Spooky houseplants are tropical plants whose leaves look like they belong in a monster movie: Monstera deliciosa grows leaves full of holes, the Rattlesnake Plant is patterned like snakeskin and folds its leaves at night, Alocasia 'Dragon Scale' has thick leaves textured like reptile hide, and the Spider Plant dangles baby spiders on long runners. All four grow indoors in any zone, and two of them are safe around cats and dogs. You will find them with the rest of our Halloween plants; here is what makes each one look the part and how to keep it growing.
| Plant | The spooky part | Light | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monstera deliciosa | Holes and splits in mature leaves | Bright, indirect | Toxic |
| Rattlesnake Plant | Snakeskin spots; folds up at night | Low to medium, no direct sun | Non-toxic |
| Alocasia 'Dragon Scale' | Thick, textured leaves like reptile hide | Bright, indirect | Toxic |
| Spider Plant | Baby plants dangling on runners | Low to medium, no direct sun | Non-toxic |
What makes a houseplant look spooky?
Most of it is leaf shape and pattern: holes where a leaf should be solid, markings that look like animal skin, a texture like scales, or dark undersides that show when a leaf turns. Some plants add movement. The Rattlesnake Plant belongs to the prayer plant family, whose leaves rise and fold at dusk, so a plant on a side table looks different at midnight than it did at noon.
Which houseplant has holes in its leaves?
Monstera Deliciosa: The Swiss Cheese Monster
Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss cheese plant, is a climbing tropical native from Mexico to Panama whose mature leaves develop deep splits and oval holes. Young leaves are small and mostly solid; the holes come with age. It is sometimes sold as split-leaf philodendron, but it is not a philodendron.
Give it bright, indirect light and keep it out of strong direct sun. Water thoroughly, then let the top quarter to third of the soil dry before watering again, and water less from fall through late winter. It likes warmth between 60 and 85 degrees F and higher humidity than most homes have. Indoors it can reach 6 to 8 feet over the years, and a moss pole or trellis gives it something to climb; without one it grows sideways. All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals, so keep it away from cats and dogs.
Which houseplant has snakeskin leaves?
Rattlesnake Plant: Serpent's Skin
The Rattlesnake Plant (Goeppertia insignis) is a prayer plant from the rainforests of southeastern Brazil with long, wavy-edged leaves up to 18 inches, light green with alternating small and large dark green spots like the markings on a snake, and purple undersides. In the evening its leaves fold in half and rise, then open again at sunrise.
You may know it as Calathea lancifolia. DNA studies showed that the old Calathea group was really two, and in 2012 botanists moved this plant and its relatives into Goeppertia; its current species name, insignis, followed in 2017 because an older name took priority. The plant is the same, and so is its care.
It wants low to medium light and no direct sun, which scorches the leaves. Keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy, water a little less in winter, and hold it between 65 and 75 degrees F, away from drafts and heating vents. Humidity matters more for this plant than almost anything else, and dry air makes its leaves curl and roll. It is non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Which houseplants have scaly leaves or dangling spiders?
Alocasia 'Dragon Scale': Reptile Hide
Alocasia 'Dragon Scale' (Alocasia baginda) is a compact elephant ear from Borneo with thick, arrow-shaped, silvery-green leaves crossed by dark green veins, so each leaf looks like a plate of dragon scale. Give it bright, indirect light, keep it above 60 degrees F, and keep humidity high.
Water when the top of the soil starts to dry and cut back in winter, since soggy soil rots alocasias quickly. Like Monstera, it contains calcium oxalate and is toxic to cats and dogs. For more elephant ears, browse our alocasia collection.
Spider Plant: Dangling Spiders
The Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is a clump of arching, striped leaves 12 to 18 inches long, native from tropical West Africa to South Africa. Once it matures it sends out long runners tipped with baby plants that hang over the edge of the pot like spiders on silk, which is why it belongs in a hanging basket for Halloween.
Runners form when days are short, under about 12 hours of light for three weeks or more, so fall and winter are when the spiders appear, and too much fertilizer means fewer of them. It grows in low to medium light, needs no direct sun, and only asks that you keep it above 45 degrees F. It is non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Which spooky houseplants are safe for cats and dogs?
The Rattlesnake Plant and the Spider Plant are both non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, so they are the two to put within reach of pets. Monstera and Alocasia 'Dragon Scale' contain calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth and throat when chewed; keep them on a high shelf or in a room pets do not use. For more choices, browse our pet-safe plants.
How do you keep tropical houseplants happy indoors in fall?
Fall is when these plants struggle most: the light drops, the heat comes on, and the air dries out. Move them closer to a bright window without letting leaves touch cold glass, keep them away from heating vents and drafty doors, and water less often as growth slows. Group humidity lovers like the Rattlesnake Plant and the alocasia together, or run a humidifier nearby. If your plants spent summer outside, our guide to moving houseplants indoors for winter covers the transition, and full-spectrum grow lights help in a dark room.
Find more monsters for your shelves: Shop houseplants.
