6 Best Plants for Filling a Corner (Tall, Easy and Pretty)

Every house I’ve lived in has had one. That corner.

In one of them, it sat between a doorway and a window, with a light switch right in the middle of the wall. Too big to leave empty, too small for a chair, and thanks to that light switch, art was off the table too.

So I did what I always do when a spot is bugging me. I asked myself how I want it to feel. The answer was alive: a little lush, a little tropical, and something that made me smile every time I walked past.

That meant a tall plant.

Now, I’ll be honest about my green thumb. My outdoor plants live on loving neglect. The ones that thrive get friends, and the ones that don’t get replaced. Except my hibiscus. They somehow get covered in aphids every single year, and I still baby them like newborns. But that’s another story.

So I went looking for tall plants that can handle a little real life. Plenty of them can, and a few even put up with low light and a forgotten watering or two.

Here are my six favorites for filling a corner, from the diva to the ones that basically take care of themselves.

First, ask your corner three questions

Before you shop, go stand in the corner and check:

• How much light does it get? Bright and sunny, bright but indirect, or “is that a lamp?”
• How tall can it go? Measure to the ceiling. A couple of these plants will try to reach it.
• How much attention do you want to give it? Be honest. Nobody’s grading you.

Hold onto those answers. Every plant below comes with what it wants, so you can match one to your corner and your life.

The fiddle leaf fig is gorgeous, and a total diva

She’s been the star of design feeds for years, and I get it. Big violin-shaped leaves, and she grows from a bushy little plant into a real indoor tree. In the right spot, she’s stunning.

In the wrong spot, she drops leaves. Loudly. I had no idea a single leaf could make that much noise hitting the floor. (Don’t ask me how I know.)

She’s still one of the best plants for filling a corner. Just know you’re getting a fickle roommate.

What she wants

• Bright, steady light, ideally close to a window
• No drafts from cold windows or air conditioning vents
• Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry, then water thoroughly. Too little water and the new leaves drop. Too much and the lower leaves drop. Sometimes just looking at her wrong will cause leaves to drop.
• A slightly bigger pot when the roots get crowded, usually every year or two
• Best for: a bright corner and someone who enjoys a little plant project

The snake plant is where I’d tell any beginner to start

It’s also known as mother-in-law’s tongue. I’ll let you figure out how it got that name.

This is one of the hardiest houseplants you can buy. Bright light, dim light, a forgotten watering. It shrugs it all off. The only thing that really hurts it is too much love from the watering can, which for me is perfect.

I love the color and texture, and it works with just about any style. Tuck a few succulents around its base, or set it on a plant stand to give it more height in a bigger corner. And if you want my vote, put it in a hot pink pot. Green and pink were made for each other.

What it wants

• Indirect light with a little sun. It’ll survive deep shade or direct sun, it just won’t grow much there.
• Let the soil dry out completely between waterings. When in doubt, wait.
• Cactus or succulent fertilizer in spring and summer, following the package directions
• A new pot or a division when it gets crowded, every couple of years. It doesn’t mind being snug.
• Best for: low light, busy schedules and first-time plant people

The bird of paradise brings the tropics inside (if you’ve got the ceiling for it)

Big glossy leaves, lots of drama and a lush, vacation feeling in any room. You probably know the blooms: those orange and blue flowers shaped like a bird’s head.

Be sure to choose wisely, there are two you’ll see at the store. The orange-flowered one (Strelitzia reginae) stays fairly compact. The white bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) is the giant, and it’s the one usually sold as a big indoor plant. It grows tall and it grows fast, even in a pot. Measure that ceiling first.

I’ve kept one in a pot on a back porch, where she looked small. Bring her inside and put her in a corner, and boy, is she gigantic.

My one has turned into four and she has had a few stalks trimmed when they reached almost 14 feet because they were just too tall!

Indoors, they rarely bloom because they need lots of direct sun to flower. Honestly, the leaves are the show anyway. They also love a summer vacation outside, right up until they get too heavy to haul back and forth.

What it wants

• Bright light, with some direct sun if you can give it. Filtered light works, it just grows slower.
• Water generously in spring and summer. In winter, let the soil dry out a bit between waterings.
• Fertilizer during the growing season
• A snug pot to slow it down. It’s happy in a surprisingly small pot for its size, but it needs some room for growth or it will be unhappy.
• Best for: high ceilings, big sunny windows and anyone who wants that tropical vacation feeling at home

The peace lily is easy, and it tells you when it’s thirsty

The peace lily is one of the easiest houseplants out there. It’s happy with indirect light and an occasional drink. When it wants water, it droops dramatically, then perks right back up after you give it some. I appreciate a plant that communicates.

Fun fact: that white “flower” isn’t actually the flower. It’s a hood that wraps around the tiny real flowers inside. Either way, it adds a bright little pop to a corner.

Most peace lilies stay on the shorter side, so for a corner, look for a big variety like ‘Sensation,’ or set a regular one on a plant stand.

A cute plant stand is a great way to add some interest to a corner as well.

What it wants

• Medium, indirect light. It tolerates lower light, but you’ll get fewer blooms.
• Water when the top inch of soil is dry, or when it starts to droop
• A balanced fertilizer (like a diluted 20-20-20) every month or two in spring and summer for more blooms
• A bigger pot when it’s crowded and droops even right after watering
• Best for: medium or lower light, and anyone who wants a plant that tells them what it needs

The mass cane might be the most underrated plant on this list

Tall woody stems, a burst of striped green leaves at the top and a little palm-tree silhouette. You’ll also see it sold as a corn plant or Dracaena fragrans. It’s considered a “starter plant,” which tells you everything about how much fuss it needs. I think it looks great with a few smaller plants tucked around its base.

It grows slowly, handles some neglect and isn’t picky about light. Move it to a new spot and it won’t throw a fit the way the fiddle leaf fig might. One reader told me she switched her fiddle leaf fig plan to a mass cane after reading the first version of this post, and I think she made a smart call.

What it wants

• Bright, indirect light. Direct sun can scorch the leaves, but it tolerates lower light.
• Let the top of the soil dry out between waterings
• Little to no fertilizer
• A new pot only when it outgrows the old one, which takes a while
• Best for: almost any corner, and people who’d rather not think about their plant much

The rubber plant is the unsung hero

Big, dark, glossy leaves all over, and tough as can be. Rubber plants are tried-and-true houseplants that fill a corner without asking for much. Give one room and it can grow into a real tree. Keep it in a smaller pot and it’ll stay closer to its current size.

The only downside is that those dark, flat leaves show dust. Wipe them with a damp cloth now and then and they’ll shine.

It also tells you what it needs. Droopy leaves mean it’s thirsty, and dropping leaves usually mean it wants more light.

Want a little color? Look for a variegated or pink-tinged variety like ‘Tineke’ or ‘Ruby.’ A plant with pink in the leaves? You don’t have to ask which one is my favorite.

What it wants

• Bright, indirect light. Too little and it’ll drop leaves.
• Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry, a little more often while it’s actively growing
• A bigger pot if you want it to grow, the same pot if you don’t
• A summer outside in a shady spot, if you have one
• Best for: bright corners and anyone who wants a big, bold plant without the diva behavior

Which one goes in your corner?

• Low light, busy life: snake plant or mass cane
• Medium light, and you’d love a bloom: peace lily
• Bright light, and you like a project: fiddle leaf fig
• Bright light, and you want big and bold with less drama: rubber plant
• Sunny, with tall ceilings and tropical dreams: bird of paradise

One more thing if anyone in your house likes to chew on leaves: all six of these can upset a pet’s stomach (or a toddler’s). Keep them out of reach of curious nibblers, or check the ASPCA’s list of toxic and non-toxic plants before you buy.

Where to find them

You can find these pretty much everywhere: garden centers, big box stores, grocery stores, even moving sales.

If you’re new to plants, a local nursery is a great place to start. The people there know what grows well where you live and will happily talk you through it. Raising plants is a learned skill, and everybody loses a few along the way.

Big box stores carry plenty of easy-care plants, and some have generous plant return policies, so ask before you buy.

Online, I love The Sill. They help you pick a plant for your light and your experience level, and their team will answer your questions after it arrives.

So what would I do with that corner?

Start with how you want it to feel, then match the plant to the light you’ve actually got. Low light? Go snake plant or mass cane. Bright light and feeling brave? Go ahead and bring home the fiddle leaf fig. Worst case, she drops a few leaves, you learn where she’s happiest and you try something else. Plants can move. That’s the best part.

I learned that one firsthand. I tried a fiddle leaf fig in that awkward corner, she was not happy there, and I switched to a plant that needed less light.

Fair warning: once you put a plant in one corner, you’ll start seeing empty corners everywhere. You may find yourself a plant mom (or dad) quicker than you can imagine.

My extra piece of advice here is to buy a bigger plant than you think. I know from experience that the larger plants are a little more tolerant than tiny ones and that makes them much easier to raise.

Which of these do you already have, and which one is going in your corner? Tell me in the comments. And if I missed one you love, tell me that too.

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