15 small houseplants that don't take up space, even when grown up

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When you don't have the space and you love plants, there aren't 10,000 solutions. Either start growing bonsai ficus, or opt for one of these 15 varieties of small house plants. I promise, they won't grow taller than 40 centimetres.

#1 Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet

Small but demanding, Alocasia reginula is not a plant for beginners - Photo by Houseforest /Plantnet

Is your home too small for a Monstera deliciosa variegata or a Calathea? Don't give up on plants with graphic foliage! Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet' has contrasting black and white blades. And it's no taller than 30 centimetres!

Alocasia 'Black Velvet is a demanding plant. It appreciates humidity, but hates excess water. Check the soil regularly and water only when the potting soil has dried on the surface. Afraid you'll forget? Download the Monstera app. We'll send you a notification to remind you when to water.

#2 Haworthia fasciata

We all have room for a Haworthia fasciata at home - Photo by Maja Dumat / Flickr

At ten centimetres in diameter and fifteen centimetres in height, Haworthia fasciata is undoubtedly the smallest plant on our list. You'll be sure to find a place for it in your home, even if you live in a tiny house or if plants are already invading your house.

After a few years, haworthiopsis fasciata produces shoots at its base. You can separate them when repotting and plant them in a pierced pot filled with potting soil for succulents and succulents.

#3 Florist's Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa)

Flowering plants like the Gloxina can also be XXS - Photo by Roman /iNaturalist

The florist's Gloxinia is 25 centimetres high and just as wide. The perfect size for a pedestal table set on a doily. In fact, that's how this little plant long decorated our grandmothers' living rooms. For some time now, its red, purple or pink flowers with cut-out petals have been coming back into fashion. Enough to make it trendy to have one at home, but not enough to be seen everywhere.

The golden rule for a beautiful gloxinia? Adapt your watering to the plant's life cycle. Water generously during the flowering period (summer) and reduce watering in autumn. When the foliage dries out in winter, you can stop watering. Resume watering in early spring, when vegetation returns.

#4 Aloe aristata

Unlike haworthies, aloes have leaves edged with teeth - Photo by Honmingjun / Wikipedia

It's no coincidence that aristaloe aristata is nicknamed the dwarf aloe. This small plant grows to no more than 30 centimetres in all directions. But that's more than enough to show off its rosette of dark green and white succulent leaves.

Aloe aristata loves the sun. Place it behind a south- or west-facing window for maximum light. In summer, take your plant out onto your balcony or into your garden, where it will benefit from more natural light. Take care to acclimatize it gradually, so as not to burn its foliage.

#5 Syngonium podophyllum 'Neon Robusta

The leaf shape of Syngonium podophyllum is reminiscent of a crow's foot - Photo by Michal Svit / Plantnet

In every family of giants, there's one member that's smaller than the others. In the Araceae, it's syngonium podophyllum 'Neon Robusta. This bushy, pink-leaved houseplant is at best 30 centimetres tall, whereas pothos, monstera and other philodendrons easily reach two metres.

As the plant grows slowly, you don't need to prune it. If you want to keep the plant compact and neat, remove wilted leaves and flowering stems. You can also shorten receding stems to encourage the emergence of new blades.

#6 Saintpaulia (Streptocarpus ionanthus)

Saintpaulia flowers are only a few centimetres long - Photo by HQ Flower Guide / Flickr

Looking for a small, flowering plant? Saintpaulia should be just what you're looking for. The Cape violet is no more than 30 centimetres high and blooms all year round. All you have to do is decide which variety you prefer. Flowers can be single or double, blue, pink or violet, plain or two-tone. The choice is almost limitless!

Saintpaulia loves humidity, but its downy leaves hate being misted. Place your plant and its pot on a saucer filled with clay balls, and opt for capillary watering. This will keep foliage and flowers dry.

#7 Jewel orchid (Macodes petola)

The jewel orchid is mainly grown for its foliage - Photo by JMK / Wikipedia

You don't need a cathedral ceiling to treat yourself to the emerald-green, golden foliage of the jewel orchid Macodes petola). The plant doesn't exceed 20 centimetres in height during the flowering period. And when the flowers bloom, they appear on a 30-centimetre flower spike.

Bijou orchids don't need a lot of height, but they do need to be able to spread their rhizomatous roots. When repotting, use a cup-shaped pot that's wider than it is tall.

#8 Crassula pyramidalis

Crassula pyramidalis turns red in bright light - Photo by Anton Gomez / iNaturalist

While some Egyptian pyramids reach heights of over 130 meters, crassula pyramidalis grows to a height of fifteen centimetres at best. Its green or ochre leaves measure no more than a few millimetres. Densely intertwined, they form small geometric columns with a hypnotic pattern.

Like many succulents, Crassula pyramidalis grows without fertilizer, even in pots and indoors. Its growth will therefore be slow, and you'll have a very small plant for a long time. But if you want it to flourish, fertilize it with a cactus and succulent fertilizer in spring and summer.

#9 Flycatchers (Dionaea muscipula)

Dionaea muscipula is a rather hardy plant that can be grown outdoors or in a cool greenhouse - Photo by Michal Klajban / Wikipedia

In the movies, carnivorous plants are as big as houses and can swallow human beings. In reality, the most famous carnivorous plant, Dionaea muscipula, measures no more than 30 centimetres in all directions. This size enables it to capture small insects, no bigger than flies, in its jaw-like traps.

Dionaea muscipula does not tolerate limestone. When watering, always use rainwater or demineralized water. Tap water and mineral water contain nutrients that accumulate in the soil. Eventually, they kill the plant.

#10 Thimble cactus (Mammillaria gracilis)

Flowering even in young Mammillaria gracilis - Photo by Petar43 / Wikipedia

Do you know the story of Poucelina, Andersen's heroine who was so small she slept in a walnut shell? If she'd wanted to grow plants, she'd probably have chosen a thimble cactus, Mammillaria gracilis. This cylindrical-stemmed cactus is no more than six centimetres high.

Mammillaria gracilis grows at the speed of a sloth running in slow motion. It only needs repotting every three years, in a pot with holes cut to its size. Plant it in a well-draining substrate, such as a potting mix for cacti and succulents.

#11 Echeveria agavoides

Leaf color varies with variety and light - Photo by Stephen Boisvert / Wikipedia

Echeveria agavoides owes its name to its triangular leaf blades, reminiscent of agaves. But that's where the resemblance ends! Its rosette of leaves is no more than ten centimetres high and about fifteen centimetres in diameter, whereas agaves grow to over a metre.

Echeveria agavoides is hardy. It fears neither drought nor full sun. Its only enemy: mealybugs. Inspect your plant for infestation when you buy it.

#12 Mosaic plant (Fittonia albivenis)

Fittonia requires at least 70% humidity to thrive - Photo by Ong Jyh Seng / iNaturalist

With its small size, measuring no more than 30 centimetres in height and 10 centimetres in spread, the mosaic plant goes everywhere. But its green leaves, veined with white, pink or red, make it stand out.

Fittonia albivenis loves humidity. And that can make it difficult to maintain! If the air in your home is dry, don 't hesitate to plant it in a terrarium. All you need to do is prune it from time to time to maintain a dense habit and control its growth.

#13 Blossfeld's Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is poisonous. Keep it away from pets - Photo by Lyubo Gadzhev / Flickr

Often sold when it's just five centimetres tall, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana reaches a maximum height of 40 centimetres when fully grown. But you don't have to wait until it's fully grown to enjoy its blooms. Yellow, pink, white or orange flowers bloom even on very small plants.

If blossfeld's Kalanchoe doesn't grow very tall, its foliage can become imposing and the pot can topple over under its weight. Choose a terracotta pot whenrepotting your plant. Heavier than a plastic model, it will remain stable.

#14 Cryptanthus bivittatus

Cryptanthus bivittatus belongs to the same family as the pineapple - Photo by Mokkie / Wikipedia

Although it measures just fifteen centimetres in all directions, Cryptanthus bivittatus doesn't go unnoticed. This small plant of the Bromeliaceae family is distinguished by its red, orange, pink or green zebra leaves.

Cryptanthus bivittatus is a monocarpic plant: it flowers just once and dies a few months later. Before that, it produces offshoots. Let them grow. Once they've grown to around a third of the size of the mother plant, you can remove and repot them.

#15 Round-leaved Pellaea (Pellaea rotundifolia)

With several specimens, you can even form a plant wall! Photo by David J. Stang / Wikipedia

It's hard to find a hanging plant for small spaces! With a diameter of 20 centimetres and vines that measure 30 centimetres at most, the round-leaved Pellaea (Pellaea rotundifolia) ticks all the boxes. To make matters worse, its fronds are composed of delicately cut round leaflets.

Easier to care for than other ferns, Pellaea rotundifolia tolerates dry air. Nevertheless, be sure to water your plant regularly in summer, to keep its root ball moist. In winter, you can space out the watering and let the soil dry on the surface.

By Servane Nemetz
on 10-12-2024 at 22h29