15 Heart-Shaped Plants You Can Grow Indoors or Out

heart shaped plants Ali Majdfar//Getty Images1Redbud Tree heart shaped plants redbud Grace Cary//Getty Images

With charming heart-shaped leaves, this small ornamental tree adds early spring beauty to the landscape. Its tiny red, pink, or white flowers appear along the stems before it leafs out, so it offers a long season of interest to your garden. Redbud needs full sun to dappled shade.

Toxic to pets: No. While this plant does contain small amounts of saponins and alkaloids, it is considered to be non-toxic, according to Dr. Wismer, ASPCA Poison Control.

2Caladium Green Leaves Caladium with Red Vein Leaves Nugroho Ridho//Getty Images

The large, striking leaves of this plant, grown specifically for its dramatic pink, red, white and green heart-shaped foliage, make it a must-have in any garden. It grows equally well in containers or garden beds. It’s perennial in warm climates, but in colder regions, you can lift the tubers before winter to save them for replanting next year. Caladiums thrive in part to full shade.

Toxic to pets: Yes

Read more: How to Grow and Care for Caladiums—Indoors and Out

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3String of Hearts close up of a tangled string of heart plant Louise LeGresley//Getty Images

This adorable tabletop plant looks exactly like it sounds: Teeny hearts dangle from a long stem. Let it cascade over the edges of a shelf or end table. Give it bright, indirect light, and water when it feels mostly dry.

Toxic to pets: No. Like redbud, this plant contains small amounts of saponins and alkaloids, but it is considered to be non-toxic, says Dr. Wismer.

Read more: How to Grow a String of Hearts Plant

4Heartleaf Philodendron heart leaf Philodendron house plant Premyuda Yospim//Getty Images

With shiny, dark green foliage and a vining habit, this is one of the easiest of all houseplants to grow, making it a great plant for beginners. Give it bright, indirect light—though it will adapt to low light conditions; it just won’t grow as vigorously. Water when the top few inches of soil feel dry.

Toxic to pets: Yes

Read more: Foolproof Philodendron Care Tips

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5Anthurium Red anthuriums, flamingo flowers Wagner Campelo//Getty Images

Bright green, shiny foliage with a roughly heart-shaped form is dressed up by occasional flowers, similar to those on a peace lily. The spathes are red or bright pink and are set off with a central spike called a spadix. These inflorescences last for weeks. Give anthurium bright, indirect light for best flowering. Water when the top inch or two of soil feels dry.

Toxic to pets: Yes

This vining annual adds nostalgic charm to any garden. Your grandma probably grew these sweet flowers. They grow easily from seed, but be sure to plant the non-invasive types such as Ipomoea tricolor, or you’ll be pulling up seedlings in your garden for years. Morning glory needs full sun and to be watered occasionally. It’s drought-tolerant once established.

Toxic to pets: Yes

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7Bleeding Heart Close-up of pink flowering plant,Lower Silesia,Poland Tsun Sanake / 500px//Getty Images

Tiny hearts of pink, white, red or bicolors dangle from a long stem atop mounded foliage. This sweet perennial blooms in mid to late spring, depending on where you live. It’s exceptionally cold-tolerant for such a delicate-looking plant. Give it part shade, and water regularly.

Toxic to pets: Yes, according to Dr. Wismer. This plant contains alkaloids that can cause GI distress, tremors, and seizures.

Read more: How to Grow a Bleeding Heart Plant

8Pothos Pothos Leaves Ali Majdfar//Getty Images

This easy-to-grow houseplant has heart-shaped foliage and solid green or variegated foliage in shades of white, cream, or gold. It loves bright, indirect light. It will tolerate low light conditions, though it will grow more slowly. Water it only when the top few inches of soil feel dry.

Toxic to pets: Yes

Read more: Pothos Growing Tips

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9Cyclamen Ivy leaf or Neapolitan cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium), Münsterland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany imageBROKER/AnnaReinert//Getty Images

Florist cyclamen are a popular gift plant, meant to be enjoyed for a few weeks; that’s because the plant goes dormant in the summer. Like a poinsettia, you can attempt to get it to rebloom, but it’s not foolproof. However, other species, such as Cyclamen hederifolium, can be grown as landscape plants with tubers planted in the fall. Outdoors, winter-hardy types of cyclamen need part to full shade. Indoors, give the plant bright, indirect light. Both indoor and outdoor varieties like to stay slightly moist.

Toxic to pets: Yes

Read more: How to Keep Your Cyclamen Plant Thriving

10Elephant Ear Plant Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic' growing outdoors in the garden Anna Blazhuk//Getty Images

Also known as Colocasia, this plant has massive leaves that look rather like an elephant’s ear or a gigantic heart. They can be grown outdoors in part shade, or indoors in a brightly-lit location. The ginormous foliage comes in all shades of green, chartreuse, and nearly black or splashed with various patterns. It prefers to stay slightly moist.

Toxic to pets: Yes

Read more: Expert Care Tips for Elephant Ears

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11Siberian Bugloss Flowering Caucasian forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla), Germany imageBROKER/Juergen Pfeiffer//Getty Images

Small heart-shaped green or silver-splashed leaves are topped with precious baby-blue spikes of flowers in the spring. These are an underrated and beautiful perennial to add to part-shade locations in your garden. Water occasionally if there’s a dry spell.

Toxic to pets: No, according to Dr. Wismer

12Barrenwort Purple barrenwort (epimedium) flourishing in the garden imageBROKER/ULADZIMIR ZGURSKI//Getty Images

The petite leaves of this shade-lover have a delicate heart shape. Tiny, unique flowers that resemble a bishop’s cap (its other whimsical common name!) appear in early spring. It’s a great choice for dry shade conditions because it’s not super-needy about water once established.

Toxic to pets: No, according to Dr. Wismer

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13Lilac Purple lilac in bloom Barry Winiker//Getty Images

Lilacs have an old-fashioned charm with their powerful scent wafting on the breeze in early spring. Their heart-shaped foliage adds interest to the garden long after the beautiful purple, white, or pink flowers have faded. New varieties are reblooming. Give lilacs full sun. Once established, they’re drought-tolerant and only need watering during extended dry spells.

Toxic to pets: No, according to Dr. Wismer