Fall is incoming and many of us are starting turn our homes into cozy retreats for the colder months. Alongside beautiful blankets and delicious-smelling candles, houseplants can also play a role in bringing your dream fall interiors to life.
Many of the best indoor plants have red, orange, and yellow tones that reflect the best trees for fall color in the yard. I love having these plants nearby during the chillier months, with their beautiful foliage warming up my home. Not only this, but the best houseplants for fall color also make an impact in your rooms, wowing visitors with their unique hues.
The good news is, many of these houseplants are easy to care for. It's important to choose a houseplant that not only suits your home, but also one that you can meet the care requirements of. Here, I talk through five of the best houseplants for fall color, with tips from houseplant experts on how to care for them successfully.
5 houseplants for fall color
Remember to familiarize yourself with how to care for houseplants in winter once you incorporate these houseplants in your home. Before you know it, the depths of winter will come along and these plants will need a bit of extra love to get through the coldest months.
1. Oxalis
First up on the list of best houseplants for fall color is oxalis (from Walmart). More specifically, Oxalis triangularis, which is a deep purple color.
It has beautiful clusters of foliage which flow in a breeze or when the plant is picked up, plus its foliage closes when daylight disappears, making it one of the best houseplants that moves at night.
Growing oxalis is simple enough. Choose a bright spot to maintain the deep purple hue, but avoid direct sun which could cause leaf scorch. You should also allow your oxalis to dry out completely before watering again, although you shouldn't allow it to sit in dry soil for too long.
Use this soil moisture meter from Amazon to identify when it's time to water your oxalis.
'If your oxalis suddenly collapses or starts looking tired, don’t panic,' says plant expert James S Mastaler, founder of Pistils & Pollen. 'It may just be entering dormancy. Let it rest for a few weeks by reducing water and placing it in a cooler spot.
'When new shoots appear, resume regular care and it will spring back to life,' he advises.
James S. Mastaler PhD is the founder of Pistils & Pollen, a plant care education platform and online community helping new plant parents and urban gardeners grow with confidence. James teaches practical, beginner-friendly approaches to plant care through video tutorials, a mobile app, and his signature online course, Houseplant Essentials. He also shares insights from his own city garden, where he grows a variety of bulbs, perennials, and pollinator-friendly plants.
2. Croton
This is one of the most vivid houseplants for fall color to incorporate in your home this season. Crotons are loved for their bright variegated foliage of neon reds and yellows.
The one downside with crotons is that they are trickier to care for. This is because crotons have a tendency to drop their leaves if they experience incorrect watering and other environmental stresses.
'Keep them in a consistently warm, brightly lit spot and if you find a spot where they're happy, try not to move them around too much,' says James.
'If they start to drop leaves or lose their bold colors, it's usually a light or temperature issue, not a sign of permanent decline,' he adds.
If you struggle to provide your croton with sufficient light, especially during fall and winter, try using a grow light for houseplants. This grow light from Amazon has a timer function, so you can set it to turn off after a certain number of hours.
3. Peperomia
There are lots of peperomia varieties to choose from, all of which offer dark foliage of deep forest greens, purples, and even black. This lands peperomia on the list of best houseplants with dark foliage, too.
Particular varieties with fall foliage include Peperomia 'Chocolate' (from Walmart) and Peperomia 'Red Emerald Ripple' (from Walmart).
You can't go too far wrong with care for peperomia plants, so long as you choose a lower light spot to protect their colorful, textured leaves from leaf scorch, and don't overwater your peperomia to avoid houseplant root rot.
'Peperomias prefer areas with 40-50% humidity. As this is a common value for most homes, you probably won't even have to worry about increasing it,' says Anastasia Borisevich of Plantum. 'Avoid misting this plant, as it can lead to the spread of fungal diseases,' she advises.
Anastasia Borisevich is a resident plant expert for the Plantum app, which helps users identify plant species, diagnose their conditions, and get specific care advice. She has three years of experience consulting on botany-related topics for Plantum (formerly NatureID).
4. Polka dot begonia
Another variegated indoor plant to consider when bringing fall foliage to your interiors is polka dot begonia (from Walmart). The underside of the foliage is burgundy, while the top of the leaf is a dark, forest green with paler polka dots.
These houseplants also have the classic begonia shape, offering some structural interest, too.
To care for polka dot begonia, provide plenty of bright light. Without it, your polka dot begonia may start to lose its vivid colors. Likewise, you should avoid cold spots in the home for this plant. Drafts and cold windows can cause your polka dot begonia leaves to curl up and even drop off.
'The optimal temperature range for the polka dot begonia is between 65-86°F,' Anastasia notes. Use this room thermometer from Amazon to monitor temperatures for your begonia.
5. Calathea
When I think of houseplants for fall color, I instantly think of the best calathea varieties. These striking plants have some of the most unique patterns, in colors of green, purple, brown, and more.
Pinstripe calathea (from Walmart), or Calathea ornata is one of the darkest calathea to choose from. Its vivid pink stripes stand out against the dark green backdrop.
When it comes to calathea care, there are quite a few calathea mistakes to avoid. The most important is not watering your calathea too frequently, which can cause foliage to curl up and droop.
'I also recommend using filtered water to avoid brown edges caused by mineral build-up if your tap water has particularly high levels,' James S. Mastaler notes.
Discover the calathea varieties available at The Sill.
FAQs
Are there any indoor flowers for fall?
There are quite a few blooms to enjoy indoors for fall. You can grow chrysanthemums indoors, while the best red houseplants can also offer some seasonal blooms. For example, anthuriums and red-flowering kalanchoes.
As we transition into the colder months, remember to avoid winter houseplant care mistakes. You can use things like this plant heat mat (from Amazon) to help keep houseplants warm in winter, for example.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.