Growli

Best plants

68 best fragrant houseplants

A plant you can smell earns its place twice over. These species are documented for fragrance — scented blooms or aromatic foliage — from sweetly perfumed flowers to herbs that release scent at a brush of the hand, bringing the garden’s best trick indoors.

How this list is built: plants documented as fragrant or scented — scented flowers or aromatic foliage — in our care notes— filtered from Growli's structured plant-care library, not hand-picked, so it stays consistent and checkable.

PlantLightWaterPets
Angel's TrumpetDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)Every 1-3 days in peak summer growth; far less when dormant or overwinteringToxic to pets
Anise hyssopDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)Weekly wateringPet-safe
Bay laurelDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)Weekly watering in potsMildly toxic to pets
Bellina Moth OrchidBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 5-7 days; when potting media is nearly dry but not bone dryPet-safe
Bush HoyaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly weekly in summer; every 10-14 days in winterPet-safe
Calamondin orangeDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top 2–3 cm (1 inch) of compost feels dryToxic to pets
Calamondin orangeDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 5-10 days in summerToxic to pets
Catasetum OrchidBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Heavy in summer growth; none during winter dormancyMildly toxic to pets
Cattleya orchidBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the bark mix is nearly dry, every 5-10 daysPet-safe
ChamomileDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top of the soil is dry, every 7-10 daysMildly toxic to pets
Chocolate orchidBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the mix is nearly dry, roughly every 5-9 daysPet-safe
Coffee PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 2-3 cm of compost feels dry, roughly every 5-7 days in summer and less in winterToxic to pets
Corn plantMedium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window)When the top half of the soil is dry, every 10-14 daysMildly toxic to pets
Curry Leaf PlantDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top 2-3 cm of soil is dryMildly toxic to pets
Diversifolia Wax PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 1-2 weeks in spring and summer; less in autumn and winterPet-safe
Dracaena 'Lemon Lime'Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 1-2 weeks; let the top 2-5 cm (1-2 in) of soil dry out firstToxic to pets
Dracaena WarneckiiBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 1-2 weeks; let the top 2-5 cm (1-2 in) of soil dry out firstToxic to pets
FreesiaDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)Keep evenly moist while in growth; reduce to nothing once foliage yellows after floweringPet-safe
GardeniaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 2-3cm of compost feels dryMildly toxic to pets
Heart-Leaf KrohnianaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 1-2 inches (2-5 cm) of mix are dryPet-safe
Hindu rope plantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the soil is nearly dry, roughly every 10-14 days in growthPet-safe
HoyaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the soil is mostly dry, every 10-14 daysPet-safe
Hoya 'Mathilde'Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 7-10 days in summer; every 3-4 weeks in winterPet-safe
Hoya AustralisBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)when top 2-3 cm of soil driesPet-safe
Hoya Australis 'Lisa'Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 1-2 weeks; only when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dryPet-safe
Hoya caudata (Sumatra)Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 1-2 weeks in growth; every 2-3 weeks in winterPet-safe
Hoya curtisiiBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly weekly in spring and summer; every 10-14 days in autumn and winterPet-safe
Hoya fungiiBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 1-2 inches of mix are dry, roughly every 1-2 weeksPet-safe
Hoya heuschkelianaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 7-10 days in summer; every 2-3 weeks in winterPet-safe
Hoya Krimson PrincessBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 1-2 weeks; let the soil dry almost completely firstPet-safe
Hoya lacunosaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 7-10 days in spring/summer; much less in autumn/winterPet-safe
Hoya LinearisBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 7-10 days in spring/summer; every 2-3 weeks in winterPet-safe
Hoya Memoria (Gracilis)Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 7-14 days in spring/summer; every 2-3 weeks in winterPet-safe
Hoya ObovataBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top half of the mix is dryPet-safe
Hoya pubicalyxBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 2-3 cm is dry, roughly every 7-10 days in summerPet-safe
Hoya RetusaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 7-10 days in spring/summer; reduce sharply in winterPet-safe
Hoya sigillatisBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 1-2 weeks; let the top 1-2 inches (3-5 cm) of mix dry out firstPet-safe
Hoya SunriseBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top of the mix is dry, roughly every 7-14 daysPet-safe
Hoya wayetiiBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top inch of soil is dryPet-safe
HyacinthBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Weekly watering during growthToxic to pets
Jasmine (Pink Jasmine)Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 2-3cm of soil feels dry, roughly weekly in growthPet-safe
LavenderDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top of the soil is dry, every 10-14 daysMildly toxic to pets
Lemon balmMedium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window)Weekly wateringPet-safe
Lemon verbenaDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)Weekly wateringPet-safe
Lily of the valleyLow light (north window or shaded room)Weekly wateringToxic to pets
Madagascar JasmineBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 2-3cm of soil starts to dry (spring-summer); sparingly in winterPet-safe
Moonlight CactusBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top few centimetres are dry, roughly weekly in summer and around monthly in winterPet-safe
Nummularioides Wax PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 7-10 days in the growing season; roughly every 2 weeks in winterPet-safe
Obscura Wax PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 10-14 days in growth; every 2-3 weeks in winterPet-safe
Paddle Plant (Flapjacks)Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)Every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winterToxic to pets
Pansy OrchidBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 3-5 days; up to 2-3 times weekly in warm, dry spellsPet-safe
Ric Rac CactusBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 2-4 cm of compost is dry, roughly every 7-10 days in summerPet-safe
RosemaryDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top 3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 daysPet-safe
SageDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top of the soil is dry, every 7-14 daysPet-safe
Serpens Wax PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 7-10 days in growth; far less in winterPet-safe
Shiso (Perilla)Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)Roughly every 2-4 days; whenever the top 2-3 cm of soil feels dryMildly toxic to pets
Square Leaf HoyaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top third of the mix dries out (roughly weekly in summer, every 2 weeks in winter)Pet-safe
String Bean HoyaBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the soil is almost fully dry, roughly every 10-14 daysPet-safe
String of picklesDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the soil is fully dry, roughly every 2-3 weeksMildly toxic to pets
Sweet peaDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)Weekly deep wateringToxic to pets
Thomsonii Wax PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top 2-3 cm (about the top 60-80%) of the mix is dry, roughly weekly in spring/summer and less in winterPet-safe
ThymeDirect sun (at least 4-6 hours)When the top of the soil is dry, every 10-14 daysPet-safe
Veined Begonia (Venosa)Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the top half of the soil is dry; sparingly in winter (roughly monthly)Toxic to pets
Verticillata Wax PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 1-2 weeks; when the top 3cm of mix is dryPet-safe
Watch Chain PlantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Every 1-2 weeks in spring/summer; roughly monthly or less in winterMildly toxic to pets
Wax plantBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)When the soil is dry, every 10-14 daysPet-safe
Yesterday-Today-and-TomorrowBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Keep evenly moist; water when the top of the soil starts to dry, roughly 1-2x per week in growth.Toxic to pets
Zygopetalum OrchidBright indirect light (just back from a sunny window)Roughly every 3-7 days; more often in warm, active growth, less in winterMildly toxic to pets

Best fragrant houseplants — frequently asked questions

What makes a plant one of the best fragrant houseplants?

This list is not hand-picked for looks. It is plants documented as fragrant or scented — scented flowers or aromatic foliage — in our care notes, drawn from Growli's structured plant-care library so the selection is consistent and checkable. 68 plants qualify today.

How many fragrant houseplants are there?

Growli currently lists 68 plants that meet the criterion (plants documented as fragrant or scented — scented flowers or aromatic foliage — in our care notes). The list updates as the plant-care library grows; each entry links to a full care guide.

Are these plants safe for cats and dogs?

Not necessarily — this list is selected by plants documented as fragrant or scented — scented flowers or aromatic foliage — in our care notes, not by pet safety. Each plant is tagged with its pet-safety status below, and links to a full ASPCA-sourced pet-safety guide. If you have pets, see the dedicated best pet-safe houseplants list.

More plant shortlists