9 Velvety Houseplants to Make You Feel All Warm and Fuzzy Inside

Velvety Houseplants: Source

There are many exotic and beautiful houseplants out there, but velvety plants are something extra special. Instead of being slick and shiny, their leaves have a fuzzy quality that makes them feel (as the name suggests) like touching velvet. It’s almost like having a plant and a pet at the same time!

Most of these plants hail from Southeast Asia or South and Central America, where it is thought that the unique texture of their leaves aided in their survival. 

Here is a look at nine velvety indoor plants that will bring a bit of sophistication to any home.

1. Anthurium Clarinervium

This easy-to-care-for, white-veined plant is also referred to as the “velvet cardboard anthurium,” which makes it perfect for our list. Hailing from the south of Mexico, Anthurium Clarinervium has lovely, heart-shaped leaves and produces big, orange berries once a year. It loves warm temperatures and high humidity levels, so the bathroom is an ideal place for this beauty!

2. Philodendron Gloriosum

The Philodendron Gloriosum is another plant with lovable, heart-shaped leaves with white veins on a dark background. This one, though, is a creeper plant, which means that its tendrils grow along the ground as if they are crawling and the stems shoot up from there. When it’s full-grown, you can expect to see white flowers blooming among its leaves each spring/summer. Just be careful not to leave it in direct sunlight -- its leaves are not too heart-y to get a sunburn!

3. Anthurium Crystallinum

Not to be confused with Anthurium Clarinervium, Anthurium Crystallinum has deep, emerald green or red-purple leaves with vivid white veins. It is native to South and Central America, and would be equally happy outdoors or indoors. It loves high humidity, and can require very frequent watering in the summer when it’s dry outside, though it can go without it for weeks in the winter when it isn’t actively growing.

4. Philodendron Verrucosum

Also known as the Ecuador Philodendron, Philodendron Verrucosum is another magnificent specimen with large, heart-shaped leaves. Its leaves, however, are dark green with delicate gold ribbons. It grows fast when it is grown in the right conditions, but you have to be careful to give it lots of room to climb upwards. It is also a bit finicky when it comes to temperature and humidity: it thrives in high humidity levels, but prefers lower (around 60 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures. 

5. Anthurium Magnificum

Native to the Caribbean and Colombia, Anthurium Magnificum is an evergreen with soft, velvety green leaves shaped like hearts with pale white veins. This is a lighter, paler version of the previous Anthuriums on our list, lending it an air of delicacy. It, like the other plants mentioned previously, loves humidity, so be sure to spritz it often or construct a pebble tray to keep the air around it moist.

6. Philodendron Micans

No list of velvety houseplants would be complete without mentioning the Velvet Philodendron, Philodendron Micans. This dark, mysterious-looking plant is a climber, with long vines from which sprout yellow-green leaves with a pinkish hue. As the leaves mature, they transform into a deep, dark green with a reddish-purple underside that truly looks like velvet. Care tips for this one include keeping the roots on the dry side and giving it a nice, big moss pole or trellis to climb up as it grows.

7. Anthurium Warocqueanum (Queen Anthurium)

The noble Queen Anthurium hails from Colombia, but was named after a Belgian plant enthusiast named M. Waroque who was intrigued by the way its velvety, dark green leaves were thick, almost like cardboard. In the wild, this plant can grow up to 4,600 feet tall, so make sure you have lots of space for it! (Also make sure to never let its roots dry out completely, which is contrary to the advice you’ll hear for most indoor plants.)

8. Philodendron Melanochrysum

We’ve got another giant on our hands! Philodendron Melanochrysum is another plant with rich green, heart-shaped leaves, and another one who can climb very high. This velvety plant can grow up to five feet tall in captivity when all its needs are met. It is also another one who does well with a lot of humidity, and would enjoy an environment like a steamy bathroom.

9. Alocasia Frydek

Another velvety plant with another velvety nickname! Alocasia Frydek, better known as the Green Velvet plant, has leaves shaped like arrowheads. They are a striking, electric green with white veins that create distinct divisions between sections of the leaf. With proper care (and less repotting than other plants), it can grow up to three feet tall with 18-inch leaves.

No matter which velvety indoor plant you choose, they all make for a soft, luxurious plant you can’t keep your hands off of!