When it's time for the tree to come down and holiday decorations get packed away, our homes can feel empty and dreary. Brighten up your space with live plants that bring interesting texture and color to your home.
Here are some perfect picks for plants that grow well indoors during winter:
1. Holiday cactus
This includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cactus. They are all closely-related succulents that are easy to grow indoors.
Their winter blooms are spectacular, and can be found in red, white, pink, and yellow. Keep them near over-sized windows.
2. Amaryllis
These bulbs are often sold in grocery stores and home improvement stores, but you can find higher quality bulbs and unique colors at garden centers.
They produce elegant, long leaves and huge, striking flowers that last eight to 10 weeks. Amaryllis grow best in bright light.
3. Poinsettias
Poinsettias provide bold colors even after the holidays. They can be grown as house plants for many years, but it can be challenging for them to rebloom without greenhouse conditions.
Poinsettias will temporarily tolerate any light level, but eventually decline without bright light.
4. Norfolk Island pine
Norfolk pines look like living Christmas trees. Plus, the soft, deep green needles look great year round.
Norfolk Island pines need bright indirect light, but will manage with low light for short periods.
Here are some tips for choosing plants:
1. Look for short, bushy plants
These plants tend to be healthy and maintain their beauty. Inspect plants for signs of disease or insect damage before purchasing.
2. Be sure to minimize the plant's exposure to freezing weather
Ask the store to provide a sleeve to protect it from the cold during transport to your home. Most holiday plants are native to areas with much warmer winters, and the cold can be a shock.
3. Water plants every seven to ten days during the winter
Make sure to still check them regularly to determine moisture levels. Root-bound plants or plants in smaller containers may need to be watered more frequently.
