Beyond Poinsettias: 23 Houseplants That Bloom in Winter

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Winter is a long season of browned lawn , bare trees , and frost - covered shrubs , which is precisely why it ’s the everlasting time to add a tonic of people of color indoors . Whilepoinsettiasare traditional ( and endearing ) , why not think outside the box when it come to wintertime houseplants and select one that flower during the darkest days of the twelvemonth ?

1. Amaryllis (Amaryllis)

Amaryllisbulbs produce dramatic trumpet - shaped flush . Timing is everything with this plant : Bulbs should be planted approximately 6 weeks before you want flowers . Once the flowering closure , snip the stalk a few inch above the incandescent lamp .

To encourage rebloom , remove the bulb from the ground in September and keep it in a coolheaded , dark environment for 2 months before repot . Think carefully about where you ’ll billet amaryllis : It can cause spartan GI suffering to pets and people .

2. Paperwhite (Narcissuspapyraceus)

Despite their sweet-smelling repute , paperwhitesare a perfect pick - me - up plant , bring home the bacon you point clear of ‘ Ziva ’ , a coarse ( and smelly ) variety that can quickly stink up an full elbow room . choose for other paperwhites like ‘ sunshine ’ and ‘ Erlicheer ’ , which have a less - offensive scent . Paperwhites do n’t need prechilling and are prosperous to spot in tardy fall at fully grown - box memory or online from specialism light bulb company . This plant , too , should be kept away from favorite and kidskin , since it is toxic .

3. Cyclamen (Cyclamenpersicum)

From December to April , Cyclamen purpurascens , which can bloom for weeks , sends up lightly fragrant heyday above centre - shaped , silver - marble leaf . After flowering , the industrial plant loses its leave and expire back for the summer . Some owners might be tempted to toss spent cyclamens into the trash , but take eminence : The plant is not stagnant , just inactive . Continue to water it once in a while and when temperatures cool , it will get down growing again . Cyclamen is toxic and should be kept away from cats , frump , and kids .

4. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)

These strikingsucculent houseplantshave been popular holiday talent since the 1800s . Although named for its cactus - like foliage , Christmas cactusneeds a little more body of water than its name suggests . Getting this nontoxic plant to rebloom takes a bit of coaxing in the anatomy of light and temperature control , but it ’s so worth it .

In mid - October , pop give the plant foresightful nights of total dark , 13 hours or more , in temperature between 55 and 65 degrees , to touch off blossom bud production . When buds appear , put the flora back in a cheery indoor location .

5. Rosemary (Salviarosmarinus)

Rosemary in all probability wo n’t bloom , but the aroma alone is enough to fetch cheer . The works is available during the holiday and can often be ascertain in playful topiary shapes , including that of a Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Place it in a cheery kitchen window where it can do twofold responsibility as decoration and culinary herb .

Whilerosemaryisn’t harmful to pets or people in normal quantities , if your cat claim an outsize liking to the plant , move it out of range , as it can be irritating in large quantities .

6. Desert Rose (Adeniumobesum)

One of the most interesting succulent around , desert rosegrows in a mini tree frame and produces stunning flower . As you would do for other succulents , water desert rose slenderly . duncish stems give raise to flowers in solid colors — some varieties even have striping — that bloom throughout the year .

After flowering , it ’s common for the plant to shed its leaf until new growth emerges in the summer , so do n’t give up on it . This is another one to keep away from pets and tyke as it is poisonous , peculiarly to hombre .

7. Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis)

They get a bad rap for being fussy , butorchidsare actually pretty simple , provided you offer them bright but collateral light and ample humidity . Water orchids exhaustively and allow them to dry out out between waterings . Blooms last for months , so it ’s best to select a plant with bud that have n’t yet opened to get as much length of service out of them as possible . These beauties are non-poisonous and safe for households with deary and kids .

8. African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)

Situate the diminutive , nontoxicAfrican violetplant inbright , indirect lightand enjoy months of uninterrupted inflorescence in spook of crimson , white , majestic , and everything in between . Set yourself up for gardening success by break up up a specializedAfrican violetpot with a tedious - release wicking reservoir in the bottom that prevents damage to the leaf from overhead watering .

9. Begonias (Begonia)

Give them brilliant , collateral light and plenty of humidity and you ’ll relish a flower craze all winter long from indoorbegonias . Dry air may be the norm at this time of twelvemonth , but it ’s a end knell for begonias , so specify your plant on a shallow tray of pee fill with pebbles to humidify the air around it . As much as they wish water , too much of a good thing can be harmful . It ’s honorable to weewee when the plant shows signs of thirstiness , such as swag leaves . Whilebegoniasare not toxic to humans , they are toxic to pets .

10. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

tally some green height ( up to 6 feet ) in a box of the wintertime room with apeace lily . Several white flagstone - alike flowers , which are really spathes , grace this beautiful but unpredictable flora . It can be hard to see when and if a peace lily will flower , but it tends to commit up stems in February , provided it receives sufficient bright , indirect light . Keep this toxic industrial plant away from pets and kids .

11. Flowering Maple (Abutilon spp.)

One of the more strange and uprighthouseplants , flowering maple blossom almost nonstop . Palmate maple - comparable leaves and weeping flowers resembling Formosan lanterns make for an interesting exhibit . The variegated leaves of certain varieties up the stake , but variegate and non - variegated leave can be irritating to skin so you might need to wear gloves while working with this works . The plant is atoxic to pets .

12. Kaffir Lily (Cliviaminiata)

Like amaryllis and Christmas cactus , clivias need a chilling catamenia to trigger the development of clustering of Orange River or jaundiced lily - similar flower . With no motive for high humidity , clivia is absolutely suited to indoor life and will thrive in a brightnorth - facingwindow . Kaffir lily turn back small amounts of the alkaloid lycorine , which is toxic to humans and pets if consumed in large quantities .

13. Jasmine (Jasminum)

Typically asummer bloomer , jasmine can be discover bloom in stores and homes during the wintertime , adding sweet aroma to indoor quad . To further rebloom the following year , give it a time - out in the drop in a way that is completely dark at night . Exposure to street ignitor or indoor lighting will interrupt the Hz . Give this nontoxic plant a trim once it blooms , sincejasminetends to get leggy .

14. Bleeding Heart Vine (Clerodendrumthomsoniae)

Not to be confused with bleeding kernel plant ( Dicentra spectabilis),bleeding pith vineis a beautifulclimbing plantthat produces long - survive clusters of pink or part red flush when placed in a gay windowpane . Give it a trellis or support to climb , and prune back hard after flowering to keep it under control . Do n’t worry about pet and kids get close ; this one ’s non-poisonous .

15. Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe)

One of the easiest houseplant to grow and get , kalanchoetosses out clustering of flowers in deeply saturate hues . The trick is forestall the tropic succulent from becoming too leggy . Pinch it back after flowering and a rebloom should be close behind . Keep this one away from pets and shaver , as it is toxic .

16. Cineraria (Pericallis x hybrida)

Enjoy orotund daisy - like flower indoors withcineraria . succinct clusters of daisy - like bloom sit atop large dark dark-green foliage . prime can be red , purple , blue , or white , and each flower has a center eye surrounded by a modest blank pack . Purchase plants with plenty of bud to get the most out of the bloom period , and keep thispoisonous plantaway from pet and nipper .

17. Anthurium (Anthurium)

What many deliberate a flower is really a spathe that emerges from the flora in chromaticity of violent , pink , whitened , and variegated colors . Each spathe displays a contrast white or yellow flower spike within . Anthuriumprefers lustrous twinkle and high humidness , which may be challenging in a het up dwelling house . put the plant on a shallow pebble - and - H2O - filled tray , away from kids and dearie , to increase the humidity .

18. Azalea (Rhododendron spp.)

Not to be confused with hardy azaleas , greenhouse azaleasare mean to be grown indoors and will not survive if planted in the garden . Select plant with mass of unopened bud to increase the amount of time you’re able to enjoy its bloom , and be trusted not to let the soil dry out out . Swallowing large quantity of this plant can write trouble for pets and humans , so if your dog is a wonted plant life snacker , keepazaleassafely away .

19. Gloxinia (Sinningiaspeciosa)

Traditionally grown as a perennial , today’sgloxiniasare bred to produce masses of rosiness without regard for the long - condition wellness of the industrial plant . By the time they ’ve fetch up bloom , the plant just has nothing leave . For this reason , it ’s just as well to think of this nontoxic plant as an annual and cover it well while it ’s in bloom : keep it in bright , indirect ignitor , irrigate it enough to keep the soil moist , and fertilize it with a high-pitched - phosphorus liquidplant foodevery 2 weeks .

20. Goldfish Plant (Columneanematanthus)

As the name imply , the flowers on this columnea resemble small-scale Carassius auratus in shades of cherry , orange , or yellow . get behind colored green foliage makes thegoldfish plantan excellent selection for ahanging planterin bright light . As with African violets , avoid getting water on its leaves , which will cause embrown and , in some case , fungal problems . If your cats are tempted by the goldfish plant , as they might be by actual Carassius auratus , care not : This industrial plant is harmless to pets .

21. Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthusradicans)

append a taste of the tropics to your indoor winterscape withlipstick plant , a vining sweetheart that looks fantastic in a hanging basketball hoop or cascading down a tall piece of furniture . The red , tubular heyday of this nontoxic plant are an exciting and vibrant line to its glossy dark immature foliage . The works favor undimmed , indirect sun and temperature of 65 to 75 degree Fahrenheit . It value a bit of humidness , so keep a spray bottle ready to hand , and also apply a sluggish - release plant food once a month .

22. Purple Shamrock (Oxalistriangularis)

The leaves of this bright hue plant resemble those of a shamrock , though they ’re much larger and they ’re purple ! This South American aboriginal also produces delicate five - petaled flower in white or pink that show off during the twenty-four hours but release up at night . Oxalis like humidity and temperatures of 65 to 75 degree Fahrenheit . Keeppurple shamrock plantsin bright direct light , but out of compass of pet and child , as it is toxic and can be quite irritating and even dangerous if ingested .

23. Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

If you may get past this succulent ’s thorniness and toxicity , crown of thornsmakes an intriguing addition to a houseplant collection . Its loggerheaded , irritant - cover stems livelihood lump of 2- to 6 - inch - long average - green foliage top by cluster of small pink , whitened , or xanthous flowers that bloom year - orotund . Put it in a sunny spot and fertilise it monthly . Note that this is a good works for those who are stingy with the tearing can , since it does n’t mind dry out . It ’s not good , however , for households with pet or kids , as it ’s bristly and vicious .

Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners

We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a raised bed , or an in - terra firma plot out back — and select the right plant for your soil and area .

Potted plant with yellow and red flowers.