Best Plants and Planters for Your Main Entrance (Including Vastu Picks)

Your entrance is the first thing guests see, and a pair of healthy plants in good planters changes the whole feel of a home or office. In many Indian homes, the choice of entrance plants is also guided by Vastu Shastra traditions. Here's a practical guide covering both.

Popular Vastu plants for the entrance

Vastu is a traditional belief system, and practices vary between families and regions. These are the plants most commonly recommended for main doors:

• Money plant (pothos). Associated with prosperity. Traditionally kept in the south-east. Grows well in a pot at a shaded entrance.
• Tulsi (holy basil). Considered auspicious and usually placed in the north, north-east or east. Needs 4+ hours of sun.
• Snake plant. Valued as a protective, air-purifying plant. Handles shaded corridors well.
• Areca palm. Associated with positive energy and a fresh, welcoming look. Needs bright, indirect light.
• Jade plant. A symbol of wealth and good luck. Keep it near a sunny entrance.
• Lucky bamboo. Often given as a housewarming gift for good fortune.

Many Vastu guides suggest avoiding thorny plants like cactus at the main door, and replacing dried or dying plants promptly.

Plants by light conditions

• Sunny, open entrance: areca palm, jade, tulsi, bougainvillea, croton, plumeria.
• Shaded corridor or lift lobby: snake plant, ZZ plant, money plant, dracaena, peace lily.
• Office lobby with AC and artificial light: ZZ plant, snake plant, dracaena, rubber plant.

Choosing entrance planters

1. Go tall. At a door, a planter 20"-26" tall reads as architecture, not clutter. Our Misplaced Metaphor (up to 22") and Phoenix Extra Large (up to 24") are made for this.
2. Use a pair. Two matching planters either side of a door create instant symmetry and a sense of welcome.
3. Match the plant to the pot. Upright plants like snake plant and dracaena suit slim, tall planters. Bushy palms suit wider ones.
4. Pick glazed ceramic for outdoor corridors. It wipes clean after dust and monsoon rain and won't fade like plastic.
5. Check drainage and protect the floor. Every Harla planter has a drainage hole. Indoors, place a saucer underneath to protect marble and tiles.

Browse our entrance and corridor planters, extra large planters and planters with wooden stands.

Keeping entrance plants healthy

• Corridors are often draughty and dusty. Wipe leaves every two weeks.
• Rotate pots monthly so both sides get light.
• Set heavy planters in their final position before filling with soil.
• Replace yellowing leaves quickly. A tidy plant makes a better first impression.

Quick FAQ

Which direction should entrance plants face? In Vastu practice, north, east and north-east entrances are considered most favourable for plants like tulsi and money plant. Ultimately, light matters most for the plant's health.

Can I keep plants inside the house near the door? Yes. Snake plant, ZZ and peace lily do well just inside a door with indirect light.