Houseplant trends: summer 2024

What are this summer's most popular houseplants?

• Tropical plants

• Orchids

• Cacti & succulents

• Patterns & colour

• Citrus trees

Tropical plants

Tropical plants are a go-to for the summer and are one of the most popular indoor plants year-round. Their interesting foliage and bold colours can blur the lines between living room and sunny beach in Majorca, which is a big mood boost!

So what's hot?

Palm trees, birds of paradise, monsteras – anything that exudes those big jungle vibes!

Monsteras rank number seven on our list of the UK's favourite indoor plants and can be a great option to quickly fill a large space with their fast-growing foliage.

There’s a bonus if your tropical plants are easy to care for, as many need warm temperatures and high humidity to be happy, and you don’t want to spend all those beautiful summer days tending to your plants, do you?

Philodendrons, zz plants, and birds of paradise are all fairly easy to keep, or you can cut the hassle and go faux with an exotic artificial houseplant.

Try a tropical pachira to cheer up your side table or a faux areca palm to brighten up your bathroom.

Orchids

Orchids are the UK's most popular houseplant, loved for their elegant, sophisticated style!

What is the most popular indoor plant in 2024? If you prefer the classics, our recent survey found that orchids are the UK’s favourite houseplant, plus they come in a variety of colours to give your space a summery feeling.

Moth or 'phalaenosis' orchids are most common type of orchid, but there are other types including boat orchids, dendrobiums and more, each with their own unique flowers.

That said, orchids aren't for the fainthearted! Their reputation for being tricky to care for is enough to put many people off owning one, but given the right conditions of bright light, regular watering and frequent misting can keep them happy.

Or, (shameless plug incoming!) there are some excellent faux orchids available including our popular artificial vanda orchid or onicidium orchid to quench your thirst for an easy-going orchid.

Cacti & succulents

If orchids aren't your vibe, the UK's second most trending houseplants are cacti and succulents.

Their tiny size is perfect for small apartments and city living, along with decorating shelves and bringing quirky colour to small corners of your home.

With most cacti being native to the deserts of the Americas, they bring a warm, summery feeling to interiors, with funky shapes and lots of styles to choose from including the popular bunny ear cactus.

And while cacti can pose a problem for your furry friends or small children, succulents have a similar summery vibe without the sharp spikes.

Sweet little hoya hearts and echeveria are particularly trendy, along with aloe vera which boasts excellent Feng Shui properties!

For more help, check out our styling tips for artificial cacti and succulents.

Patterns & colour

This summer, plant lovers are raiding the shelves for the most interesting-looking plants, including those with unique colours and patterns.

Variegated plants are particularly popular this summer, along with rare textures and colours.

These particular plants are especially popular during the summer, when their exotic style shines best, bringing warmth and striking colour to your interior.

To incorporate this style into your home, our first stop is at the alocasia!

This beautiful houseplant is native to the tropical regions of the South Pacific, Asia and Eastern Australia and is adored for its unique arrow-shaped leaves which are often decorated with bold patterns.

The most popular varieties include 'Amazonica', ‘Frydek’, Zebrina' and Black Velvet', which is loved for its dark, velvety-soft leaves.

The calathea is another houseplant whose striking patterns have won the hearts of plant lovers around the UK.

Also known as the prayer plant, this unique beauty is native to South America including the jungles of the Amazon.

Popular varieties include the ‘Medallion’, ‘Rattlesnake’ and ‘Pinstripe’, which each have incredible patterns featuring deep purple or red hues.

Other unusual houseplants include the handsome begonia maculata, whose pretty polka dots feature a bold crimson underside. Along with one of the most rare and sought-after plants - the monstera albo, or variegated monstera, whose leaves alone can sell for hundreds of pounds!

Styling your home with these plants is easy! They make excellent focal points when sat alone, and when teamed up, create a fun, eye-catching display, that's sure to win the hearts of your guests.

The only downside to keeping these plants is that their tropical nature can make them tricky to please.

Draughty windows and cold, dark spaces won't do these plants any favours. Instead, they prefer a warm, bright spot with high humidity and regular watering, which makes these botanical beauties hard to keep for the average person.

Of course, you can admire their rare patterns and bold colours without the maintenance by choosing to go faux. You could even try painting patterns on faux plants to create your own style!

Citrus trees

This summer's most popular indoor plants include a splash of citrus! 🍋

Lemon and orange trees are a fantastic way to give your home a taste of the Mediterranean and have been flying off the shelves recently.

Lemon trees in particular are one of the easiest citrus trees to grow in the UK, and you can move them outside in the warmer months to bring some summer colour to your garden. 

But, if you’re worried about keeping them alive over the winter, you can opt for a faux fruit tree instead. 

What are this summer's colour trends?

Pantone announced Peach Fuzz as 2024’s colour of the year, which they describe as “an appealing peach hue softly nestled between pink and orange.”

It's a beautiful peachy shade which works beautifully for the summer with warm, fuzzy hues that remind us of summer holidays and sunny evenings.

You can bring this trend to your houseplants by choosing plants with elements of peach, along with pretty pinks and warm tones of orange, purple and red.

The peach anthurium or aglaonema ‘red star’ both work beautifully to fit this colour scheme, but you can add this years style to your existing houseplants by pairing them with a peachy pink pot, like our pink vibes fold planter. 

Combine Peach Fuzz with pastel tones of green, blue or yellow to instil a light, summer vibe into your interior.

Trending artificial plants for the summer

Time, knowledge and sheer bad luck can all get in the way of keeping real plants alive. So, when your latest houseplant turns into a brown, wilted mess, it might be time to explore the world of faux plants!

Fortunately, there are plenty of plants to choose from, whose natural counterparts are tricky to care for.

To quickly add colour to your interior, check out our plant bundles including our calathea collection to fit the summer theme.

In keeping with the tropical plant trend, you can't go wrong with a classic chamaedorea palm to bring some tropical greenery to a dark corner.

Whereas in the kitchen, you can opt for some exotic faux flowers like our colourful Hawaiian bunch, which are the pinnacle of summer when sat on your dining table or kitchen island.

If they aren't to your taste, try styling yellow faux flowers or anything with warm, orangery hues to give your space a summer vibe. Read our tips for decorating your dining table with artificial flowers.

In your living room or hallway, consider an artificial olive tree, which are one of this year's key indoor plant trends. These beautiful trees have quickly climbed the ranks of popularity and are excellent for introducing some light, summery greenery to your home.

Get the UK's most popular houseplant with no maintenance worries by checking out an artificial phalaenopsis orchid, or style your desk with the intriguing stripes of our watermelon peperomia plant!

Summer care tips for artificial plants

We love the extra sun during the summer months, but the same can't be said for your faux plants.

Unlike our outdoor artificial plants, our indoor plants aren't designed to be exposed to long periods of direct sunlight. If you're keeping your faux plants in a conservatory or sunny windowsill, try turning them around from time to time to limit any fading that could occur.

Aside from being mindful of the extra sunlight, the only other care your artificial plants will appreciate is a little clean from time to time to keep their leaves looking fresh! Find out how to clean faux flowers and plants or watch our video below.

Need help with summer houseplant trends?

Looking for advice? Discover more interior design articles to transform your space or contact us for help with your faux plants.