Top 10 Fragrant Houseplants

Some people want houseplants for the added green, some people want them for their air purifying qualities. And some people just like the look of them. But today we’re going to focus on those people who love the smell of their houseplants! Here’s a list of the top 10 fragrant houseplants, along with a few tips on how to keep them alive!

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Fragrant Houseplant #1: Lavender – Lavandula

Probably one of the easier fragrant plants to grow, lavender has many different beneficial properties. Not only is the scent soothing to aid in falling asleep, but it is also a natural bug repellent! Just make sure that it gets adequate sunlight and moderate water. For info on how to care for this plant, check out my post, Indoor Lavender Plant Care!

Find it here!

Fragrant Houseplant #2: Roses – Rosa

Roses come in all shapes and sizes. When choosing and indoor rose, choose a smaller variety so that it won’t try to take over the entire room! Also, if space is limited, consider purchasing a climbing rose and planting it against a trellis just outside of your window. This will allow you to crack open your window at night for some cool air, as well as the lovely smell of roses.

Check out this miniature fragrant rose here!

Fragrant Houseplant #3: Lemon Balm – Melissa officinalis

This is a wonderfully fragrant plant that, like lavender, also has many different beneficial properties. It can also tolerate less light conditions, however it does like consistent waterings. Don’t let it sit in water, but do try to keep it a bit more moist.

Find it here!

Fragrant Houseplant #4: Gardenia – Gardenia jasminoides

Gardenias smell amazing, but are one of the harder houseplants to keep alive indoors. Generally, they like to be in warm, sunny locations. They also like to be in well-drained soil that is given the chance to dry out just a touch between waterings, but also make sure to keep the leaves dry when watering. Gardenias also like humidity, so either place in a sunny bathroom, or keep it humid with a tray of pebbles and water nearby (this will increase the nearby relative humidity). This can also be planted outside near a window to draw the scent inside, or planted outside and the flowers used in a floral bouquet that will bring the wonderful smell indoors!

Find it here!

Fragrant Houseplant #5: Orchid – Orchidaceae

One of our tropical fragrances, the smell of orchids have become quite popular lately. They are also wonderfully compact plants, and they can usually be encouraged to re-bloom for twice the amount of sweet-smelling flowers each year. Just make sure that it gets enough sunlight and that it stays warm.

Find it here!

Fragrant Houseplant #6: Citrus Plants – Rutaceae

All citrus plants have that distinct, tangy scent that freshens up any indoor space. There are also quite a few dwarf varieties that are becoming available to those who want anything from lemons, to tangerines, to grapefruit in their home!

Check out this indoor orange tree!

Fragrant Houseplant #7: Honeysuckle – Lonicera

When looking for an indoor honeysuckle, make sure to purchase a dwarf variety, or soon it will be taking up way too much space. Just like the roses, this can also be a good option to grow just outside the window and allowed to reach its full size outdoors where the scent can flow in at night.

Find dwarf seeds here, or an outdoor plant here!

Fragrant Houseplant #8: Valerian – Valeriana officinalis

This was a new plant to me and I’ve loved reading up on it! Valerian has many different benefits, ranging from its sleep-inducing vanilla scented flowers to its roots that can be used as a mild sedative. This is a very good plant to have around! It does require a bit more attention indoors, however, as it needs at least 6 hours of sunlight each day and also needs a lot of watering.

Find it here!

Fragrant Houseplant #9: Hoya – Hoya carnosa

Hoya is another one of the easier indoor plants to take care of. While they do like morning sunlight, they prefer more indirect light. The thicker, waxy leaves can also do well with a little bit of neglect and don’t need as much constant watering. The flowers also produce a nice, sleep-inducing fragrance that is perfect for placing in a bedroom.

Find it here!

Fragrant Houseplant #10: Jasmine – Jasminum

Make sure that you buy actual jasmine (Jasminus), and not the fake jasmine (Philadelphus). Both smell great and do well as houseplants, but only the real jasmine contains the sedative properties that are great for inducing sleep through its fragrance, as well as being used for tea. One benefit to jasmine is that it can be planted in a soil-less potting mix, but it does require a higher level of sunlight. But the added attention is definitely worth it when you can fall asleep to the wonderful, sweet fragrance at night.

Find it here!

That’s my list of fragrant, indoor plants! Feel free to comment below if there are any others that you love! And also feel free to ask any questions as well. I hope that we can all benefit from having some of these wonderful fragrant plants in our homes!

Happy Digging!