9 Types of Palm Trees That Will Thrive Indoors

Adding a palm tree to your home is a daily reminder that somewhere in the world, there's a hammock waiting for you and your favorite cold beverage. The first step towards keeping the fantasy alive: choosing a palm tree type that will thrive in your space.

As director of Glasshouse Horticulture with the New York Botanical Garden, Marc Hachadourian oversees soaring palms from around the world under the living museum's iconic 90-foot-tall palm dome—so he knows a thing or two about caring for them indoors. They aren't for the faint of heart: "Palm trees can generally be a little bit of a challenge in the home," Hachadourian says.

Most palms enjoy tremendous amounts of sunlight and higher-than-average humidity in their native environments, he says. And spider mites—a common pest for palms—thrive in the low humidity that household heating and cooling systems create. A grow light on a timer can help with the first need, and misting your palm frequently can help with the second. Additionally, a whole-house humidifier or a simple room humidifier can make both you and your palm more comfortable in the winter months, says Sharon Yiesla with Chicago's Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic.

Yiesla and Hachadourian recommend these types of palm trees for interior gardens—plus a few beautiful look-alikes if this variety is just too fussy for your plant parenting style.