Best Indoor Flowers and Plants for the Winter

You don’t have to wait for spring to enjoy lovely blooms and greenery indoors. While you can order express flower delivery anytime to enjoy a flower arrangement or a hand bouquet in a vase, you can also plant several types of flowers and houseplants that can survive the cooler months indoors. Here are some of your best options:

• African Violets

Available in light to dark shades of purple, the African violet is a common indoor plant known for its ease of maintenance and beauty. This flowering plant loves to be kept near sunny spots albeit they cannot tolerate intense heat. Opt for the east or north-facing window instead of a south-facing window to grow your African violets. Be wary that some species are trailing plants.

• Amaryllis

These lovely bright blooms can bloom again and again, year after year. Once you plant the amaryllis bulbs, it can take as short as six weeks for the bulbs to start flowering. You can extend the life of the blooms by snipping off its stamens. Post-flowering, you can cut several inches off the stalk making sure the leaves are intact. Fertilizers can also encourage the amaryllis flowers to return. Be sure to remove the amaryllis bulb from the pot and let it sit for two months in a cool and dry place before replanting.

• Anthurium

Native to the tropical Americas and in Mexico, anthuriums grow well in moist and humid conditions. You can grow anthuriums as an aesthetically-pleasing house plant by adding perlite to potting soil. Be sure to plant anthurium plants in well-drained soil.

• Begonia

This perennial plant is commonly grown indoors as an ornamental plant. It has showy flowers in various colors and leaves that come in various shapes and also turns into different colors. If you choose to plant your begonias outdoors, be sure to save it from the frost to which it cannot survive.

• Bleeding Heart Vine

Also known as pagoda flower, this climbing plant can grow pink buds for months at a time. It can thrive in full sun as well as in the shade of the winter season. You can grow bleeding hearts indoors over the winter. You will need to stratify and germinate the seeds in cold temperature at around 65 degrees Fahrenheit for six weeks. After that, it should start flowering. Bleeding hearts will grow in partial sunlight and well-draining soil.

• Bonsai

Literally, miniature trees in pots, the bonsai is known as a popular plant in Japanese and Chinese cultures. Certain species like the powder puff, sago palm, and ficus bonsai can be cared for indoors. Houseplants like the bonsai require watering two to three times a week. Bonsai can grow in shaded areas provided that it receives direct sun at times.

• Christmas Cactus

The flowering cactus is beautiful to be kept indoors in the winter season. Before the plant starts flowering, be sure to keep it in at least 13 hours of darkness starting in September. By wintertime, you can place the plant in bright light and keep the temperature at night at no more than 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures continues flowering during the season.

• Crown-of-Thorns

This succulent is easy to care for indoors. However, be sure to avoid getting the poisonous sap on your skin. When cutting crown of thorns plant, be sure to spray the cut area with cold water to stop the white latex from oozing. This flowering plant has small yellow or red blooms. In Thailand, it is believed that the number of flowers on the crown of thorns plant is significant for the luck of the gardener.

• Cyclamen

This perennial flowering plant is adored for its patterned leaves and upswept pink, purple, or white petals. These perennials bloom from December to April. After the flowering stage, the cyclamen plant goes into dormancy and loses all of its leaves. Be careful not to throw away the plant when the leaves die. Continue to care for it and wait for the plant to revive in the cooler months starting from fall.

• Desert Rose

The showy flowers of the desert rose plant often bloom throughout the winter season. Like the cyclamen, the desert rose plant will also lie dormant after flowering but should sprout new leaves in summer. Once the cooler temperature returns, the flowers will start to grow again.

• Gardenias

These lovely white flowers are often grown outdoors but you can pot them and bring them indoors during the cool winter season too. It is crucial to the plant’s survival to place it in a sunny and humid environment. You can do this by placing the pot on a tray with water and some pebbles.

• Hawaiian Wedding Vine

As the name suggests, this flowering plant is popular at weddings. Its fragrant white flowers can also grace your home and bloom year in, year out. However, be sure to place this plant where it can get lots of suns but steer clear of intense sunlight.

• Jasmine

You can often find Jasmine flowers from your local online florist during the winter months as well as grow the plant at home and witness it bloom. Jasmine flowers can bloom in winter throughout spring. If you want Jasmine flowers in winter, be sure to give your plant a resting time in fall. Give it the dark that it needs to rest. Then, prune the plant and care for it to ensure it blooms in the cool of winter.

• Kaffir Lily

This type of houseplant thrives in cool and dry environments. Winter is one of the best times to grow kaffir lilies and enjoy its flowers in the summery tones of yellow and orange.

• Poinsettia

You can often purchase poinsettia flowers from a flower shop during the Christmas season. Green thumbs can also grow these at home provided that it grows in a sunny spot, but away from the afternoon sun.

Most flowering indoor plants require rest during the fall to continue blooming in the winter season. After the cool winter months, consider bringing your plants outdoors.