Indoor and balcony plants: popular choices, care, toxic plants to avoid

The feng shui meaning of each plant is a traditional belief and has not been scientifically verified. The toxic-plant and safety parts are based on the press articles listed under Sources. Updated 23 October 2026.

Growing plants in an apartment is both pretty and pleasant, but the wrong choice can put small children, pets or people below the balcony at risk. The short rule: choose plants that suit the light and are safe for the people in the home, and only then consider the feng shui meaning.

Plants commonly chosen for feng shui beliefs

Many families choose plants linked with good meanings in the culture. According to belief, the meanings are:

Plant	Meaning often mentioned	Practical notes
Money tree, Malabar chestnut	Linked with "wealth"	Likes indirect light, little watering
Snake plant	Belief that it "wards off bad things"	Tolerates shade, easy to care for; the sap may cause irritation, keep small children from chewing it
Fortune plant (Dracaena), jade-type "phu quy" plants	Linked with good luck	Place in a bright spot, avoid standing water in the pot
Lucky bamboo	Linked with peace	Can be grown in water, change the water regularly
Areca palm, ornamental palms	Give an airy feeling	Need light, proper watering

These are only suggestions based on belief. HPR does not claim that any plant brings wealth or luck.

Caring for plants in an apartment

• Light: a sunny balcony needs sun-tolerant plants; a dim room suits shade-tolerant ones. Light-loving plants in a dark room weaken and turn yellow.
• Watering: pots without drainage holes easily rot the roots; use a saucer and pour out excess water. Limit water running down to the balcony below.
• Substrate, soil: use a light, airy substrate; avoid dirty soil and organic fertiliser indoors because of the smell.
• Insects: check the leaves regularly; standing water for long can become a mosquito breeding place.
• Quantity: you do not need too many. An environmental expert quoted by VnExpress gave an example of a home of about 160 m² with about 15–18 pots of 12–18 cm diameter to help remove toxic gases indoors; this is one expert's opinion, and the effect depends on each apartment.

Toxic plants to avoid or keep out of reach

The press articles name many familiar ornamental plants with toxins. If your home has small children or pets, consider carefully:

Plant	Toxin / risk per press sources	Recommendation in the sources
Dieffenbachia	Calcium oxalate crystals; sap causes itching and blistering of the skin; if splashed in the eyes it may damage the cornea; swallowing causes burning in the mouth and throat	Wear gloves when handling, keep out of children's reach, rinse eyes with clean water immediately if sap splashes in and see a doctor
Oleander	Cardiac glycosides throughout the plant; eating a small amount of leaf may cause vomiting and heart rhythm disorders	Children are especially sensitive; do not plant near domestic water sources
Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia)	Alkaloids; the strong night scent may cause headache and dizziness	Do not plant in bedrooms or poorly ventilated places
Ornamental bellyache bush (Jatropha podagrica)	Curcin toxin, mostly in the seeds	Watch for small children swallowing seeds; wear gloves when handling
Anthurium, philodendron, arum lily	Calcium oxalate in leaves, stems, tubers; burning mouth, nausea, diarrhoea	Research carefully before planting
Rhododendron, lantana, bird of paradise, gloriosa-type plants	Substances such as andromedotoxin, lantadene, colchicine in various parts	Research carefully before planting

If a child chews or swallows a plant and shows vomiting, difficulty breathing, bluish skin or heart disturbances, go to a medical facility immediately. The articles also note that information is not fully consistent between sources; for households with small children or pets, look up further information from medical sources or plant experts.

Balcony safety

• Place pots inside the railing, do not hang them outside the railing or set them on the edge; a pot falling from a height is very dangerous to people below.
• Secure pots and trellises firmly against strong wind and storms.
• Load: wet soil and large pots are very heavy; do not crowd many large pots into one corner of the balcony.
• Waterproofing and drainage: check that the balcony floor drain is not blocked by leaves and soil.
• Building rules: many apartment buildings have rules on plants, trellises and items placed outside the balcony; read the management's rules before planting.
• Escape routes, loggia: do not block escape routes or technical areas with pots.

Suggested combinations

Choose 2–3 easy-care plants that are non-toxic or low in toxicity, placed where small children cannot reach. If your family values feng shui, choose plants by the meaning you like and arrange them in the living room, balcony or study. See also living room feng shui and apartment feng shui.

Note: This article is for reference only and does not replace medical advice, construction safety advice or building rules. HPR does not claim that plants bring wealth or luck.

• VOV — 4 loại cây cảnh cực độc, chớ dại trồng trong nhà kẻo gây hại cho sức khỏe (oleander, angel's trumpet, ornamental bellyache bush, dieffenbachia), 04/12/2024.
• VnExpress — Những loại cây cảnh có độc (rhododendron, lantana, anthurium, philodendron...; opinions of Assoc. Prof. Nguyễn Hữu Đức and Prof. Lê Huy Bá), 06/05/2015.