In the middle of a dark and gloomy winter, there’s nothing better for your home and your spirits than some colorful houseplants.
Bringing a bit of the outdoors inside can boost your mood and turn your home into a cozy retreat when those cold winds are blowing. Try some of these indoor plants to give your home a brighter look this winter.
1. Hibiscus
The hibiscus plant will bring a touch of the tropics to your home just when you need it most. This is a big plant – it can grow to be 6 feet tall with flowers up to 8 inches in diameter – so make sure you have the space for it. It needs lots of light to keep blooming, and will bloom regularly throughout late spring through fall, but it’s been known to bloom in winter, too. Keep your hibiscus happy by placing it in a sunny corner of your home.
Photo courtesy of BHG
2. Anthurium
The anthurium is a great plant to have in your home around Valentine’s Day, because its bright red blooms, and even its leaves, resemble hearts. Although red is a popular shade, this plant also blooms in shades of pink, lavender and white. It grows best in medium to bright light, and can reach a height of 3 feet. Consider grouping it with other leafy, potted plants to make your own indoor garden.
Photo courtesy of Woolly Pocket
3. African Violet
The African violet is an easy-to-grow, colorful plant that is available in hundreds of varieties. They bloom year round, and come in many different colors – not just purple. They love bright light and warm conditions, so they do best near a window or on a windowsill. Try putting them in a pot that’s an opposite shade on the color wheel – a yellow pot would really set off purple flowers, for example.
Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy
4. Gloxinia
These late-winter bloomers produce 3-inch wide, bell-like flowers in a variety of rich colors, often with contrasting white bands or specks. Be sure to keep these plants warm as they do best in high humidity and warmer temperatures. They like medium to bright light, so they would do well near a window as long as it’s not drafty.
Photo courtesy of iris
5. Jasmine
To give your home the fresh, pleasant scent of the outdoors while it’s shut up in winter, try a jasmine plant. It will produce sweet-smelling white or pink flowers on a beautiful, vining plant, providing a perfect winter mood booster. Jasmine does best in bright to intense light. It can either be grown in a pot or in a hanging basket next to a window.
Photo courtesy of Chandra Stone Interior Design
6. Christmas Cactus
This brightly flowering plant does great with cool temperatures and short daylight, making it the perfect winter plant. Keep this cold-weather bloomer in a sunny and cool, but frost free, location until it begins to bud. It looks beautiful displayed in a white and red pot reminiscent of a candy cane, making it a truly festive addition to your home.
Photo courtesy of BHG
7. Peace Lily
The peace lily is a beautiful addition to your home around Christmastime and beyond. It’s a low-maintenance plant that does well in low light. Its large, glossy leaves are attractive on their own, but the large, spoon-shaped white flowers steal the show. Just make sure kids and pets stay away, because they’re poisonous when consumed. Try displaying in a tall vase in an earthy brown or deep red to set off those white flowers.
Photo courtesy of Brit + Co
8. Flowering Maple
The flowering maple features delicate, bell-shaped blooms that come in shades of red, orange, yellow and pink. It blooms almost constantly throughout the year, filling your house with color on those dark days. Be sure to water evenly to make sure the delicate flowers don’t drop off. The flowering maple can be grown as a tree, shrub or even in a hanging basket.
Photo courtesy of Midwest Living
9. Kaffir Lily
The Kaffir lily, also known as the clivia, is a winter bloomer that produces clusters of reddish-orange, tube-shaped flowers. Its intense color will really perk up your home during those long, dark days. It’s very easy to grow; it just requires medium light and barely moist soil. It can reach a height of 2 feet, so it would make a great showpiece on your living room coffee table or display table.
Photo courtesy of F. D. Richards
10. Goldfish Plant
Love fish, but don’t have a tank? Try the next best thing and get a goldfish plant. This plant will flower in winter if it has enough light, and it produces orange flowers that resemble its namesake fish. It enjoys medium to bright light, and the flowers bloom on long stalks that resemble fishing lines. It’s a great plant to display in a hanging basket near a window, giving you a little preview of summer.
Photo courtesy of Kevan
These lively indoor plants will brighten your seasonal outlook and make you appreciate being in your cozy and colorful winter home.
Top Image Credit: Kevan
