5 of the best Climbing Indoor Plants

Adding climbing indoors plants to your space is the ultimate way to introduce height and contrast to your space. 

By providing a support system such as a totem pole or trellis, we are mimicking many plants natural environment. This encourages the plants to throw out aerial roots from the side of the plant stem, acting as another support system to ground the plant and prevent it collapsing due to being top heavy, as well as encouraging the leaves to grow larger as they mature. 

Vining varieties are versatile including Creeping Fig or English Ivy which can scale vertical supports, trail over the side of a pot or used as a ground cover underplanting trees.  

Read on to find out 5 of the best climbing indoor plants to add to your collection, along with exactly how to help them thrive.  

Philodendron Silversword  

Looking to elevate your indoor plant game? The Philodendron Silversword  (Philodendron hastatum) is a natural climber native to the tropical rainforests of South America. The Philodendron Silversword uses its aerial roots to scale large tree trunks, chasing filtered light in the canopy. Indoors, it brings it's natural tropical charm with its silver-blue foliage, shaped like distinct arrowheads. 

• Light requirements: Thrives in bright-indirect light. Lack of light will stretch out the stems, resulting in leggy growth.  

• Watering Requirements: Let the top few centimetres of soil to dry out completely between watering. While it loves consistent moisture, keeping the soil soggy will lead to root rot. 

• Support System: As it is a natural climber, ensure to provide a support system such as a totem pole or trellis to encourage larger, mature foliage. This will also strengthen the plant itself. Lack of support may cause the plant to become top heavy and break.  

• Humidity: Mimic the tropical rainforest environment around your plants with a few methods including: clustering your indoor plants to create a micro-climate; placing a pebble tray filled with water near your plants or running a humidifier. 

• Feeding: Fertilise with a balance liquid fertiliser during the growing season. 

• Pet friendliness: Philodendron Silversword is not pet friendly.  

Monstera Monkey Mask  

The Monstera Monkey Mask also known as Swiss Cheese is native to the tropical forests of Central and South America. It is a compact plant that features heart shaped leaves with oval fenestrations that grow bigger as the plant matures.  

• Light requirements: Thrives in bright-indirect light. Lack of light will stretch out the stems, resulting in a leggy plant.  

• Watering Requirements: Let the top few centimetres of soil to dry out completely between watering.  

• Support System: As it is a natural climber, ensure to provide a support system such as a totem pole or trellis to encourage larger, mature foliage. Monstera Monkey Mask can also be left to trail over the side of the pot. 

• Humidity: Mimic the tropical rainforest environment around your plants with a few methods including: clustering your indoor plants to create a micro-climate; placing a pebble tray filled with water near your plants or running a humidifier. 

• Feeding: Fertilise with a balance liquid fertiliser during the growing season  

• Pet Friendliness: This Monkey Mask is not pet friendly unfortunately.  

Silver Satin Pothos 

 Silver Satin Pothos is a unique two toned plant with the base of the heart shaped leaves being dark green, and abstract grey speckles throughout the face of the leaf. 

• Light requirements: Thrives in bright-indirect light. Lack of light will stretch out the stems, resulting in a leggy plant.  Exposing the plant to full direct sun will cause the leaves to lose their variegation and burn.  

• Watering requirements: Let the top few centimetres of soil to dry out completely between watering. While it loves consistent moisture, keeping the soil soggy will lead to root rot. 

• Support System: Provide a support system such as a totem pole or trellis to allow the Pothos Silver Satin to climb, and enable the leaves to grow larger and stronger. 

• Humidity: Mimic the tropical rainforest environment around your plants with a few methods including: clustering your indoor plants to create a micro-climate; placing a pebble tray filled with water near your plants or running a humidifier. 

• Feeding: Fertilise with a balance liquid fertiliser during the growing season  

• Pet Friendliness: Unfortunately the Pothos Silver Satin is toxic to pets, so ensure to keep high up or away.  

There are many cultivars of the Satin Pothos including:  

• S. pictus ‘Silvery Anne’ 

• S. pictus ‘Silver Hero’ 

• S. pictus ‘Exotica’ 

• S. pictus ‘Argyraeus’ 

Philodendron Pink Princess 

The Philodendron Pink Princess has been a sought after houseplant for its multicoloured leaves showcasing a very dark green base leaf with speckles and on occasion (and wanted) pink speckles or half-moon coloured leaves. The Philodendron Pink Princess has large, long slender tear dropped shaped leaves, featuring a burgundy stem.  

• Light requirements: Thrives in bright-indirect light, where the brighter the indirect light the higher the chance of the Philodendron throwing out more pink leaves. Lack of light will stretch out the stems, resulting in a leggy plant. 

• Watering requirements: Let the top few centimetres of soil to dry out completely between watering. While it loves consistent moisture, keeping the soil soggy will lead to root rot. 

• Support System: Provide a support system such as a totem pole or trellis to allow your Philodendron Pink Princess to climb, and enable the leaves to grow larger and stronger. 

• Humidity: Mimic the tropical rainforest environment around your plants with a few methods including: clustering your indoor plants to create a micro-climate; placing a pebble tray filled with water near your plants or running a humidifier. 

• Feeding: Fertilise with a balance liquid fertiliser during the growing season  

• Pet Friendliness: Unfortunately Philodendron Pink Princess is toxic to pets, so ensure to keep high up or away.  

• Variegation: The strength of the variegation in a Philodendron Pink Princess is attributed to the light levels supplied. The brighter the indirect light is, the stronger the variegation is and will continue to be for the future leaves. The lower the light, the plant will lose its variegation over time. If your Pink Princess is losing variegation, cut the plant back to the most recent variegated leaf and ensure to change the lighting location to encourage the new leaves to be marked with pink. 

Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)  

Ficus Pumila also known as a Creeping Fig or Climbing Fig is known for its fast growing nature and climbing ability on many surfaces. Climbing Fig has small heart-shaped leaves, and uses its aerial roots to attach itself to many surfaces including concrete, brick, walls and timber, as well as indoors on Ironbark totem poles. They can also be used to cascade over pots for a hanging look. 

• Light requirements: Thrives in bright-indirect light. Avoid harsh direct dun which can scorch the foliage. 

• Watering requirements: Prefers consistently moist soil, ensuring to never let the soil dry out completely as this can cause leaf drop. 

• Support System: Let the Ficus Pumilia cascade over pots, or climb up on a textured surface such as walls, totem pole or trellis.  

• Humidity: This plant loves high humidity, making it the ideal choice for terrariums or bathrooms. Humidity can be created by clustering your indoor plants to create a micro-climate; placing a pebble tray filled with water near your plants or running a humidifier. 

• Feeding: Fertilise with a balance liquid fertiliser during the growing season  

• Pet Friendliness: Toxic to pets. 

Looking to add some climbing plants to your collection? Visit your local The Grow Centre store today to explore our range of climbing plants today.