Indoor Plant Guide
Indoor plants that suit Riyadh homes and offices: how much light and water each one needs, and how easy it is to care for.
Every plant has a full profile with the rooms that suit it and how safe it is around cats and dogs.
A tip for Riyadh homes
Riyadh homes run air-conditioning most of the year, which drops indoor humidity to 15–25%. Keep plants out of the direct blast of AC vents, group humidity-loving plants together or use a small humidifier, and use filtered water for plants that brown at the tips. West-facing windows get harsh afternoon sun in summer; place plants a metre back or behind a sheer curtain.
7 plants
Small (up to 40 cm)أغاف
Agave
Agave spp.
- Direct sun
- Low water (every 2–4 weeks)
- Easy
Small (up to 40 cm)الألوفيرا (الصبار)
Aloe Vera
Aloe barbadensis miller
- Direct sun
- Low water (every 2–4 weeks)
- Easy
Large (90–150 cm)عصفور الجنة (ستريليتزيا ريجيني)
Bird of Paradise (Orange)
Strelitzia reginae
- Direct sun
- Medium water (every 1–2 weeks)
- Medium
Medium (40–90 cm)كروتون
Croton
Codiaeum variegatum
- Bright indirect light
- Medium water (every 1–2 weeks)
- Medium
Small (up to 40 cm)نبتة اليشم (كراسولا)
Jade Plant
Crassula ovata
- Direct sun
- Low water (every 2–4 weeks)
- Easy
Small (up to 40 cm)ستابيليا (صبار نجم البحر)
Starfish Cactus (Carrion Flower)
Stapelia spp.
- Bright indirect light
- Low water (every 2–4 weeks)
- Easy
Large (90–150 cm)يوكا
Yucca
Yucca gigantea (syn. Y. elephantipes)
- Direct sun
- Low water (every 2–4 weeks)
- Easy
Illustrative images
Indoor plant questions
Which indoor plants are best for a bedroom?
Choose plants that cope with medium or low light and need little fuss, such as Peace Lily, Snake Plant, Cast Iron Plant, Bamboo Palm, Chinese Evergreen (Red Lime). Keep them out of the direct AC draft.
Which plants tolerate low light in Riyadh?
Plants marked "low light" in the guide, such as Peace Lily, ZZ Plant, Snake Plant, Golden Pothos (Money Plant), Prayer Plant, Cast Iron Plant, live happily in inner rooms and offices without a nearby window.
Which plants are safe for cats?
16 plants in this guide are recorded as non-toxic by the ASPCA, including Money Tree, Spider Plant, Areca Palm, Moth Orchid, Cymbidium Orchid, Boston Fern. Use the "Pet-safe only" filter to see them all, and call a vet immediately if a pet eats any plant.
Why are my plant's leaf tips turning brown?
Riyadh homes run air-conditioning most of the year, which drops indoor humidity to 15–25%. Keep plants out of the direct blast of AC vents, group humidity-loving plants together or use a small humidifier, and use filtered water for plants that brown at the tips. West-facing windows get harsh afternoon sun in summer; place plants a metre back or behind a sheer curtain.