Plants add a splash of green to your TV and will brighten the area, making it look fresh and clean. Bringing a bit of nature indoors will soften the ambiance and create a beautiful feel when placed next to the TV.
Below are the 13 best plants to put next to your TV.
- Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa)
- Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
- ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
- Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)
- Maranta or prayer plant (Maranta arundinacea)
- Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Boat orchid (Cymbidium)
- African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
- Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
- Banana leaf fig tree (Ficus maclellandii)
- Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
- Dracaena limelight (Dracaena fragrans ‘Limelight’)
This article will explore each of these plants in more detail to understand why they make a fantastic addition to your TV and what you need to look out for in caring for them. This information should help you pick the right plant, so read on!
1. Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa)
With its beautiful large, glossy, and heart-shaped leaves, this magnificent plant will look amazing when placed on the floor next to a TV cabinet.
The Swiss cheese plant needs a warm and humid environment and temperatures of 60 to 80 °F (16 to 27 °C), with medium-light but no direct sunlight. Keep the well-draining soil moist and water well when the soil’s upper 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) is dry to the touch.
When your TV is not in use, open the windows to let the sunlight in and allow your Swiss cheese plant to enjoy at least 6 hours of natural light. TV light is not sufficient to supplement the light requirements of any plant, especially when you don’t use your TV daily.
If the plant is still small, you can put it next to the TV on top of the cabinet. However, you may need to move it to a more suitable spot as it grows. After all, it is a tropical evergreen vine that will gladly wrap its lovely leaves around a moss pole as it grows in height and width.
You can place a larger plant in its planter in a bamboo basket on the floor or a decorative cachepot if the plant has not yet reached a good height. A monstera will grow about 2 feet (0.6 meters) a year in the right conditions, so expect a new leaf every 3 to 4 weeks.
This plant can grow as tall as 10 to 15 feet (3.1 to 4.6 meters). As the plant grows, it can transition from the top of the cabinet to the floor next to the TV. When positioned on the floor, make sure there will be enough space for this exotic plant to expand in width and height.
2. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
The Boston fern or sword fern has beautiful, green, and lush, arching fronds that can reach lengths of up to 5 feet (1.5 meters). With its showy, hanging leaves, this plant will look lovely when placed on a stand next to the TV. Or you could hang this beautiful fern in a low hanging basket suspended from the ceiling next to the TV.
Hang the fern a few inches (5+ cm) above the top of the TV. You can also place another fern on a stand on the side. Positioning the ferns in this way will create a lush frame for your TV.
Whatever the position, ensure that the long fronds don’t touch the heated parts of your TV to prevent them from drying up.
This YouTube video will give you a nice visual of a fern in a low-hanging basket suspended from the ceiling:
Boston ferns will be happy in temperatures of 65 to 90 °F (18 to 32 °C), high humidity, and 2 hours of indirect light per day. Stand the fern on a pebble tray and mist the fronds at least once daily between waterings to ensure that the humidity is comfortable for the plant.
Boston ferns enjoy being watered weekly if kept in a room with high humidity (60%), but those placed in hangers might require more frequent watering. The soil of these ferns should always be damp, so check the soil every few days. If the top inch (2.5 cm) is dry, give the plant a drink.
3. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
If your TV stands on a low and lengthy cabinet, you could place a peace lily in a bright ceramic or plastic pot on the side of the TV. If the TV is near a window, this is ideal for the plant to receive indirect morning sunlight.
A peace lily has glossy, dark green, oval leaves and a white spathe-like flower. This plant grows well in temperatures above 60 °F (16 °C), medium light, and high humidity. Peace lilies will grow between 1 to 6 inches (2.5 to 15 centimeters) per year and reach 1 to 4 feet (0.3 to 1.2 meters) tall.
Give this plant a generous amount of water once a week and ensure the soil is dry 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) deep before watering it again. Peace lilies don’t like completely dry soil so mist them with distilled water once or twice a week between waterings to keep the plant hydrated.
4. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The ZZ plant, with its beautiful, waxy, smooth, broad, dark green leaves, can reinvigorate any room at home. Show off this lovely plant by planting it in a ceramic or terracotta pot. The ZZ plant will look attractive if placed on a wooden plant stand next to the TV.
Alternatively, you can put small ZZ plants in a few terracotta pots of various sizes and display them in different positions on the stand’s shelves.
These plants do great in the relatively darker TV room in your home due to their unique tolerance to low light and high temperatures. ZZ plants will thrive in low indirect sunlight, temperatures between 65 and 85 °F (18 and 29 °C), and low humidity of 40 to 50%.
Water the ZZ plant when the soil is dry 2-3 inches (5-7.6 cm) deep in the pot. This plant will grow about 6 inches (15 cm) per month and reach 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters).
This YouTube video takes you through the main aspects to care for ZZ plants:
5. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)
Plant this beautiful green specimen in an oriental-themed pottery cachepot and place it next to a TV on the mantel above the fireplace. With its lovely leaves, this plant will look exquisite next to the dark-colored TV.
This gorgeous leafy indoor plant is a lovely low-light indoor plant that is easy to grow. The shiny, oval, and leathery leaves have patterns of green and gray, and the plant grows lush and bushy, making a wonderful show.
Care for the Chinese evergreen by keeping the temperature between 68 and 77 °F (20 and 25 °C) and the humidity at around 50%. Water the plant every week in spring and summer to keep the soil moist. This plant will need less watering in winter and if the light intensity is low.
Chinese evergreens like to be gently misted to keep their leaves hydrated. These plants are slow growers, but they can reach a height of 3 feet (0.9 meters). They can also grow up to 3 feet (0.9 meters) in width.
6. Maranta or Prayer Plant (Maranta arundinacea)
Place a prayer plant in a bright ceramic pot on one of the platforms on something like a 4-tier flowerpot stand. Position this stand next to the TV for an eye-catching display of gorgeous greenery. You can fill the other three platforms with various low-light plants.
The prayer plant has evergreen, oval, variegated leaves that are flat during the day but fold up in the evenings, which is why they are called the prayer plant. The leaves have intricate brush-like strokes of patterns in various colors, and the undersides are often a dark red.
If the plant is content and healthy, it may produce small three-petalled flowers, although this is rare for an indoor plant.
Maranta plants like a potting mix with good aeration and high moisture retention, such as those rich in peat. When kept in such a condition, your plant will appreciate a weekly watering. Never let the soil dry out completely.
They thrive in a humidity of 60%, so placing the pot over a pebble tray with water will be ideal. You can also mist the leaves daily between waterings to clean the wide leaves of dust and debris.
Since the plant closes its leaves at night, it’s best to spray the leaves in the late afternoon before the foliage folds. It’s important to keep this in mind because you wouldn’t want to interfere with your plant’s transpiration during the day and risk moisture-related problems when kept too moist overnight.
The ideal room temperature for this plant is from 65 to 70 °F (18 to 21°C). They typically tolerate low-light conditions but may become leggy when they don’t get enough sunlight. Ensure your TV room receives at least 6 hours of natural light daily.
7. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
With its small ‘spiderette’ plants dangling from the mother plant, this lovely spider plant is easy to grow. It will look charming when placed on a high stool next to the TV in any room. You can also hang this lovely plant on a low-hanging macrame plant hanger next to the TV.
The spider plant favors well-drained soil, cooler temperatures of 55 to 65 °F (13 to 18 °C), the humidity of 40 to 60%, and will grow well in low light conditions.
This plant grows quickly and will spread to 2 to 2.5 feet (0.6 to 0.8 meters) wide and 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) long. Water a regular potted plant once a week with filtered or rainwater by thoroughly soaking the soil and letting the water drain from the drainage hole.
Hanging plants may need more frequent watering. Inspect the soil regularly and water when the top 2 inches (5 cm) are dry.
Like with any plant, keep the foliage of your spider plant from touching the TV to avoid physical damage on the leaves when the TV gets too hot.
8. Boat Orchid (Cymbidium)
What can be more beautiful next to your TV than a flowering orchid standing tall (up to 2 feet or 0.6 meters) with long thin, apple-green colored leaves? The boat orchid’s flower is delicate and beautiful in shades of pink, green, yellow, or white.
You can mist this plant frequently to keep it hydrated and free from spider mites. This orchid requires weekly watering but check the soil first and only water when the soil is dry.
Boat orchids prefer dappled light and can thrive in low-light conditions. Similarly, you’ll have a better viewing experience if your TV doesn’t receive direct sunlight from the window. You can place your plant next to the TV in a slightly shaded area of the room.
Another advantage of keeping these orchids in the TV room is that they enjoy similar conditions as humans. They like temperatures between 65 and 75 °F (18 and 24 °C) and humidity levels of about 50%.
They’re also easy to maintain. Watering twice a week when the weather is warm and once a week during winter is the perfect growing condition for an orchid. If the air is dry, give the plant a misting on the leaves and roots but be careful not to saturate the flowers.
9. African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
If you have a shelf next to the TV and a few feet away from the west or south-facing window, you could place a row of potted African violets on the rack. These happy tiny rosette-shaped plants will create a beautiful show with their little flowers. Plant various colored violets in bright-colored ceramic pots to enhance the dark TV set.
African violets are popular houseplants with pretty flowers that are white, pink, maroon, blue, lavender, violet, or deep purple in color. The flowers have various shapes that make these cute flowers even more appealing. Their leaves have a velvety texture and can be round, oval, or heart-shaped.
Care for your African violets by keeping the temperature at 65 to 80 °F (18 to 27 °C). The plant will be happy to receive low light shining from the window.
Water these plants with tepid water whenever the soil is dry. Allow the top inch (2.5 cm) of the plant’s soil to dry out before the next watering, and do not overwater as this can kill the plant.
The downside of placing your African violets next to your TV is that they are unlikely to get enough humidity. These plants require 80% humidity, but they don’t enjoy misting. You can maintain the humidity around your African violets by placing the pot above a pebbled tray and placing plants with similar requirements around it.
10. Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
Snake plants grow well and look attractive in terracotta containers when placed on the floor in a corner next to the TV. You could make a stunning display of a group of snake plants in different sizes and in various-sized terracotta pots.
Use tables or stands to give some height to the exhibit. Place some white pebble stones on top of the soil to add aesthetics to the plant.
The leaves are long, sword-like, and dark green with wavy lighter green bands. A snake plant is easy to grow and will do well in low-light areas. It is slow to grow, often only 2 inches (5 cm) per year, but it can reach 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) in height.
They’re relatively easy to maintain, as they can thrive in a wide temperature range between 55 and 85 (13 to 29 °C) and a comfortable humidity level of around 40%.
Water your plant every 10-14 days or when the soil is dry halfway down the pot. Do not mist this plant as it could cause overwatering.
11. Banana Leaf Fig Tree (Ficus maclellandii)
The TV is usually quite huge in boardrooms or meeting rooms and is most often placed in the center against a wall. Plants are often used to smarten up the corporate look.
Placing a tall banana leaf fig tree in a glazed cachepot in the corner next to the TV will do just that. Ideally, stand the plant on the side closest to the window.
The banana leaf fig has long, thick, slightly curved, narrow, olive-green leaves which graciously droop down from the tree, adding an exotic look to the boardroom.
These leaves grow to 3 to 10 inches (8 to 25 cm) long, and the plant grows to 10 feet (3.1 meters) in height. The shrub can be developed with one or multiple stems and looks stunning if the stems are braided.
Prune the plant regularly to manage the size if it’s stretching so much that it blocks your TV screen or touches the TV’s heated parts.
This plant prefers temperatures between 60 and 85 °F (16 and 29 °C) with medium humidity and indirect light from a nearby window. Keep the soil only slightly moist but be careful not to overwater this plant.
12. Cast-Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Opt for a cast-iron plant if you want some greenery to enhance the TV in a study or bar area. The plant, with its lovely bushy appearance, will look attractive in a cachepot with a brass electroplating finish when placed on the floor next to the TV.
The cast-iron plant is an evergreen that has long, rigid, and pointed leaves. The plant is a slow grower but will reach 2 feet (0.6 meters) tall and 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) wide.
It grows well in low light and in temperatures of 60 to 70 °F (16 to 21 °C) with well-draining soil. However, ensure that the plant receives enough natural light to keep it growing upright. Rotate the pot by 90° every time you water the plant to prevent the stems and leaves from leaning or turning yellow.
Cast-iron plants are fond of humid conditions. It is best to keep the plant’s soil moist but not soggy.
13. Dracaena Limelight (Dracaena fragrans ‘Limelight’)
This plant has bright, glossy, yellow-green leaves and grows to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and will look stunning on the floor next to the TV. Place the plant on a shelf if it is small, and once it reaches maturity, it can stand on the floor. You can plant a Dracaena Limelight in a sturdy pot with a drainage hole and water tray.
Dracaena Limelight plants will grow in low light conditions but also favor some indirect sunlight. This plant prefers temperatures of 65 to 80 °F (18 to 27 °C) and does not require high humidity but will enjoy the occasional misting.
Ideally, water this plant when the soil surface (upper inch or 2.5 cm) has dried thoroughly. Always use tepid filtered or rainwater to keep your plant healthy.
Is a TV Harmful to Plants?
The TV will not harm your plants at all. However, consider the plant’s temperature, humidity, and light requirements when choosing the perfect greenery to place next to a TV. Ideally, you should place the plant on the side of the TV closest to the window. Even low-light plants need 4-6 hours of natural light daily.
To learn more on whether TVs affect indoor plants, check out this article: Do TVs Affect Indoor Plants?
Conclusion
Your TV will have no adverse effect on your houseplants, so it is safe to position plants next to your television in any room of your home or workplace. Be sure to choose plants that favor low light if there is no window near where the plant is placed.
Also, consider the temperature and humidity conditions when choosing a plant to position next to the TV. Plants bring beautiful green and fresh aesthetics to any room and will add a soft touch to the TV area as long as their optimum growth requirements are maintained.
