The 11 Best Plants for Entryways with Different Environmental Conditions

Few things make your entryway as inviting as live plants. But on the flip side, struggling or dead plants will have quite the opposite effect; they’ll make your doorway look depressing and neglected. 

The problem is that many homeowners have trouble deciding which plants will work best in their specific location – particularly if the entryway is blasted by the sun, heavily shaded, or in a cold region. 

Don’t worry, there are plenty of plants that will work in different kinds of environments. We’ll share 11 great options you can consider below! 

Things to Think About When Selecting Entryway Plants

Give some thought to the following questions to help choose plants that are not only likely to thrive in your specific entryway but also work well for your aesthetic tastes and lifestyle. 

• How cold does it get in your area? Plants have varying tolerances to cold temperatures, so it is important to consider your local climate when selecting plants for your entryway. The best way to do so is by looking up which USDA hardiness zone you live in. This will help you determine if you can keep a given plant species outdoors all year long or if you’ll have to bring it indoors during the winter. 

• Where do you want to place the plants? Are you planning on installing the entryway plants in pots, hanging them on your door, or training them to grow on a trellis? Different plants exhibit different growth habits and work better in some applications than in others. 

• How much space do you have available? While you can prune most plants to keep them at a manageable size, it is still preferable to start with a species that is roughly the size you want. This will help prevent you from having to spend a ton of time trimming the plant, and it will also help ensure the plant thrives (excessive pruning can stress some species). 

• How much maintenance are you willing to provide? Some plants require more frequent maintenance than others, and you’ll want to consider the amount of care you’re willing to provide before making a choice. Be honest with yourself; if you don’t think you’ll have the time or energy to provide a lot of care, stick with low-maintenance species. 

• Do you have children or pets? Some plants are toxic if eaten, while others bear thorns or sharp leaves, so consider the relative risk they’ll present. It’s not hard to tell if a plant has sharp thorns, but it can be tricky to know which plants represent an ingestion hazard. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia provides some information regarding plants that are toxic to children, and the ASPCA maintains a database of plants that are dangerous for cats and dogs. 

11 Great Entryway Plants: Different Plants for Different Situations

Having considered the factors discussed above, you can start trying to select the ideal plants for your entryway. There are undoubtedly hundreds of plants that may work alongside your front door, but the following 11 deserve special consideration. 

1. Staghorn Fern

Staghorn ferns are epiphytic plants, meaning that they often grow on the surface of other plants. Named for their superficial resemblance to a deer’s antlers, these plants are attractive and will grow well in relatively low-light entranceways. However, they will not tolerate cold temperatures, so you’ll want to bring them indoors once the nighttime temperatures dip below the 50-degree mark. 

You can grow staghorn ferns in pots like most other plants, but you can also mount them on a board, which opens up a world of decorative possibilities.  

2. Paper Flower

Known to botanists as Bougainvillea glabra, the paper flower plant is another species that you’ll need to bring inside in cold weather. However, they can tolerate colder temperatures than staghorn ferns; you’ll just need to bring them indoors when the temperatures approach the freezing point. However, these plants are so beautiful that you probably won’t mind putting in some extra work. Capable of reaching 10 feet or more in height (and occasionally, much, much higher), paper flower plants are clad in tons of gorgeous purple blossoms. 

Unfortunately, paper flowers do require quite a bit of light to thrive. Ideally, they’ll receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, so they’re not well-suited for dim porches. 

3. Boxwood

Slightly more cold-tolerant than the first two plants discussed, the boxwood is a fantastic choice for homeowners living in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 8. Best of all, it grows best in partial shade and doesn’t require the bright sunlight that some other popular plants do. In fact, you’ll want to provide boxwoods with additional water during particularly warm weather, as they dry out easily. 

Often used as hedges, boxwoods are extraordinarily dense bushes that require regular pruning and thinning.

4. Azalea

Azaleas are popular landscaping plants that are available in countless different forms (though they all produce beautiful flowers). Some are sun-loving, while others thrive best in deep shade, which means that there is likely an ideal variety or cultivar available for your specific location. The only thing that most azaleas cannot tolerate is high winds. 

Just be aware that azaleas have very shallow root systems, which means they can quickly succumb to water stress. This makes them best suited for homeowners who won’t mind watering them regularly. 

5. Pop Star Hydrangea

Capable of thriving in hardiness zones 4 through 9, Pop Star hydrangea will thrive in all but the hottest and coldest portions of the U.S. A cultivar of the bigleaf hydrangea, Pop Star hydrangea’s botanical name is Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmacsix.’ These plants have a lot going for them, as they are disease-resistant, produce beautiful flowers, and grow well in partial shade. 

One of the most interesting things about these plants is that — like most hydrangeas — their flower colors vary based on the soil pH. The flowers appear blue in alkaline soils and pink in acidic soils. 

6. Star Jasmine

A fantastic trailing vine that’s prized for its white, star-shaped flowers, star jasmine can grow in full or partial sun. It is often grown in containers or as a ground cover, but it can also be trained to follow a trellis, which will provide incredible visual interest to your entryway. 

However, this plant does thrive best in hardiness zones 8 through 11, which you’ll want to consider when deciding how to plant it. If you’ll need to move it indoors during the winter, avoid setting it up with a trellis, and grow it in a container instead. 

7. Weeping Fig

Popular houseplants, weeping figs are some of the best small trees to include in entryways. Long-lived plants that may reach more than 20 years of age, weeping figs prefer bright yet partially filtered sunlight. However, most will thrive in partially shaded entryways. You will need to bring weeping figs indoors during the winter, as they’re best suited for hardiness zones 10 through 11. 

It is important to note that weeping figs are considered toxic to dogs and cats, so use caution if you have pets.  

8. Dwarf Hinoki Cypress

Known to horticulturists as Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis', the dwarf Hinoki cypress is a low-maintenance plant that’s ideally suited for entryways. Capable of growing in full sun or partial shade, this cultivar can thrive almost anywhere in the continental U.S., from hardiness zone 4 through 8. It usually grows about 3 or 4 feet tall, but it can reach 6 feet in height in some cases. 

The biggest problem associated with dwarf Hinoki cypress is finding it for sale. It is unfortunately not sold by many neighborhood garden centers, so you may have to order one from a specialized nursery. 

9. Globe Arborvitae

Technically a tree, the globe arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Golden Globe') only reaches about 2 to 3 feet in height and exhibits a round growth habit. Authorities differ on the plant’s light requirements. Many recommend only planting this cultivar in locations that receive full sun, but Oregon State University suggests that it can grow well in partial shade too.

These plants grow best in well-drained soil, but it will rapidly deteriorate in excessively dry conditions, so be sure to keep it well watered, especially during warm weather.  

10. Lavender

Lavender plants (Lavandula spp.) won’t thrive in shaded areas, but if you have plenty of sun exposure, they’ll add a ton of appeal to your entryway. Not only are the purple flowers attractive, but the entire plant smells wonderful. Best of all, HGTV reports that some cultivars (such as ‘Provence’ and ‘Grosso’) are effective at repelling mosquitos. 

Notably, lavender plants are rather drought tolerant. This makes them great for homeowners who live in dry regions or don’t want plants that require frequent watering. 

11. Snake Plant

Snake plants (Dracaena trifasciata) are remarkably hardy plants, which thrive in both low-light levels and dry conditions. In fact, they’re one of the best choices for homeowners who don’t have especially green thumbs. They’re best grown in hardiness zones 10 through 12, but they can be grown outside of these zones too; you’ll just have to bring them inside during cold weather. 

It is important to keep safety in mind with these plants, as the leaf tips are quite sharp. They could conceivably cause eye injuries to children or pets, so think carefully about where you’ll place them. 

Match Your Plants with a Great-Looking Door

Plants can certainly improve the appearance of your entryway, but they can only do so much — you also need an attractive front door to help welcome visitors to your home. Fortunately, Knockety offers a variety of high-quality front doors in styles suitable for nearly every taste and décor. Whether you’d like a craftsman-style wooden door with windows, a modern-looking narrow-profile fiberglass door, or anything between, Knockety surely has a front door that you’ll love.