20 plants that you should never keep indoors

There’s a reason you’ve never heard of an indoor rose garden. Roses require loads of sunlight and heat, and any accommodations made to replicate those indoors will be more trouble than it’s worth, especially considering all the insects they can attract. 

If you learned anything from watching Little Shop of Horrors, it should be to keep your Venus flytraps outside. No, your plant won’t turn into an insatiable monster, but it won’t grow well inside. Its ideal natural growing conditions are too difficult to replicate. 

There are plenty of ferns that do well indoors, but a Boston fern is not one of them. They’re quite finicky, and they like humidity, making them quite the project when inside. And when they’re not doing well inside, they become very messy, making for a major, unnecessary headache.

Don’t even try to grow a sunflower inside. You can have a beautiful bouquet of the plant for a limited time, but trying to grow them inside will be very difficult and lead to severe allergies.  

Colocasia plants resemble many other indoor plants, but they have a distinct appearance. They’re extremely high maintenance when brought indoors as they require bright light, moist soil, and high humidity. They also fare poorly in the winter, so save yourself the trouble and let them stay outside. 

You might be tempted to put a chrysanthemum in a pot and keep it indoors, but you’ll be saddened by that choice at some point. Chrysanthemums are perennials, and they’re not going to bloom more often just because they’re inside. Save yourself the trouble. 

Banana trees are fun to look at, and who wouldn’t want to say that they have a banana tree in their house? Unfortunately, these plants do not do well inside. They need light, heat, and space, and most houses aren’t equipped to handle that. 

Plenty of herbs fare well indoors - you can have an entire indoor herb garden if you’d like. However, not all herbs are meant to be grown indoors, such as lavender. It needs too much sun during the day and too cool temperatures at night. 

Rosemary is another herb that’s not going to do well indoors. Many have tried to keep rosemary in pots inside, but the plant’s ideal growing conditions just don’t fit. You’ll have lots more luck keeping your rosemary outside. 

Begonias are gorgeous, but they’re difficult to care for inside. They need light and humidity, both in high amounts, and most people don’t like being in a bright and humid space for too long. 

Some plants just look like they would do well indoors, including gardenias. However, these plants require lots of light and humidity to thrive. Plus, they attract insects that you definitely don’t want in your home. Keep gardenias outdoors. 

Certain plants aren’t meant to be indoors for a variety of reasons. As for oleanders, these babies can make you sick. They’re a toxic plant that can cause symptoms as serious as heart failure if ingested. Best to leave them outside. 

There’s a reason you typically only see hydrangeas outside. Though beautiful in pots, hydrangeas don’t last long indoors. If you do bring one inside, don’t expect it to last long. 

Majesty palms are awesome. They’re beautiful and have a super unique look. However, they’re not meant for indoors. Some palms do well inside, but majesty palms aren’t one. They require more light and humidity than a home can comfortably provide for them. 

While a fiddle leaf fig can absolutely survive indoors, it’s also tough to take care of. If you’re a veteran and committed gardener, you can probably keep it alive inside. But if you travel often or just don’t want to go to the lengths required to keep up with it, a fiddle leaf fig isn’t a good indoor option. 

The level of effort required to properly care for a cactus is greatly underestimated by the general public. While cacti can grow well inside, it’s not an easy task. Like with a fiddle leaf fig, if you’re not up for the challenge of keeping a cactus alive inside, opt for a different indoor plant. 

We’ve all seen a TV show or movie where a character cared for a Bonsai inside, but there are lots of reasons to steer clear of an indoor Bonsai. These trees can cause serious allergies, and they’re actually quite difficult to care for. You can absolutely have one indoors, but consider the consequences first. 

If you’ve seen ivy outside, you know that it can easily grow out of control. If you have a dedicated space for house plants, perhaps you can manage an ivy inside. But most people would probably rather keep an ivy outside. 

Cut daisies for a bouquet and bring them inside all you want, but don’t try to grow them indoors. They don’t grow well inside, and they can cause major allergies. 

Some ficus trees do great indoors, but others don’t. Ficus benjamina falls into the latter category, requiring growing conditions that are difficult to manifest indoors. If you want a ficus that will do well indoors, consult a local gardening expert.