15 Pink Plants We're Loving Right Now
With speckled, striped, or mottled leaves, these plants deliver an unexpected flush of rosy color to your house or garden without relying on bright blooms.
Millennial pink is the color trend we've been loving for the last few years, and it's an easy one to bring into the gardening realm, along with other shades of this warm color. Besides plenty of flowers that are pink, many houseplants as well as outdoor plants have exciting pink-hued foliage. They often have some sort of pattern or texture that is both green and pink—and because pink and green are complementary colors, these colorful leaves are especially eye-catching. Here are 15 plants with beautiful pink leaves sure to brighten your home or garden.
Indoor Plants
Using pink plants as part of your decor is an easy way to bring unexpected color into the mix. Big foliage will add dramatic flair while smaller, more compact foliage will add softness. Here are a few pink-leafed houseplants that you can rely on for adding a little rosiness to your indoor garden.
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Mosaic Plant
Also called nerve plant, mosaic plant (Fittonia albivenis) is a trailing plant with deeply veined leaves. Those veins can be white or deep pink, which makes each leaf look like a mosaic or stained-glass window. This plant will thrive in indoor containers, and because it stays small, it's especially good for terrariums.
Size: Usually under 6 inches
Light: Indirect light (avoid direct light, which can make the leaves crisp up)
Watering: Keep evenly moist, adding water when the surface of the soil is just barely dry
Dragon Tree
Dracaena marginata is notable for its long, narrow leaves and slender, woody stems. Over time, these tropical-looking plants can get up to eight feet tall! Dragon trees are tolerant of neglect, so they're a good option if you're a forgetful or busy plant parent.
Size: 3-8 feet, depending on variety
Light: Can tolerate low to bright light, but its pink color will look best if it's grown in bright light (just avoid full sun)
Water: Whenever soil is dry to the touch
Buy It: Delray Plants Live Dracaena marginata, $16.88, Walmart
Polka Dot Plant
Like the same suggests, polka dot plants have spotted, mottled leaves that come in white, pink, or red. When in their natural habitat, these plants can get up to 3 feet tall; when grown indoors, they tend to stay smaller and more compact so they work well in terrariums.
Size: Up to 3 feet, but potted plants will usually be smaller
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Keep soil moist, especially in the summer; water less during its winter dormancy
Buy It: Four-Pack Pink Polka Dot Plants, $29.74, The Home Depot
Aglaonema
Chinese evergreens are popular, easy-care foliage houseplants, and the varieties with pink patterns on their glossy leaves are especially interesting. These plants do well in most types of light, including dimmer spaces most other plants will sulk in.
Size: 1-3 feet tall
Light: Can tolerate indirect sunlight or medium- to low-light conditions
Watering: Water regularly, but let the plant dry out a little between waterings
Buy It: Aglaonema 'Pink Dalmatian,' $24.95, Woodies Garden Goods
Rex Begonia
These types of begonias offer an array of leaf shapes, colors, and patterns from one variety to the next, and plenty of them have pink hues. They need bright, indirect sunlight so their leaves stay as colorful as possible.
Size: Up to 2 feet tall
Light: Medium to bright light
Watering: Water when the soil is just beginning to dry out
Stromanthe
This plant is like an optical illusion: Stromanthe looks different from pretty much every angle. The top of the green leaves feature white variegation, but if you look at it from below, you'll see a surprise underneath: the underside of the leaves is variegated pink and red. Stromanthe is native to rain forests, so be sure to put them in a place that is warm and humid.
Size: 2-3 feet tall
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Let the top inch of soil dry out before watering
Calathea
Because of its delicate and showy leaf patterns, calathea is also known as zebra plant, peacock plant, and rattlesnake plant. Calatheas are sometimes called prayer plants, too, because they fold their leaves up at night.
Size: Up to 3 feet
Light: Low to medium indirect light
Watering: Water regularly, but let the soil surface dry to the touch between waterings
Rubber Plant
A close relative of the fiddle leaf fig tree, rubber plant (Ficus elastica) can have deep green, burgundy, or even white-striped leaves. In the 1900s, the milky sap from this plant was used to make rubber, helping it earn its common name.
Size: Up to six to 10 feet indoors; up to 100 feet outdoors
Light: Medium to bright indirect light
Watering: Water every week or two (rubber plants don't like to get too dry)
Buy It: Rubber Tree Plant, $52, The Sill
African Milk Tree
Even though it's technically a succulent and not a tree, African milk tree (Euphorbia trigona) can still reach impressive heights indoors and outside. Usually, the stems will stay green, but each one can produce dozens of tiny pinkish-red leaves.
Size: Up to three feet indoors; up to nine feet outdoors
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist
Arrowhead Plant
At first, arrowhead plants usually grow upright for a few months, but they'll eventually start to develop trailing stems (you can prune these back at any time to help keep the plant compact). As the leaves unfurl, they can be a subtle pink, green, white, or silver.
Size: Up to 3 feet
Light: Low to medium
Watering: Water when the top inch of soil is dry
Buy It: 'Strawberry' Arrowhead Plant, $6.99, House Plant Shop
Succulents
You can find plenty of pink succulents, but among the easiest to grow as houseplants are echeverias. Some varieties with pink coloring include 'Perle von Nurnberg' (with pale pink centers) and 'Meridian' (with ruffled pink edges).
Size: Up to 8 inches
Light: Bright, direct light
Watering: Let the soil dry out completely between waterings
Buy It: Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg,' $12.95, Full Bloom Nursery
Outdoor Plants
Both sunny and shady spots can benefit from a splash of pink. These outdoor plants make for bright spillers, fillers, or thrillers, depending on how you plant them. Play with height and size to make these pretty pink plants stand out even more in the garden.
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Caladium
Caladiums are a plant that brings guaranteed color to shady spots. Many cultivars have patterns with pink centers or veining. Each of its stems has one large heart-shape leaf at the end.
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet across
Light: Part-shade or filtered sun
Watering: Keep the soil moist
Buy It: Caladium 'Florida Elise,' $22.00, Amaryllis & Caladium Bulb Co.
Cordyline
Cordyline thrives outdoors but can also be used as a houseplant. They have leathery variegated leaves that have pink or white edges. Look for varieties that produce fragrant flowers and berries for multi-season interest.
Size: Up to 3 feet tall
Light: Grow in the sun, but can also tolerate part-sun
Watering: Can tolerate drought, but don't let it completely dry out
Buy It: Cordyline 'Electric Pink,' $20.00, Green Acres Nursery & Supply
Heuchera
These perennials are grown for their foliage more than their flowers. Heuchera's lobed leaves come in shades of almost every color, including purple, yellow, and orange. You can rely on them to add color to a shady corner of the garden.
Size: Up to 3 feet tall
Light: Depending on the variety, heuchera can grow well in sun or shade
Watering: Keep moist but make sure soil has good drainage, because this plant doesn't like sitting in too much water
Buy It: Primo 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells, $17.99, Proven Winners
Coleus
You can find a variety of coleus for every spot in the garden. There are coleus varieties with colored edges, veining patterns, spots, and textured edges. Many of the varieties with pink patterns have a green or purple base color.
Size: 3-5 feet
Light: Shade or part-shade
Watering: Keep the soil moist, but well drained
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