page_title: Houseplant
section_title: Tropical and subtropical
hierarchical_section_title: Houseplant / List of common houseplants / Tropical and subtropical
caption_attribution_description: English: A photograph of Calathea makoyana.
context_page_description: A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices, namely for decorative purposes, but studies have also shown them to have positive psychological effects and as well as help with indoor air purification, since some species, and the soil-dwelling microbes associated with them, reduce indoor air pollution by absorbing volatile organic compounds including benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. While generally toxic to humans, such pollutants are absorbed by the plant and its soil-dwelling microbes without harm.
  Common houseplants are usually tropical or semi-tropical epiphytes, succulents or cacti. Houseplants need the correct moisture, light levels, soil mixture, temperature, and humidity. As well, houseplants need the proper fertilizer and correct-sized pots.
context_section_description: Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen)
  Alocasia
  Anthurium
  Aphelandra squarrosa (zebra plant)
  Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine)
  Asparagus aethiopicus (asparagus fern)
  Aspidistra elatior (cast iron plant)
  Begonia species and cultivars
  Bromeliaceae (bromeliads)
  Calathea (prayer plants)
  Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm)
  Dypsis lutescens (areca palm)
  Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant)
  Citrus, compact cultivars such as the Meyer lemon
  Cyclamen
  Dracaena
  Dieffenbachia (dumbcane)
  Epipremnum aureum (golden pothos)
  Ficus benjamina (weeping fig)
  Ficus elastica (rubber plant)
  Ficus lyrata (fiddle-leaf fig)
  Hippeastrum
  Hoya species
  Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant)
  Nephrolepis exaltata cv. Bostoniensis (Boston fern)
  Orchidaceae (orchids)
  Cattleya and intergeneric hybrids thereof (e.g. Brassolaeliocattleya, Sophrolaeliocattleya)
  Cymbidium
  Dendrobium
  Miltoniopsis
  Oncidium
  Paphiopedilum
  Phalaenopsis
  Peperomia species
  Philodendron species
  Maranta (prayer plant)
  Monstera (Swiss cheese plant)
  Saintpaulia (African violet)
  Sansevieria trifasciata (mother-inlaw's tongue)
  Schefflera arboricola (umbrella plant)
  Sinningia speciosa (gloxinia)
  Spathiphyllum (peace lily)
  Stephanotis floribunda (Madagascar jasmine)
  Tradescantia zebrina (purple wandering Jew)
  Pilea peperomioides
  Scindapsus pictus (satin pothos)
  Yucca species
caption: Calathea makoyana
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