The houseplant seed world is still pretty niche and limited, but even so, there are several popular varieties that are instantly recognizable to houseplant collectors that you too can grow from seed (or bulb!)
Though growing from seed can certainly come with its challenges, in my opinion, those challenges are what make the process just that much more fun and rewarding, (in my humble opinion, though, I may be a little biased 🙃) So here’s a breakdown of some popular indoor plants that you can grow from seed, as well as some tidbits about their germination rate, ease of germination & care, and their growth rate!
By the way, if you’re interested in getting any of these started, we have another blog post on How to Grow Houseplants from Seed that you should definitely check out before attempting to germinate your seeds!
There probably isn’t a houseplant hobbyist around who hasn’t heard of the Monstera Deliciosa, with its big, iconic heart-shaped leaves and fenestrations like cheese, which give it its nickname- the Swiss Cheese Plant! Native to Central America, these plants grow big (and tall) and bring instant tropical vibes which houseplant enthusiasts love. 😎🌴
Germination Level: Intermediate
Plant Care Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Germination: 1 week-1month
Growth Rate: Medium
(Here’s a post on How to Grow Monstera Deliciosa from Seed!)
get monstera seeds here!
2) Philodendron Selloum, aka Philodendron Hope 🌱
Philodendron Selloum, [or Philodendron Hope or Split-Leaf Philodendron,] often gets confused with the Monstera Deliciosa- while they both have “split” leaves, the Philodendron Selloum produces leaves with frilly edges, rather than the fenestrations of the Monstera. Both of these plants, however, grow big with a thick trunk and aerial roots.
Germination Level: Advanced
Plant Care Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Germination: 2 weeks-2 months
Growth Rate: Slow
(Here’s a post on How to Grow Philodendron Selloum from Seed!)
philodendron hope seeds!
3) Adenium Obesum, aka Desert Rose
Desert rose are succulents with funny-looking tubular trunks, ideal for water storage, as well as lovely blooms. They do need a little more light, but overall aren’t super demanding plants. An extra perk: the seedlings are absolutely adorable! They’re at the top of our list in Top 10 Cutest Plant Babies :)
Germination Level: Intermediate
Plant Care Level: Intermediate
Germination: 1 week - 1 month
Growth Rate: Medium
grow desert rose!
4) Beaucarnea Recurvata, aka Ponytail Palm
Ponytail Palms, like the Desert Rose, are succulents with tubular trunks. Instead of growing in a tree-shape like the Desert Rose, however, these have a singular thick trunk and leaves that protrude out the top like a ponytail (thus the name!)
Germination Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Plant Care Level: Intermediate
Germination: 1 week - 1 month
Growth Rate: Slow
start some ponytail palm seeds!5) Hypoestes Phyllostachya or Sanguinolenta, aka Polka Dot Plant
Polka Dot plants are generally smaller than the other plants mentioned in this post, but that have colorful leaves, with either white, pink or rose speckles. They’re absolutely adorable, extremely fun to grow from seed, and add a nice level of vibrancy to any tropical plant collection.
Germination Level: Beginner
Plant Care Level: Beginner
Germination: 1-2 weeks
Growth Rate: Fast
add polka dots to your garden!
Most houseplant collectors have at least one Dracaena in their plant collection. Their classic spiky-leaf shape adds the perfect contrast to plants with big round leaves like Monstera Deliciosa. On top of that, they can grow multiple tall stems with their own leaf bunches. Overall, they’re great for hobbyists who love a big plant that also happens to be easy to care for :)
Germination Level: Advanced
Plant Care Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Germination: 1-2 months
Growth Rate: Slow
grow dracaena seeds!
Though African Violets are one of the more underrated houseplants, they’re slowly coming back into style due their wide variety! Some of the more notable ones include variegated, trailing, and fantasy African Violets.
Their tiny size makes them tricky to start off from seed, but it also makes it fun to watch them grow as they develop from tiny little green specks into gradually larger and more recognizable fuzzy leaves 🥰
Germination Level: Advanced
Plant Care Level: Beginner
Germination: 2 weeks - 1 month
Growth Rate: Slow
grow african violets from seed!
Asparagus Ferns as a group are a pretty popular houseplant variety, with the most popular of the group being foxtail ferns. Their name makes it pretty easy to imagine their shape: long stems with tiny little spiky leaves surrounding the stems, which give that classic foxtail shape to the plant. Aside from their unique look, they’re also pretty easy plants both to germinate, and to care for!
Germination Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Plant Care Level: Beginner
Germination: 1 week - 1 month
Growth Rate: Fast
check out these seeds!
Coffee plants produce interesting frilly edges on their leaves, and grow into large trees. While you might think of the Coffea Arabica variety, there’s also a dwarf version of this plant called the Coffea Catura, or Dwarf Coffee Plant, which tends to perform better in indoor gardens.
Germination Level: Advanced
Plant Care Level: Intermediate
Germination: 1 week - 2 months
Growth Rate: Slow
grow your own coffee!
While there are several variations of umbrella plants, the variety best suited for indoor growth are the Schefflera Arboricola, or the Dwarf Umbrella Plant. As the name implies, the leaves sprout outwards from central branches, resulting in a fun umbrella shape 🌿
Germination Level: Advanced
Plant Care Level: Beginner
Germination: 2 weeks - 2 months
Growth Rate: Slow
(Here’s how to grow umbrella plants from seed)
grow an umbrella plant!11) Rainbow Coleus
Coleus come in a variety of colors, making them absolutely breathtaking plants. They’re easy to grow, don’t get too big, and are versatile, doing well both indoors, and in shady outdoor areas.
Germination Level: Beginner
Plant Care Level: Beginner
Germination: 1-2 weeks
Growth Rate: Fast
grow coleus seeds!
Lithops, or Living Stones, are funny little succulents that grow leaves in the shape of, well, a butt. That aside, they are very pretty plants with veins of color which vary depending on your Lithops variety!
Germination Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Plant Care Level: Intermediate
Germination: 1 month
Growth Rate: Medium
grow living stones!13) Ficus Altissima aka Lofty Fig aka Council Tree
Plantflix fun fact: the Ficus Altissima is the first ficus seed to join our shop :~) The Ficus Altissima, or the Lofty Fig, is a lesser-known relative to both the Rubber Plant and the Fiddle Leaf Fig. Luckily they’re much easier to care for than the Fiddle Leaf Fig, and look just as cool! These plants are a great option for those of you who are seeking out a larger plant 🌳
Germination Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Plant Care Level: Beginner
Germination: 1-2 months
Growth Rate: Medium
add this ficus to your garden!14) Caladiums
Caladiums come in both many striking color, and pattern varieties, from pink to red to white. Caladiums are a great choice for indoor gardens, and are extremely popular for their use in shadier outdoor gardens. If you’re like us, and have a shady outdoor balcony or patio- this is the plant for you!
Sprouting Level: Intermediate
Plant Care Level: Intermediate
Germination: 2 weeks - 1 month
Growth Rate: Fast
(Here’s how to grow caladiums from bulbs!)
grow caladium bulbs!Liked this article? Want to learn more about indoor gardening?
1 comment
Thank you! I’ve been looking for houseplants to go from seeds and this was incredibly helpful. I just ordered a few and I’m excited see what grows 😊