21 Front Door Plants Ideas for a Vibrant and Lush Entryway Space

By: Matt Slaymaker
December 13, 2023
Front Door Plants
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Plants introduce a welcoming, restful feeling to any space; even a boring front door or small entryway can look lovely with the right plants. Well-chosen front door plants can brighten your home’s entrance and make it truly feel like home.

What Plants Look Good at the Front Door?

Your entryway is the first thing anyone, who enters your home, will see. Plants can be instrumental in creating a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere in this often neglected space. Bigger indoor entryway plants, or flowering varieties, like an eye-catching Areca palm or bright poinsettias, can help you decorate your front door space and increase your home’s curb appeal.

Plants for Front Door Entrance: Tips, Dos and Don'ts

Plants for Front Door Entrance Tips
Source: HouseOf9Design

 

Before you go ahead and buy some plants for your front door entrance, take a look at our brief list of things you need to consider:

  • Placing your plants outdoors or indoors

A well-decorated front door space becomes a highlight of your home’s exterior. Not everyone, however, wants to put plants where only passersby will see them. Decorating your indoor entryway can be as important. After all, you’ll see your plants each time you enter or exit your home, so choose those that will lift your mood each time! 

  • Match your home’s style 

Think for a moment what impression you want your home to make. If you’re aiming for a rustic, homey look, you’ll need to choose less striking plants than you would for an elegant or tropical vibe, for instance.

  • Consider the overall plant arrangement

Decide whether you want to focus on a single centerpiece, a harmonious display of several plants, or two exactly matching highlight plants on both sides of your door. This will dictate what type of plants you’ll need.

  • Increasing curb appeal

If your front door is visible from the sidewalk, you might want to consider plants that will boost your home’s curb appeal. Will your plants be visible from afar? Larger or brightly flowering plants may be the better option if you want your home to stand out.

  • Pet Safety Concerns

If you own a pet, remember to check that the plants you choose for decorating your doorstep aren’t a threat to your cat or dog. For instance, lilies are beautiful but are also one of the deadliest plants for cats, so placing them by your front door wouldn’t be a good idea.

What Plants Are Good Luck at the Front Door?

Some plants are considered luckier than others to have near your front door. According to Feng Shui, plants can be used to promote prosperity and well-being in your home. Chrysanthemums, lucky bamboo, pothos, and the Areca Palm are all excellent examples of Feng Shui luck-bringers. Plants are associated with the wood element, symbolizing growth and vitality, in the five elements central to Feng Shui.

21 Front Door Plants Ideas

No matter whether you’ve decided to focus on the entryway indoors or on the front door space outside, finding the right plants can be challenging. These 21 front door plants ideas come with detailed information about the growing conditions they need, as well as how to best use them for front-door and entryway décor. Here we go:

1. Money Tree – The Luck-Bringing Houseplant

Like other plants with soft, rounded leaves, the money tree (Pachira aquatica) is considered a lucky plant to position near your home’s front door in Feng Shui. It needs warmth, so can only be placed outside where night temperatures don’t drop below 45°F. It needs indirect light and medium watering. 

2. Dieffenbachia – Centerpiece with Gorgeous Leaves

Dieffenbachia

 Dieffenbachia, also called dumb cane or leopard lily, is one of the best front door plants to make your home’s entrance truly eye-catching. This charming plant with big, showy leaves needs partial sunlight and humidity to flourish. Native to the Caribbean and South America, it can grow in outdoor containers in warmer zones but will need to be placed in the shade to avoid sunburn. 

3. Zeylanica Snake Plant – Stripes and Bands

 The snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) has the reputation of being hard to kill and thriving on neglect. It’s also ideal for narrow entryways because it grows upwards. The snake plant’s striking sword-like leaves come in a variety of colors, ranging from variegated light green and yellows to dark, deep green. The Zeylanica snake plant is one of the most beautiful varieties with its striped pattern of bright green and lighter green. 

4. Fiddle Leaf Plant – Unusual and Popular Drama Queen

Fiddle Leaf Plant
Source: HouseOf9Design 

 Not the easiest indoor houseplant, the fiddle leaf plant (Ficus lyrata) requires stable growing conditions and extra care. All of this is more than compensated by its unconventional appeal that immediately makes this fastidious beauty the center of attention. If you decide to grow it outdoors, note that it needs a shady spot and stable temperatures that never drop beyond 50°F. 

5. Flamingo Plant – Vibrant and Exotic at Heart

 The flamingo plant (Anthurium andraeanum) is a beautiful, eye-catching plant with glossy, heart-shaped leaves and alluring red flowers. It doesn’t need too much care and has a long blossoming time, allowing you to enjoy its tropical blooms year-round. 

6. Banana Leaf Plant – Perfect for the Ultimate Tropical Look

Banana Leaf Plant
Source: Decorilla 

The banana leaf plant (Musa spp.) is an excellent large plant that will immediately introduce a tropical note to your entryway. In warmer hardiness zones, this plant can grow outdoors, too. Easy to care for and pet-friendly, it makes a lovely addition to your home. It’s a tall plant, however, so make sure you have enough space if you want to grow it indoors!   

7. Chinese Money Plant – Lucky and Easy

The round leaves of the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) resemble coins, and it is considered a fortune-bringing plant in Feng Shui. Perfect for hanging planters or trellises, this lovely little plant will brighten your home’s entrance with its peculiar charm. 

8. Peace Lily – Elegant Resilience

The peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is one of the prettiest flowering front door plants, with its exotic, hooded white flowers. A symbol of peace, this lovely plant is also known to be an excellent air purifier. A good fit for a shady porch in the summer, this plant needs to be kept out of the cold. 

9. Moth Orchid – Luxurious Feast for the Eyes

Moth Orchid
Source: Lushome

Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis amabilis) are popular in interior design because of their lengthy blooming time and relatively easy growing requirements. They do best in warm and humid places, away from draughts and fluctuating temperatures. They’re great for introducing some color, as moth orchids are available in a variety of hues.   

10. ZZ Plant – Reliable and Beginner-Friendly

 ZZ plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) are tough and require little care, as long as you don’t overwater them and keep them out of the scorching sunrays. Their elegant, curving stems with glossy green leaves easily become the focal point of every living space. Grown as indoor plants in most US climate zones, they can be moved outside in the summer but need protection from rain and direct sun. 

11. Golden Pothos – The Cheerful Vine

A firm favorite with houseplant owners, golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is an evergreen vine. These ideal entryway plants thrive in low-light indoor spaces. They’re low-maintenance and add a sunny cheerfulness and vitality to any space they occupy. 

12. Orange Flower Bird of Paradise – Tropical Enchantress

The Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginea) is a spectacular plant. It blooms with exotic orange flowers and its big and glossy leaves provide a lovely dark contrast to the flowers. Surprisingly an easy-to-grow plant, Bird of Paradise needs bright sunlight and occasional repotting. 

13. Geranium – Charming Simplicity

Geranium

 Garden geraniums (Pelargonium hortorum) are possibly the most popular patio flowers. Very easy to grow and available in numerous colors, these plants need around 4-6 hours of sunlight per day. They can be a perfect fit for a light country-style entryway. 

14. Sago Palm – A Tropical Patio Favorite

The Sago palm (Cycas revoluta) is a spectacular favorite for decorating patios and front door spaces. It’s not surprising, considering their lovely tropical look and how easy they are to grow. These beautiful palms are perfect for placing in direct sunlight. 

15. Peacock Plant  – A Reverent Masterpiece

The peacock plant (Calathea roseopicta) is also known as the prayer plant, because it raises its leaves in the evening, as if in prayer, and lowers them in the morning. The striking colorful pattern on the leaves of this plant is amazing.  

16. Lucky Bamboo Plant – Popular Good Luck Charm

Lucky Bamboo Plant

 

The plant called lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) doesn’t actually belong to the bamboo species. It’s a popular symbol of good luck in Feng Shui, believed to promote good energy and fortune. Its pretty leaves and upright stems also make it a beautiful choice for a shady front door space; it needs to be protected from direct sun. 

17. Boston Fern – Bushy Woodland Dweller

 Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) look beautiful in hanging planters or vase-like pots placed by the front door or in the entryway. These bushy, attractive plants grow well both indoors and outdoors, provided that they receive enough water and aren’t placed in direct sunlight. 

18. Burgundy Rubber Tree – Spectacular and Unusual

 For a plant that looks striking and different, look no further than the rubber tree (Ficus robusta). Belonging to the large ficus family, the Burgundy rubber tree has hard, leathery leaves that are bright red when they unfold and turn deep, dark green with red midveins when fully grown.     

19. Areca Palm – Exotic and Airy Grace

The Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) is another popular palm tree that thrives both outdoors and indoors. It’s low-maintenance and grows best in indirect sunlight. It could do with monthly cleaning by removing any dead fronds.

20. Pygmy Date Palm – Great Palm for Tropical Glamor

 The pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) is a marvelous plant that will atmospherically transport your home into the tropics. This beautiful palm can grow to 12 ft tall – don’t be fooled by its name. It can grow indoors in colder climate zones. 

21. Split Leaf Philodendron – Benevolent Giant

The split leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) is highly popular in interior design. This tall plant has huge leaves and requires support to keep itself upright. Its jungle vibes make it an excellent plant for livening up empty indoor spaces.  

Conclusion

Finding a good plant for your front door or entryway is something that takes thought and deliberation. Entryway plants should be attractive and lush, fitting your space and light conditions. You can go for plants with beautiful big leaves, like monstera, alocasia, or some variety of palm, or choose smaller plants that produce bright flowers, like the flamingo plant or poinsettias. Above all, choose something that will make your day as you leave for and return from work!