Houseplants that bloom in winter

It may be grey outside in winter, but your windowsill can be in bloom. Many houseplants flower precisely in the cold months: some because they need short days, others because they like it cool. Here is which plants bloom in winter and how to help them flower for longer.

Flowering plants for your home or as a gift are in our potted plants section.

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In brief: conditions for flowering

Cyclamen

Cyclamen flowers from autumn to spring and likes it cool: in a warm room next to a radiator the flowers soon fade. Water it from the saucer or around the edge of the pot, avoiding the tuber. More in "Cyclamen care at home".

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Phalaenopsis orchid

Phalaenopsis can flower for several months, and winter is a common flowering time. It needs bright indirect light, a clear pot and watering once the roots turn silvery. Don't cut the flower spike after flowering while it is still green: new buds may appear on it.

Poinsettia

The Christmas star is striking not for its flowers but for its bright bracts. It likes warmth and dislikes draughts and cold glass. How to get it to colour up again is explained in "Poinsettia care".

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Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera)

The Christmas cactus flowers when days are short and temperatures cool. Once buds appear, it is best not to move or turn the pot, or the plant may drop them.

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is a short-day plant with bright flower clusters. It needs bright light and moderate watering: as a succulent it copes with drying out better than with overwatering.

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Azalea

Azaleas flower profusely in winter but are fussy: they need cool conditions, high humidity, acidic soil and soft water. More in "Azalea care".

More options

• Hippeastrum — large flowers on a tall stem; plant the bulb 6–10 weeks before you want it to flower.
• African violet (Saintpaulia) flowers almost all year in good light; extra lighting helps in winter.
• Clivia flowers in late winter after a cool rest period.

More winter-flowering pot plants

• Potted hyacinths and daffodils — bulbs forced into bloom ahead of time; fragrant, and they last 1–2 weeks somewhere cool.
• Hellebore — known as the Christmas rose; in a pot it flowers on a cool glazed balcony and goes out into the garden in spring.
• Primula — bright and inexpensive, in shops from late winter; likes cool conditions and moist soil.
• Camellia — stunning winter flowers, but only at a cool +8…+12 °C; in a warm flat it drops its buds.
• Anthurium and guzmania — tropical plants that, by contrast, bloom in winter in the warmth; they need light and humid air.

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How to make winter flowering last

• Keep plants away from radiators and hot air.
• Use a grow light — days are short in winter.
• Raise the humidity: a tray of damp pebbles or a humidifier.
• Ventilate the room, but keep flowering plants out of draughts.
• Don't repot a plant while it is flowering.

Important: many winter plants, such as cyclamen, azalea, kalanchoe and hippeastrum, can be toxic to cats and dogs. Place them where pets can't chew them.

After flowering: what next?

• Cyclamen: once the leaves yellow, cut back watering and rest the tuber somewhere cool until autumn.
• Poinsettia: prune it in spring, and from autumn give it long dark nights for over a month so the bracts colour again.
• Hyacinths and daffodils will not flower again in a pot; let the leaves die back and plant the bulbs in the garden in autumn.
• Azalea and Christmas cactus: remove spent flowers, trim shoots after flowering and repot if needed.

FAQ

Which houseplant blooms in winter?

Cyclamen, phalaenopsis, poinsettia, the Christmas cactus, kalanchoe and azalea.

Why is my Christmas cactus dropping its buds?

Usually because the pot was moved, because of a draught or a sudden change in temperature.

Which potted flowers make a good winter gift?

A flowering orchid, a cyclamen or a poinsettia — they last a long time and are easy to care for.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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