8 Fragrant Houseplants That Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing

Geraniums

According to Angalena Malavenda, head of operations at Palmstreet, the foliage of scented geraniums gives a creative gardener a fun scent palette to work with, including lemon, rose, peppermint, pine, cinnamon, clove, chocolate mint, and strawberry.

Best of all, this plant can be grown indoors. “Full sun generally provides the best flowering, but they will tolerate part shade,” Malavenda says. “These plants like to be slightly root-bound, so if you’re moving your scented-leaf geranium to a larger pot, only increase the pot size by 1 inch across and deep.”

Hyacinths

Malavenda says that although they bloom for just a short time in spring, growing hyacinths is worth that small window. She suggests planting the bulbs in masses to maximize their sweet scent.

“Set the bulb in the hole pointy end up—the pointy end is where the shoots of the plant will emerge in the spring,” she advises. “Plant the bulb upside down, and you’ll get no hyacinths in the spring.”

Just keep in mind, if you are growing this flower indoors, it needs a lot of sunlight.

Daffodils

Daffodils aren’t just pretty—they smell incredible. While there are many different kinds of daffodils, Malavenda recommends planting Jonquil or ‘Baby Moon’ daffodils. “Baby Moon is one of the most fragrant of all daffodils; petite and cheery, with a soft yellow color,” she explains.

While growing daffodils outside is ideal, they can be grown indoors in pots. For reliable blooms, Malavenda suggests giving them well-draining soil and access to plenty of sunshine in the spring. Daffodils do not require summer watering (although they’ll accept it) and need only infrequent division.

Bread Plant

According to Bliss Bendall, a New York Botanical Garden-certified horticulturist, bread plants smell like fresh cinnamon.

To encourage this succulent to bloom, provide it with the most ideal living conditions possible from the start. “Focus especially on the light hours it gets, and try to mimic the plant’s seasonal changes,” Bendall says. “This will promote photosynthesis, which creates the plant’s fuel to make it grow.” 

Lilac

Don’t have an abundance of space but want an abundance of fragrance? Consider planting lilac. “There’s room for a lilac in every garden, as dwarf forms tackle the issue of size, and hybrids expand the color palette of purples, red-violets, pinks, whites, and blues,” explains Malavenda. “Plant lilacs during spring or fall in a sunny, open spot that drains well.”

She also advises making sure there is good airflow around the plants, because it prevents mildew and encourages the fragrance to circulate.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus grows quickly (so prepare to re-pot if you are planting indoors) and has a fresh, crisp fragrance that gives any home a relaxing vibe. Its soothing aroma is especially popular in bathrooms and bedrooms.

“For maximum indoor fragrance, cut stems when flowers are just beginning to open or are partially open,” recommends Maggie Reiter, lead scientist at Sunday, a landscape and lawn care company.

Lavender

Known for its calming, clean-smelling purple flowers, there’s a reason why you’ll find lavender in everything from soaps to cleaning products. While it is typically grown outside, you can bring it indoors. Reiter notes lavender can be hung to dry and will retain its scent for months, so you can use it to create potpourri or stuff in sachets for your drawers and closet.  

“Choose a sunny spot, which means it has six hours or more of sun exposure,” says Malavenda. So, if you don’t have an abundance of sunlight, it’s best to grow a different plant.

Gardenia

Gardenias are equally beautiful and fragrant, says Courtney Sixx, cofounder of Bouquet Box. Just make sure there is plenty of sunlight to grow this flower! “It requires a bright sunny spot, around 70 degrees Fahrenheit,” she says. “Keep soil evenly damp, and don’t overwater it.”