Best Fast-Growing Houseplants
Plants that put on visible growth quickly in good conditions.
Best Fast-Growing Houseplants
Quick recommendation
Pothos and monstera can grow several feet per year in bright light.
Best Fast-Growing Houseplants
Plants that put on visible growth quickly in good conditions.
| # | Plant | Light | Difficulty | Pet safe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pothos | bright to medium indirect light, low light, fluorescent office light | Medium | No |
| 2 | Monstera Deliciosa | bright indirect light, medium indirect light | Medium | No |
| 3 | Heartleaf Philodendron | medium to bright indirect light | Medium | No |
| 4 | Spider Plant | bright to medium indirect light, low light, some morning direct sun | Medium | Yes |
| 5 | Jade Plant | bright indirect light to 4 hours of direct sun | Medium | No |
| 6 | Rubber Plant | bright indirect light | Medium | No |
| 7 | Fiddle Leaf Fig | bright indirect light | Medium | No |
| 8 | Snake Plant | indirect light | Medium | No |
| 9 | Basil | full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight) | Medium | Yes |
| 10 | Mint | full sun to partial shade (4–6 hours) | Medium | No |
| No plants match your search. | ||||
Fast-growing houseplants - complete plant list (10)
All 10 fast-growing houseplants on this page, ranked with care notes on light, watering, mature size, humidity, and difficulty. Each plant links to a full growing guide. Compare quick specs in the comparison table above.
PothosEpipremnum aureum
- How to grow pothos indoors - watering rhythm, best light, soil mix, propagation from cuttings, and fixes for yellow leaves and brown tips.
- Pothos is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Pothos grows best in bright to medium indirect light, low light, fluorescent office light when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Pothos, water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry - roughly every 7–10 days in summer.
- Pothos does best at 40–60% humidity and needs light, well-draining potting mix with added perlite.
- Pothos is rated medium care for indoor growing.
Monstera DeliciosaMonstera deliciosa
- Monstera Deliciosa is grow split-leaf monstera indoors - watering, bright indirect light, moss pole support, and fixes for yellow leaves.
- Monstera Deliciosa is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Monstera Deliciosa grows best in bright indirect light, medium indirect light when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Monstera Deliciosa, every 7–10 days - allow top 3–5 cm to dry. Water thoroughly.
- Monstera Deliciosa does best at 50–70% humidity and needs standard potting mix + 20–25 % perlite + 10–15 % orchid bark. well-draining chunky aroid mix. ph 5.5–7.0.
- Monstera Deliciosa is rated medium care for indoor growing.
Heartleaf PhilodendronPhilodendron hederaceum
- Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) care: fast-growing trailing aroid, light requirements, watering, and propagation.
- Heartleaf Philodendron is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Heartleaf Philodendron grows best in medium to bright indirect light when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Heartleaf Philodendron, water when top 2–3 cm dries. Every 7–10 days in summer; 14–21 days in winter.
- Heartleaf Philodendron grows to trails 4–6 ft indoors; glossy heart-shaped leaves 2–4 inches indoors, does best at 40–60% humidity and needs well-draining standard potting mix with perlite and optional chunky additions.
- Heartleaf Philodendron is rated medium care for indoor growing.
Spider PlantChlorophytum comosum
- Spider plant care for beginners - watering, bright indirect light, propagating plantlets, pet-safe growing tips.
- Spider Plant is widely grown as a pet-friendly houseplant and is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by major poison-control references.
- Spider Plant grows best in bright to medium indirect light, low light, some morning direct sun when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Spider Plant, water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry - roughly every 7–10 days in the growing season.
- Spider Plant does best at 40–60% humidity and needs well-draining general-purpose potting mix.
- Spider Plant is rated medium care for indoor growing.
Jade PlantCrassula ovata
- Jade plant can live for decades. Needs bright direct light and very infrequent watering - top inch must be dry.
- Jade Plant is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Jade Plant grows best in bright indirect light to 4 hours of direct sun when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Jade Plant, water when top inch is completely dry. Every 2–3 weeks summer; every 4–6 weeks winter.
- Jade Plant grows to 2–4 ft tall indoors; thick woody stems with fleshy oval leaves indoors, does best at 30–50% humidity and needs very fast-draining succulent mix: compost 40% + perlite 30% + coarse grit 30%. terracotta essential.
- Jade Plant is rated medium care for indoor growing.
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Rubber PlantFicus elastica
- Rubber plants thrive in bright indirect light with watering every 7–10 days when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. They are sensitive to sudden moves and draughts which trigger leaf drop, and are toxic to cats and dogs.
- Rubber Plant is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Rubber Plant grows best in bright indirect light when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Rubber Plant, water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry - roughly every 7–10 days in summer.
- Rubber Plant grows to 4–10 ft tall indoors; large glossy oval leaves 8–12 inches long indoors, does best at 40–60% humidity and needs well-draining, moderately fertile potting mix.
- Rubber Plant is rated medium care for indoor growing.
Fiddle Leaf FigFicus lyrata
- Fiddle leaf fig needs stable bright indirect light and consistent watering. Two types of brown spots: root rot (edge-inward, soft) and sunburn (papery, anywhere).
- Fiddle Leaf Fig is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Fiddle Leaf Fig grows best in bright indirect light when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Fiddle Leaf Fig, water when top 2 inches dries. Every 7–10 days in summer; 14–21 days in winter.
- Fiddle Leaf Fig grows to 6–10 ft tall indoors; large violin-shaped leaves 12–18 inches long indoors, does best at 30–65% humidity and needs well-draining potting mix with perlite. slightly acidic ph 6–7.
- Fiddle Leaf Fig is rated medium care for indoor growing.
Snake PlantDracaena trifasciata
- Snake plant care indoors - how often to water, best light, soil mix, and fixes for root rot and brown tips.
- Snake Plant is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Snake Plant grows best in indirect light when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Snake Plant, water only when the soil is completely dry - roughly every 2–6 weeks depending on season.
- Snake Plant grows to 2–4 ft indoors; sword-shaped leaves 1–3 inches wide indoors, does best at 30–50% humidity and needs fast-draining, gritty mix that prevents waterlogging.
- Snake Plant is rated medium care for indoor growing.
BasilOcimum basilicum
- Basil needs at least 6 hours of direct sun daily, consistent watering every 1–2 days in summer, pinching off flower spikes to prevent bolting, and regular tip harvesting to encourage bushy growth.
- Basil is widely grown as a pet-friendly houseplant and is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by major poison-control references.
- Basil grows best in full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight) when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Basil, keep soil moist but not waterlogged - every 1–2 days in summer, every 3 days in winter or cooler weather. Allow top 2–3 cm to dry between waterings.
- Basil grows to 30–60 cm tall and 30 cm wide indoors, does best at moderate (40–60%); tolerates indian outdoor conditions well humidity and needs well-draining potting mix with 20% perlite or coarse sand. ph 6.0–7.5. good drainage prevents damping off.
- Basil is rated medium care for indoor growing.
MintMentha spicata
- Mint needs consistently moist soil, 4–6 hours of sun, and regular harvesting to prevent flowering. Container growing prevents it from taking over.
- Mint is not pet-safe and is toxic to cats, dogs, horses, turtles, tortoises.
- Mint grows best in full sun to partial shade (4–6 hours) when grown as an indoor houseplant.
- For Mint, every 1–3 days in hot weather - keep soil consistently moist. Check the top 2 cm: water when dry.
- Mint grows to 30–90 cm tall; spreads vigorously indoors, does best at moderate humidity (50–70%); tolerates indian outdoor humidity well humidity and needs rich potting mix with 10 % compost and 15 % perlite. moisture-retaining and well-draining. ph 6.0–7.0.
- Mint is rated medium care for indoor growing.
This Best Fast-Growing Houseplants plant list was researched and written by . Plant picks, rankings, and suitability notes for Best Fast-Growing Houseplants are checked against LeafyPixels plant metadata, care requirements, pet-toxicity references, and practical indoor suitability.
We prioritize sources that hold up under scrutiny:
- University cooperative extension bulletins and fact sheets (Penn State, Clemson, UMD, NC State, and similar programs)
- Botanical garden and horticultural society publications
- Peer-reviewed plant science and veterinary toxicology references where pet safety matters (including ASPCA Animal Poison Control)
- Established reference works on indoor plant culture
The LeafyPixels editorial team then reviews the draft for clarity, step-by-step usefulness, and fit with real apartment and home conditions-not ideal greenhouse setups. When guidance changes materially, we update the page and note the revision date.
Sources used
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants (n.d.) Toxic And Non Toxic Plants. [Online]. Available at: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants (Accessed: 9 June 2026).
- NC State Extension (n.d.) Houseplants. [Online]. Available at: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/find_a_plant/?plant_type__id=10 (Accessed: 9 June 2026).