With shorter days and cold weather, the winter can sometimes feel like it lasts forever. Although there are some plants that can survive the winter and even bloom as early as February in Linthicum and Arnold, located in the USDA’s plant hardiness zone 7, you can really brighten up your winter days by cultivating indoor plants that bloom in the winter. At WildFlower Florist, our plant experts put together a list of our top five favorite blooming plants to brighten the home during winter.
Christmas Cactus with Pink Flowers
1. Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus is a true winter beauty. It blooms when daylight grows short, as we approach winter solstice and Christmas. When in bloom, a Christmas cactus’s flowers seem to blanket the whole plant with colors like purple, red, pink, orange, and white. Christmas cactuses are also one of the only plants that are completely safe for pets and small children. Eating one would surely cause a stomach ache, but since they aren’t poisonous an accidentally ingested Christmas cactus won’t do any real damage.
Christmas cactuses are native to humid Brazilian forests and don’t tolerate drought as well as true desert cacti. They need to be watered when the top inch of soil dries. Pot yours in a container that drains easily and place it in a sunny location.
Red Poinsettia
2. Poinsettia
It’s hard to make a list of plants that bloom in the winter and not mention the poinsettia. These beauties make perfect holiday gifts and decorations. While white and red-colored poinsettias are the most popular for the season, they’re also available in yellow, orange, salmon, pink, and marbled varieties. No matter the color, your poinsettia can stay vibrant all winter with the right care.
Poinsettia plants are native to the humid parts of Mexico, and they fare best in conditions that mimic their natural environment. They need their soil to be kept moist, but never soggy, at all times and like to be in a sunny location.
Bountiful Kalanchoe
3. Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe plants are wonderful winter because of the length of their blooming cycle. They’ll begin blooming in autumn and won’t stop until spring, successfully filling the entire winter with lovely, bright colors like pink, red, orange, yellow, and white.
Kalanchoe plants are desert succulents, and they prefer conditions similar to their natural environment. They require lots of direct sunlight, love the warm, dry air of a home heated for the winter, and don’t like too much water. Before watering yours, make sure the soil has had time to dry out completely.
Amaryllis
4. Amaryllis
Amaryllis is another holiday season favorite because their flowers are big and bright red. Since they bloom from bulbs, you can replant and enjoy them every year. Just be sure to store bulbs in a cool, dry location throughout summer.
Imperial Purple Orchid
5. Orchids
Orchids naturally bloom during winter, in response to the cooler temperatures, timing their exotic blooms for the time when we need them the most. Plus, with an estimated 30,000 orchid species around the world, there’s an almost endless variety of colors, sizes, and shapes of orchids to enjoy.
Orchids like a humid environment with plenty of filtered or indirect sunlight. Water an orchid regularly, but never allow it to sit in a pool of water.
Breathe Fresh Indoor Air All Winter with These Green Plants
Throughout the winter, it’s natural to keep your home sealed shut tightly to preserve energy. The problem that occurs when we don’t let any air out of or into our homes is that indoor air pollution becomes trapped, and the quality of the air indoors suffers. Plants, however, provide an attractive and natural way to purify the air in our homes and replenish the oxygen. While flowering plants can help clean the air, there are some green plants that real air-purifying superstars. We especially love pothos, snake plants, spider plants, dragon trees, bamboo palm, and English ivy.
For more indoor gardening inspiration and winter plant recommendations, we welcome you to stop by WildFlower Florist any time this season!