not the widest of the bunch, the African mask plant’s leaves are quite large when it comes to length. These arrowhead or heart shaped leaves usually reach lengths of about 18 inches (46 centimeters).
This tropical plant is best suited for locations where it will receive indirect sunlight, and plenty of humidity. Many people choose to display it in corners where it can turn an otherwise drab and uninteresting spot into an eye-catching nook.
12. Philodendron Xanadu
Do you remember the split-leaf philodendron from earlier that wasn’t actually a philodendron? Well the philodendron xanadu is actually part of the philodendron genus. This plant used to go by the name “Winterbourn” before the term xanadu was first used and became the more popular title.
Anyway, back to the plant itself! It’s a gorgeous houseplant that takes up more space in width than it ever thought about taking up in height. And the leaves are just as large as you’d expect from a variety on this list, they will end up being 16 to 18 inches (41 to 46 centimeters) long and 7 to 14 inches (18 to 36 centimeters) wide.
Many people love growing this plant because as it thrives, the leaves become more intricate so it can be extremely satisfying to see the fruits of your labor bared so obviously.
13. Calathea Orbifolia
The calathea orbifolia is a popular plant from the calathea genus, which are commonly referred to as prayer plants because of their habit of raising and lowering their leaves in response to the time of day. This is part of their circadian rhythm but it’s one of their most unique features.
As far as this particular variety goes, the leaves of the calathea orbifolia will be about 12 inches (30 centimeters) wide and have a length similar to their width as the foliage of this plant tend to be a bit on the rounder side of things.
It is important to note when you’re looking for this variety of Calathea, or really any Calathea, is that although these plants sometimes get called “prayer plants” they aren’t technically part of the prayer plant species. Because actual “prayer plants” belong to a genus that’s all their own.
14. Tropic Snow Dumb Cane
The tropic snow dumb cane, or as it’s scientifically called… the Dieffenbachia seguine, is the perfect option on this list for beginner gardeners to be able to grow a large-leaved plant without difficulty. This houseplant can withstand a lot before it gives up!
And the leaves are just as big as any of the others in this article, coming in at a whopping 3 feet (0.9 meter) long! And as you could guess, this plant is big all over, with its height easily reaching 10 feet (3 meters) indoors. Its gigantic size could be explained by the fact it is one of the largest varieties of dumb cane.
Furthermore, as you could glean from the name, this plant looks quite tropical but isn’t as finicky as other tropical plants tend to be. So it can make a great statement piece without too much interference from you.
15. Philodendron Gloriosum
We’re closing out this list with one last houseplant from the philodendron genus, the philodendron gloriosum. In its natural habitat this plant would grow along the forest floor, so instead of being a climber, this plant is actually a creeper. So don’t expect it to grow tall, but rather you should expect it to grow outwards.
And don’t worry, the leaf size of this plant won’t disappoint as the last option! The leaves of this philodendron variety can grow to be as big as 3 feet (0.9 meters) long and about the same size in width at the leaf’s widest point.
The only thing you probably should note about this houseplant is that it does take a while to grow, so you won’t be looking at these giant leaves right away. You have to give this slow-grower time to mature.
So Regarding Large-Leaved Plants…
You may have already noticed a trend with this list, the trend being that most large-leaved plants are tropical ones. Which can be a great thing, because many people enjoy having tropical looking plants in there homes and they are eye-catching! But everything comes with a downside.
And the downside to these lovely tropical houseplants is that most of them are a bit difficult to maintain and require lots of humidity to mock their natural environment. Lighting is also a key factor.
But as long as you take the time to understand what these plants need, and how to take care of them, then you could grow these finicky plants a lot easier than you think.
And make a statement in your home along the way, because these plants will garner a lot of attention and can totally transform a room if given the chance. Overall, large-leaved plants could make a great addition to your plant collection and any of the plants on this list would do the job.