Short answer: yes, usually
In most cases, a fortune plant is an indoor plant. The catch is that “fortune plant” is not one precise species. It is a common name used for different plants depending on the country and seller. Most often it refers to a tropical foliage plant that grows well in pots indoors, but you should confirm which plant you actually have before following care advice.
What is a fortune plant?
Here are the plants that most often go by this name or get confused with it:
- Dracaena fragrans (corn plant). In places such as the Philippines, retailers sell Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ as a fortune plant. It has thick, cane-like stems topped with arching, striped leaves. This is the plant the rest of this article focuses on. For the wider genus, including how other dracaenas cope indoors, see our guide to whether dracaena is an indoor plant.
- Money tree (Pachira aquatica). Often sold with a braided trunk and associated with prosperity, and sometimes called a fortune tree.
- Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana). Sold as straight or twisted stalks in water or soil and tied to good-luck traditions.
- Jade plant (Crassula ovata). In some regions people call jade a fortune or money plant. See our article on whether a jade plant brings good luck.
If you are unsure, look at the leaves and stem, or check the plant tag for a Latin name. A seller can usually tell you.
Best place for a fortune plant indoors
For Dracaena fragrans, a spot with bright, indirect light is generally best. It also tolerates medium and lower light, although growth tends to slow and the stripes can fade. Direct midday sun can scorch the leaves. A few good places:
- A few feet back from an east- or south-facing window
- A bright living room corner
- An office desk or bedroom shelf with decent daylight
Tradition places luck plants in spots like the entry or a “wealth corner,” but in practice, choose the position where the plant gets suitable light. For placement traditions, see our guide to feng shui lucky plants.
How often to water a fortune plant
There is no single schedule. As a general rule for Dracaena fragrans, water when the top few centimeters (about an inch) of soil feel dry, and empty any excess from the saucer. In many homes that works out to roughly every one to two weeks, but it depends on light, pot size and season. Retail care cards sometimes say “once a week,” which can be too often in cool or dim rooms. Overwatering is a common cause of decline.
Dracaenas can be sensitive to fluoride and other minerals in tap water. If you see brown leaf tips, try filtered or rainwater.
How to keep a fortune plant alive
- Drainage: Use a pot with drainage holes and a well-draining potting mix.
- Humidity and temperature: Normal home temperatures are fine. Keep it away from cold drafts, heaters and air conditioners.
- Feeding: A light feed during spring and summer is enough.
- Brown tips: These often come from dry air, water minerals or inconsistent watering.
- Yellow, soft lower leaves: Often a sign of too much water.
- Propagation: Tip cuttings with a few nodes can root in water or moist soil, according to common growing guidance.
Is it good inside the house?
Practically, yes: it is tidy, tolerant of average indoor conditions and suited to bright rooms. In luck traditions, plants like this are associated with growth and prosperity. Those meanings are belief rather than fact, but an easy, healthy plant is a fine way to add greenery.
Pet and child safety
Dracaena fragrans is considered toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA, and chewing it may cause vomiting, drooling or other signs. Lucky bamboo (another Dracaena) and jade are also considered toxic to pets. The money tree is listed as non-toxic, but any plant can upset the stomach if eaten. Keep all of these out of reach of children and pets, and contact a veterinarian, doctor or poison control service if someone eats part of one.
Can a fortune plant live outdoors?
In warm, frost-free climates, dracaenas can live outdoors in partial shade. In cooler climates, they are best kept as houseplants and moved out only in warm weather, shielded from strong sun and cold nights.