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Indoor winter plant


10 Easy House Plants That Thrive in the Winter

These hardy plants will help green up your space even in the lower light, colder months.

Jessica Ball

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD January 12, 2021

Reviewed by Dietitian Lisa Valente, M.S., RD

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

succulents

Credit: Getty Images/DuKai photographer

Being a plant lady has given me always given me a lot of joy, but it's been especially nice having plants around when I'm spending more time at home. Having something to care for and keep up with has been productive, reassuring and stabilizing during times when it can feel hard to catch a break. Plus, it is a good place to channel my energy that isn't as involved as a "real" pet. (But then again, who says plants aren't real pets?) 

Living in Vermont, winters are long and days are short, making it tough to keep plants alive. Luckily, there are several plants that thrive in lower light and can withstand lower temps if you have a poorly insulated apartment or home, like me.

Here are ten easy houseplants that thrive in the winter months to help you green up your place all year long. 

1. Snake Plant 

I love my snake plant. Not only does it have a cool look and grows impressively tall, but it is nearly indestructible. Forget to water it or going away for a few weeks? Snake plants are totally fine with low-light and infrequent waterings. In fact, overwatering is pretty much the only thing that makes these guys unhappy. Check the soil and make sure it is dry to the touch before giving it a drink.  

2. Spider Plant 

My spider plant might be the most rewarding plant I've had for how easy and resilient it is. Keep it alive for long enough, and it will sprout little spider plant babies that can be cut, planted and given to a friend. How sweet is that? They are happy in moderate light and with slightly damp soil, so weekly watering should be sufficient. In the winter, feel free to go a little longer between waterings since it dries up more slowly in colder temps. 

3. Philodendron 

My philodendron is my biggest plant by a long shot. They come in many shapes and sizes, some that trail and some that grow as big as you let them, like monsteras. They don't need much attention and can tolerate shady environments with indirect light. Place them in a pot that drains well, water every few weeks when the soil feels dry and watch it grow. 

4. ZZ Plant 

The ZZ Plant, also called the arum fern, is deep green, shiny and generally eye-catching, all while being super easy to care for. It thrives in pretty much every environment: cold and damp, warm and dry, fully sunny or completely shaded. It grows naturally slowly so you won't need to repot it often, either. 

5. Jade Plant 

My jade plant grows pretty much as fast as I can repot it. It prefers moderate to low-light environments, and can get sunburnt if exposed to too much sun too suddenly, making it perfect to add to your collection in the winter. Only water it when the soil feels totally dry, as the leaves retain water. If any leaves fall off, you can simply lay them in the dirt and they will take root. 

6. Chinese Evergreen 

One of the prettier plants on this list, Chinese evergreens can come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. For a tropical plant, it is impressively hardy to cold and dry environments. Make sure to pot in something that drains well, as this plant doesn't tolerate overwatering well. Wipe off the leaves regularly to help prevent bugs, like spider mites or aphids, from latching on. 

7. Fiddle Leaf Fig 

Similar to philodendrons, fiddle leaf figs will grow as big as you let them with minimal intervention. It has gotten popular enough that they even carry it at some Costcos! It can even purify the air and help absorb nasty odors in your home. It should be watered every two weeks or as little as every month, depending on how dry your home is. 

8. Aloe Plant 

If you have a dry home and are prone to forgetting to water your plants, aloe is the choice for you. It holds water in its thick leaves so it can go long stretches between waterings. It prefers to be near a source of light, so try and keep it close to a window or sunny spot, even if its only for a few hours a day. 

9. Christmas Cactus 

Christmas cactuses are frequently given as gifts during the holiday season. Part of it is because of the beautiful ruby red flowers it grows when it is in the sun. Another reason is that they thrive when they are a bit neglected. Though they flower in the sun, they can withstand full shade and dry rooms. Be sure to only water when the soil is completely dry, since it cannot tolerate frequent waterings. 

10. Succulents 

Succulents are some of the most fun and versatile plants around. You can mix and match colors, sizes and shapes with this variety pack from Amazon for only $18. 99. Keep these plants in a dry room on the windowsill. In the colder months, succulents don't need much water at all. Just feel the soil every month or so to check. As the weather warms, continue with more regular waterings and watch your plant grow after its long winter slumber. 

Best Houseplants for Winter and How to Care for Them 2020

Best Houseplants for Winter and How to Care for Them 2020 | The Strategist

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

Senior writer Karen Iorio Adelson has covered everything from stocking a medicine cabinet to adopting a pet. She’s especially passionate about running (she worked in a running store) and cat furniture

Senior writer Karen Iorio Adelson has covered everything from stocking a medicine cabinet to adopting a pet. She’s especially passionate about running (she worked in a running store) and cat furniture

Photo: Greenery Unlimited

For the many new plant parents who adopted a fern or fiddle-leaf fig to spruce up their spaces during quarantine, their houseplants’ winter behavior — like shedding leaves or turning brown — may come as a bit of a shock. According to Erin Marino, director of marketing at the Sill, this seasonal change is totally natural. “The biggest thing I’d say is don’t freak out. You are going to see your plants look a little bit less happy, and it’s going to be obvious because you just came out of this wonderful summer growing season,” she says. With reduced sunlight and dry air from indoor heating, winter isn’t a time when your plants will thrive, but, with the right care, they can certainly survive. “Less sunlight typically sparks a plant’s natural dormancy,” says Casey Godlove, creative director at PlantShed. “They use less water, produce less new growth, and generally pause until spring.”

Plant-care pros stress that there are plenty of simple steps you can take to keep your greenery healthy in the winter. In terms of placement, look for spots in your home that get the most sunlight, but avoid putting plants too close to drafty windows or radiators. “Grouping plants together in a cozy ‘cuddle puddle’ is a great way to regulate moisture,” says Bryana Sortino, co-founder of plant subscription service Horti. “Plants transpire and release vapor into the air, so gathering them into a cluster creates more humidity in the air.” Now is also not the time to repot or fertilize your plants. As Rebecca Bullene, partner and co-founder of Greenery Unlimited, explains, “The plant isn’t really going to have the energy to process fertilizer, and you’re going to have a buildup of minerals and salt in the root system that can actually damage the plant. ” Instead of watering on a regular schedule like you would in the spring and summer, experts say to look for signs of thirst — like curling or drooping leaves — since your plants won’t be consuming water at the same rate.

We asked our experts to recommend plants that can best handle the changing seasons as well as the best tools and accessories to keep all of your plants happy.

Snake-Plant Laurentii

$31

$38 now 18% off

$31

The sansevieria laurentii, or snake plant, which is “nearly indestructible,” according to Godlove, was one of the most recommended low-maintenance winter plants among our experts. Gabby Santiago, plant-care specialist at Rooted, says they’re perfect for plant beginners and can even survive in windowless rooms. “Sansevierias will bear with you while you figure out the sunlight patterns in your place during the dreary winter months,” says Sprout Home founder Tara Heibel. “They are not fussy about being in the perfect lighting scenario and can handle a lower light frequency.” Lisa Muñoz, founder of Leaf and June, explains that snake plants “can withstand drafty windows, heat from heaters and radiators, and less humidity, making them a great plant for the winter months.” Bullene points out that because the snake plant naturally grows in dry climates, it’s especially drought-tolerant, so it won’t be too bothered by dry heat. Chantal Aida Gordon and Ryan Benoit, founders of the Horticult website and authors of How to Window Box, suggest experimenting with other varieties like the sansevieria cylindrica or the sansevieria masoniana. “They’re the funkier cousin to standard snake plants but about as forgiving,” Gordon and Benoit say. “They’re like sculptures.”

$31 at Amazon

Buy

$68 at The Sill

Buy

ZZ Plant

$48

$48

Marino groups the ZZ plant, another common houseplant, with the sansevieria since they’re both easy to care for and adaptable to less than ideal conditions. “These plants aren’t going to thrive necessarily during the winter, but they’re going to be able to handle it,” she says. It’s also Tula Plants & Design CEO and founder Christan Summers’s top pick. “It’s the most drought-tolerant plant next to the cacti, and it has this really shiny, waxy leaf, so it always looks happy,” she says. Godlove and Bullene recommend the ZZ plant because it can tolerate low light and infrequent watering. Gordon and Benoit add that the ZZ is “glossy, shapely, and looks cool next to the art on your wall, and it surprises you with new growth pretty often. ”

$48 at The Sill

Buy

$16 at Horti

Buy

Pothos

$61

$61

Like the snake and ZZ plants, the pothos came up a lot among our experts since it doesn’t require a lot of direct sunlight. “There’s a reason you see the pothos plant in offices, nail salons, and malls,” Marino says. “It’s incredibly hardy and can handle a wide range of different light levels.” Heibel also loves the plant’s trailing look.

Dracaena Reflexa

$265

$265

Buy at The Greenery

Buy

Dracaena Tarzan Bush

$85

$85

Buy at The Greenery

Buy

If your home gets a decent amount of sunlight year round but you struggle with dry air, Bullene recommends plants from the dracaena family, which are accustomed to low humidity. “A lot of them are native to Hawaii, and they actually grow on the [very arid] lava fields of volcanoes,” she says.

Cast-Iron Plant Aspidistra Elatior

$38

$38

“You can’t kill them,” says Summers of the very hardy and low-maintenance cast-iron plants. “They have a really elegant leaf shape that I always appreciate in the mix of floppiness.” Muñoz agrees that they’re “extremely easy to maintain” and “acclimate well to drier environments in the winter months.”

$38 at Amazon

Buy

$35 at Bonanza

Buy

Haworthia

$27

$27

Since succulents and cacti are generally known to be low-maintenance plants, we weren’t surprised that many of our experts say they are good options for winter. Marino suggests the pet-safe Haworthia: “They’re found in the desert, where it doesn’t rain a lot and there’s not a lot of humidity, so they’re not going to mind this at all during the winter,” she says. Heibel recommends placing succulents and cacti near any drafty windows since they do require a good amount of sunlight but can tolerate the cold better than tropical, leafy plants like the ZZ or sansevieria.

$27 at The Sill

Buy

$18 at Tula Plants

Buy

Euphorbia Milii Crown of Thorns

From $33

From $33

Also a type of succulent (but not a pet-safe one), the euphorbia milii, or crown of thorns, is another one of Summers’s favorites. “These bloom in February, and it’s always so nice to see something like that in the gray February of New York, especially,” she says. Depending on the variety, you can find them with pink, red, or white flowers.

From $33 at Etsy

Buy

White Christmas Cactus

$55

With its white or red flowers, the Schlumbergera cactus (also known as the Christmas or holiday cactus) is one of the rare houseplants that’ll bloom in the winter, typically between November and January. “The buds look like ornaments, and the flowers are these gem-colored fluffy bells,” Gordon and Benoit say. Muñoz calls these cacti “a favorite nontoxic option that also produces showy flowers. They prefer protection from intense sunlight, and that’s exactly what we get in winter.”

$55 at FTD

Buy

Peperomia Obtusifolia

$18

$18

Sortino says these plants “display semi-succulent properties, so they can sustain well with less water and oftentimes less light. Summers recommends the peperomia too, because its shiny leaves bring a lush, tropical feel to your home during the winter. Heibel is also a fan, especially if you’re looking to squeeze a bright, leafy plant into a small space. And because it’s nontoxic to cats and dogs, the peperomia obtusifolia is a good choice for pets who may nibble on plant leaves.

$18 at Tula Plants

Buy

$30 at Rooted NYC

Buy

Philips LED Plant Grow Light Bulb

$20 now 15% off

$17

If your plants are really suffering from dark and dreary winter days, there’s no shame in giving them a little boost with the help of a grow light. “I used to be a total purist when it came to grow lights until I was proven wrong,” says Summers. “Plants need light, so if winter means that light significantly decreases at your home, invest in a grow light.” Most household lamps have a yellow tinge, but plants prefer bright white lights that include all colors of the light spectrum. Bullene explains that this full-spectrum light is more similar to sunlight, so it’s almost like “fooling tropical plans into thinking that they’re still in this nice equator zone and getting the same amount of light they were getting in summertime.” Grow lights have a reputation for being unsightly or difficult to install, so most of our experts recommend using full-spectrum bulbs (Bullene likes Philips) that you can simply twist into any light fixture you already have at home.

$17 at Amazon

Buy

$17 at Amazon

Buy

Hydrofarm Agrobrite Compact Fluorescent Spiral Grow Lamp

$13

$18 now 28% off

$13

Here’s another full-spectrum grow bulb that Summers sells at her store. “We try to keep it really simple because most people are not going to install track lighting,” she says. “Grow lights have become really user friendly for the home, which is great.”

$13 at Amazon

Buy

$13 at Amazon

Buy

Rousseau Plant Care Pendant Grow Light

$120

$120

For a grow light that’s actually aesthetically pleasing, Summers recommends this hanging pendant light from Rousseau Plant Care, which, she says, “mimics a full day of summer sun.”

$120 at Rousseau Plant Care

Buy

Honeywell Designer Series Cool Mist Humidifier

$105

$105

After low light, low humidity is the biggest challenge for indoor plants. One way to introduce more moisture to your indoor environment is by adding a humidifier. Look for one that’s sized appropriately for your space, and keep it running as frequently as possible. Bullene and Summers recommend Honeywell humidifiers. “I’ve had a Honeywell for way too long, and it just won’t break,” says Summers. “It’s just amazing, and it’s easy to clean out.”

$105 at Amazon

Buy

$105 at Amazon

Buy

AirExpect Cool Mist Humidifier

$40

$40

This humidifier is Santiago’s favorite because it doesn’t require a ton of maintenance. “Most humidifiers run through water super-quickly, and you have to constantly change them out, but this one is really good at maintaining moisture,” she says. “You can leave it filled for a week and not have to worry about filling it every other day.”

$40 at Amazon

Buy

$40 at Amazon

Buy

Brussel’s 13-Inch Humidity Tray With Decorative Rocks

$11

As a low-tech alternative to a humidifier, several of our experts recommend pebble trays, which you can either buy or easily make at home. Simply fill a tray with pebbles, pour in a layer of water and then place it directly underneath your plant. The pebbles keep the plant from being totally submerged in the water, but, as Marino describes, it “increases the humidity and the moisture levels in the air around the plant. ” Bullene says you can also simply put a dish or a bowl of water on top of your radiator and let it evaporate into the air to humidify nearby plants.

$11 at Amazon

Buy

$11 at Amazon

Buy

Lechuza Classico Self-Watering Garden Planter

$90

$90

If you’re keenly attuned to your plant’s health, you can keep an eye out for signs of thirst, but it’s not always obvious. Instead, Bullene recommends a self-watering planter, like the ones from Lechuza, that you fill with water from the base, where the plant’s roots can absorb it as needed. “That has a huge effect, because the plant’s allowed to drink from the water reservoir when it’s ready, rather than when the human deems that it thinks the plant is thirsty,” she says.

$90 at Amazon

Buy

$90 at Amazon

Buy

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The Best Winter Houseplants, According to Experts

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Houseplants blooming in winter.

| Flowers in the interior

In fact, almost any plant can be forced to bloom in winter. It is not so difficult to provide additional illumination, adjust the light and temperature conditions. But for most lovers of indoor floriculture, busy with work or many of their daily activities, such houseplants are more suitable, in which the natural flowering period falls in the winter. They do not require any special tricks, just with normal care they bloom in the winter months, delighting with their beauty despite the frost.

The choice of houseplants that bloom in winter is not that big, but still enough to choose a pot flower to your taste.

The easiest and most convenient way to get a houseplant is to visit a flower shop. Most often in winter you can find blooming orchids, cyclamens, poinsettias or azaleas for sale. Camellias are a little less common. These plants are sold during the period when they look the most decorative, that is, during the period when they begin to bloom.

Not every locality has a specialized store, and it is very unreasonable to carry a delicate flower over long distances in winter frosts - you can simply ruin it. To decorate your home with indoor plants that bloom in winter, it is best to buy them in the warm season and prepare them for winter flowering yourself.


But in this case, you need to choose potted plants that are not too difficult to care for. To make poinsettia (euphorbia) or azalea bloom in winter, you need to provide it with the correct light and temperature conditions in the fall. For more unpretentious plants (Decembrist (Schlumbergers), Kalanchoe Blossfeld or Lorrain begonias), no special actions are required.


A winter-blooming, hardy houseplant, Kalanchoe Blossfeld, usually buds at the end of December. It has been noticed that flowering occurs earlier if this plant is kept in the northern windows in autumn, and rearranged to a lighter southern window in early December.


Lorrain begonias are a group of hybrids that bloom from November to March. Large flowers can delight with their beauty all winter.


In order for the Decembrist cactus (Schlumbergera) to bloom in winter, it needs a dormant period - in September, watering and air temperature are reduced. In this way, the laying of the kidneys is stimulated. When the plant is preparing to bloom, in no case should it be rearranged or rotated on the window - the buds will begin to fall off.

Zimuanthuriums, saintpaulias, spathiphyllums and non-capricious balsams can bloom all the time on the southern window, even without any illumination. Usually these indoor plants delight with winter flowering when it has not stopped since autumn. To prolong the period of their flowering, they continue to fertilize with fertilizers both in autumn and winter. Fast-growing balsams are cut in early autumn (it is better to take apical cuttings). If the house is warm enough, they have time to bloom until November and will delight with their bright flowers until spring, after which they should be rooted again.


Most winter-blooming houseplants require the right temperature. And azaleas, and camellias, and poinsettias, and cyclamens prefer coolness. Approximately degrees 15-18C. In warm rooms, their flowering does not last long. But during the formation of buds, the temperature should be a few degrees higher.


Tropical plants - orchids, vriesia, guzmania, echmea should be kept warm and protected from drafts.


A separate group of plants that bloom in winter are bulbous plants. This is the well-known indoor amaryllis (hippeastrum) and forcing species - hyacinths, daffodils, crocuses, muscari. Bulbs usually bloom in the second half of winter, when daylight hours begin to gradually increase.

Hippeastrums are able to delight with their huge bell flowers in January-February immediately after leaving dormancy. They need a dormant period for normal flowering.

Bulbs of garden plants for forcing should be prepared correctly, for each type of plant separately. Even easier is to purchase bulbs specially prepared for forcing in a flower shop.

Poorly heated rooms, 10-15 degrees, are better for flowering bulbs, they fade very quickly in warmth. In order for the flowers to be bright in color, it is necessary to provide good lighting.

At the end of January tender primroses of various colors appear on the market. But even the most common garden primroses can be made to bloom at home in December. To do this, before the onset of frost, their sockets are dug in a flower bed and planted in pots. In the heat, they quickly appear buds and flowering occurs.

The right choice of indoor plants will turn your home into a garden that blooms all year round.

In the cold months of the year, we are especially pleased with the magnificent indoor plants that bloom in winter, which, despite the frost, fill the room with their bright colors. It is in winter, during the long absence of greenery around us, that we really want to enjoy the sight and aroma of flowering plants. Everyone's favorite Persian cyclamens at home, violet, perennial spathiphyllum, balsam, jasmine, azaleas, poinsettia (Christmas star), camellias, primroses, begonias, schlumbergera and exotic epiphyllum, representatives of the bromeliad family - these are perhaps the well-known representatives of indoor plants blooming in winter .

Of course, there are many other, also very popular, types of indoor plants that bloom profusely in winter. Hippeastrum is also highly valued by amateur flower growers, whose huge flowers delight us throughout the winter. Indoor plants blooming in winter require special attention and care, which, however, does not differ in particular complexity.

To prolong flowering and keep plants in good health, you need to follow a few simple rules. Watering - depending on the moisture-loving nature of your plant, be sure to use warm water. After all, plants, like people, can catch a cold.

Hypothermia can harm your pet, just as a cold surface on which a flower pot is placed will cause the roots to freeze and eventually die. It is useful to spray several times a day with water at room temperature from a spray bottle, and also wipe the leaves with a damp cloth from time to time to remove dust and other deposits from the surface of the leaves. All flowers do not like drafts. Therefore, when airing the room, move the pots away from the window, or protect them with a regular paper screen or bag from the hot air coming from the battery.

Do not forget that different plants that bloom in winter need different amounts of sunlight, some need additional lighting, others thrive in twilight. Winter for indoor plants begins in November, when the day length drops sharply and many plants suffer from a lack of sunlight. Also keep an eye on the presence of injured leaves and twigs, if any appear, remove them, as they can serve as a focus of fungi or infection. In February, the day begins to arrive and the plants wake up, many of them give a strong growth, so they should be watered more often.

Indoor plants blooming in winter:

Cyclamen.

Violet.

Balsam.

Azalea.

Camellia.

Spathiphyllum.

Jasmine.

13 best indoor flowers blooming in winter on the windowsill

Indoor flowers have long been an essential attribute of window sills. They perfectly complement the interior, create comfort, saturate the dry air of apartments with oxygen. With a huge variety of species of domestic plants, everyone can choose specimens to their liking - climbing, ferns, cacti. But many still prefer flowering. From mid-October, most indoor flowers go into a dormant state. They require less watering, new greens do not form, the root system develops poorly. But it is in the winter that you want to enjoy the flowers, as a reminder of the warm summer, you want to add color to the gray and boring landscape outside the window.

Plants blooming in winter can help with this . The winter period for them is a time of intensive growth, and not rest, like many others.

To decorate your home, you can choose any of the following.

Tables