If you own a Monstera, Philodendron or Pothos, you are already growing an aroid. The family Araceae includes thousands of species, from familiar houseplants to rare tropical climbers, and once you start looking into them, it is remarkably easy to see why so many people become collectors.
The good news is that you do not need to learn a completely different care routine for every plant in your collection. Most aroids have similar preferences when it comes to light, watering, humidity, temperature and potting mix. Understanding those basics gives you a useful foundation for growing everything from an easy-going Epipremnum to a more demanding Anthurium.
We grow a over 10,000 different aroids at our nursery, from everyday favourites to some of the more unusual species, and they are among the plants we get asked about most. In this guide, we’ll cover what makes a plant an aroid, why they are so well suited to growing indoors and the simple principles that will help you keep yours happy.
What Is an Aroid?
An aroid is a plant belonging to the family Araceae, a large and wonderfully varied group that includes many of our favourite houseplants. One of the easiest ways to recognise an aroid is by its unusual flower structure: a column of tiny flowers called a spadix, usually surrounded by a modified leaf called a spathe.
A Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) is a familiar example. The white hood-like part is the spathe, while the upright column in the centre is the spadix. Once you know what to look for, you will start to spot this same structure across all sorts of aroids.
The family is far more diverse than its flowers might suggest. Aroids range from the deeply split leaves of Monstera and velvety foliage of Philodendron gloriosum to the arrow-shaped leaves of Syngonium. Some grow as climbers, others creep along the forest floor, while many have adapted to life in the warm, humid understory of tropical forests.
You can explore more of these fascinating plants in our aroids collection.
Why Aroids Make Such Good Houseplants
Most of the popular aroids come from tropical forest floors and lower canopies, where light is filtered, and conditions are stable. That background is exactly why they adapt so well to a home: they are used to indirect light and steady warmth rather than harsh sun.
Many of them are also hemiepiphytes. In the wild, they begin life on the forest floor, then climb toward the light using aerial roots that grip and root into tree bark. Monstera, Philodendron, Epipremnum and Rhaphidophora all do this. It is a useful thing to understand as a keeper, because it tells you two things: these plants want to climb, and their roots are adapted to grip bark and airy material rather than sit in dense, wet soil.
The Main Aroid Genera You Will Meet
Once you start looking into aroids, you quickly realise just how broad the family is. Here are some of the aroid genera you are most likely to come across as a houseplant grower.
Monstera
Monstera is perhaps one of the most recognisable aroid genera, best known for the holes and splits, or fenestrations, that develop on mature leaves. In the wild, many Monstera climb trees towards the canopy, and giving them something to climb can encourage larger, more mature foliage.
Monstera deliciosa is the familiar classic, but there is much more to the genus than one species. You will find everything from the silvery leaves of Monstera siltepecana to highly sought-after variegated forms such as Monstera deliciosa 'Thai Constellation'.
For more on keeping them happy, see our Monstera care guide or browse our Monstera collection.
Philodendron
Philodendron is one of the largest and most diverse aroid genera, with an enormous range of leaf shapes, colours and growing habits. For houseplant purposes, you will often encounter climbing philodendrons, which use aerial roots to scramble upwards, and self-heading or terrestrial types, which form a more upright rosette of leaves.
The velvety, heart-shaped leaves of Philodendron gloriosum make it a particularly good example of a crawling species. Others, such as Philodendron hederaceum, are much more forgiving and happy to trail or climb.
Our Philodendron care guide covers the basics, or take a look at the full Philodendron collection.
Pothos, Scindapsus and Epipremnum
These are some of the easiest-going aroids for beginners, although the names can be confusing. Pothos is commonly used as a general name for plants in the genus Epipremnum, while Scindapsus is a separate but closely related genus.
They are generally vigorous climbers and trailers that tolerate a little neglect better than many of their fussier relatives. Scindapsus pictus, with its silver-splashed foliage, is a great example, including cultivars such as Scindapsus pictus 'Argyraeus'.
See our Scindapsus care guide and Epipremnum and Pothos care guide, or browse our Pothos, Scindapsus and Epipremnum collection.
Anthurium
Anthurium is another enormous genus, and one that has something for almost every type of collector. Some are grown primarily for their colourful spathes, while others are prized for their foliage, particularly the velvety species with prominent veins.
Foliage Anthurium such as Anthurium crystallinum are particularly popular with collectors, with large leaves and intricate venation that becomes more impressive as the plant matures.
Many of the more demanding foliage species appreciate higher humidity, warmth and consistent care than a typical beginner houseplant. Our foliage Anthurium care guide covers the essentials, or explore our Anthurium collection.
Alocasia
Alocasia is grown primarily for its foliage, with everything from broad, glossy leaves to heavily textured and almost metallic varieties. Unlike climbing aroids such as Monstera and Philodendron, Alocasia grows from an underground corm and forms an upright clump of leaves.
They tend to appreciate warmth, bright indirect light and a consistent watering routine. Some can also enter dormancy, particularly when conditions become cooler or darker, so do not panic if an Alocasia slows down during the colder months.
Our Alocasia care guide covers the specifics.
Caladium
Caladium is another corm-forming aroid, grown for its colourful, often beautifully patterned foliage. The leaves can come in shades of green, pink, red and white, making them some of the most decorative plants in the family.
Unlike evergreen aroids such as Monstera, Caladiums are naturally seasonal. They can die back and enter dormancy as temperatures and light levels drop, before returning when growing conditions improve.
If you are growing one for the first time, our Caladium care guide explains what to expect throughout the year.
General Aroid Care
Light
Bright, indirect light suits almost all of them. An east-facing window, or a spot a metre or so back from a brighter one, is ideal. Direct midday summer sun can scorch tender foliage, while deep shade slows growth and, in climbers, produces smaller leaves with fewer splits.
Watering
Water when the top 3 to 5 cm of the mix is dry, then water thoroughly and let it drain. Aroids dislike sitting wet, which is the fastest route to root rot. If you are still calibrating, our tips on telling if a plant needs water and preventing root rot apply directly.
Substrate
This is where aroids differ from most houseplants. Because their roots evolved to grip bark and airy leaf litter, they want a chunky, open mix, not dense compost. We grow ours in a bark-based aroid mix that holds a little moisture while letting air reach the roots. You can find our blends in the premium houseplant substrates range, or open up a standard compost with coarse perlite and bark. Good substrate prevents more aroid problems than almost anything else.
Support and Climbing
Give climbing aroids something to climb. A moss pole or coir pole lets the aerial roots attach, and a supported plant produces larger, more mature leaves than one left to trail. This is the hemiepiphyte instinct at work, and working with it rather than against it is the quickest way to get the dramatic mature foliage these plants are known for.
Humidity
Most common aroids are content in normal room humidity. The fussier foliage types, some anthuriums and thinner-leaved philodendrons, do appreciate more. We do not recommend misting; it does little to raise humidity and can encourage leaf fungus. Instead, group plants together, stand pots on a pebble tray, or for a serious collection of humidity-lovers, use a glazed cabinet or grow tent. Match the method to the plant's mature size: a cabinet suits compact aroids, while a full-grown Monstera deliciosa needs room-level conditions, not an enclosure it will outgrow in a season.
A Note on Pets
Most aroids contain calcium oxalate crystals, which are irritating if chewed, so they are not the best choice for a home with determined nibblers. If pet safety is a priority, browse our pet-safe houseplants instead, and keep aroids up out of reach.
Where to Start
If aroids are new to you, begin with a pothos, a Scindapsus or a Syngonium. They forgive mistakes, grow quickly enough to feel rewarding, and teach you the group's habits before you move on to the rarer, fussier species. When you are ready to go deeper, our rare and unusual plants are where most collectors end up.