Indoor Houseplants To Keep This Winter

Written by Catherine Pannell

Winter can be long, cold and seemingly lifeless, so much so that it can even lead to seasonal depression. So if you’re looking for something to offset your gloomy surroundings during the colder months, consider winter houseplants! Houseplants can add a spark of green to the dreariest winter days and a myriad of benefits to your health amidst this dangerous season for your well-being.

Best Winter Indoor Plants

An ideal winter indoor plant is hardy, resilient and aesthetically appealing:

• Snake plants are hardy and easy to cultivate. They require little water or light, making them ideal for hands-off gardeners. They rarely need to be moved to larger pots.
• Succulents are hardy plants that stay green all year. They require little water and are easy to grow in pots.
• The ZZ Plant is slow-growing and visually appealing. It takes little time to maintain and brings a cheerful touch to a home’s interior design.
• Moth orchids are an excellent option for gardeners who want to cultivate colorful, visually impactful flowers. Their blooms can last for months when properly cared for, and they only require average watering and filtered light.
• Jade plants prefer low levels of water and indirect light. However, they grow quickly and often need to be repotted.
• If you’re looking for an elegant, trailing plant, consider a pothos. Pothos plants don’t need much direct sunlight and are hardy enough to live and grow in many different settings.
• The Christmas cactus is famous for its colorful flowers. Because it is native to Brazil, its flowers bloom during winter in the northern hemisphere. It needs plenty of light to bloom, but the plant can still survive well in low-light environments. It only needs to be watered when its soil is completely dry, making it low maintenance overall.

How To Care for Houseplants in the Winter

Different varieties of plants have different needs. The very first step to creating an indoor garden is to research the specific needs of your indoor winter plant.

You might think that being warm, well-lit and well-watered would be enough, but that’s not entirely true. Plants are adapted to live in specific climates and naturally follow yearlong cycles of growth and dormancy. So to keep a plant healthy, provide an environment as close as possible to the winter climate it naturally lives in.

When winter arrives, your houseplants will respond by entering a state of dormancy. Leaves might turn brown and growth rates will slow, but rest assured that the change is temporary. If your plants are adequately cared for, they will return to life in the spring.

When To Bring Houseplants In for the Winter

Some plants can live outside most of the year and come inside to brighten up your home when the weather gets chilly. The exact proportion of the year that your houseplants can safely spend outside will vary from species to species:

• Cacti are tough plants that can survive in pots, making them easy to move when the first signs of winter appear. It’s normal for them to enter a dormant state during the winter, so leave them out as long as possible to ensure they know when to respond to the weather. Remember that not all cacti are the same; some species can tolerate colder temperatures than others.
• Boston ferns can winter indoors once they enter a dormant state. Place them in a cool, dry location and water them once each month.
• Tropical hibiscus plants would die if left outdoors during the winter in most of the northern hemisphere, but they can thrive as winter houseplants. When temperatures drop into the low 50s overnight, it’s time to bring them inside. Hibiscus plants require bright light and regular watering.

• Small palms also make great indoor winter plants. They can survive outdoors during the winter in some parts of the south, but you should take them inside once temperatures reach the low 50s during the night. Like hibiscus plants, they need bright light and regular watering. They can be moved outside again after the last frost of the season.
• Small citrus trees can also be moved inside when the weather gets cold. It would be best to move them indoors before frost begins and provide them with a temperate and brightly lit climate. Remember that citrus trees need high humidity, so consider using a pebble tray or humidifier and keep them away from heating vents. If properly cared for, they can continue to flower throughout the winter.

How Often Should I Water My Indoor Plants in Winter?

During winter, plants grow much more slowly and use less energy. Therefore, they do not need to be watered as often. Gardeners frequently overwater winter houseplants, causing their roost to rot.

During the warmer months, checking the dampness of the soil on the pot’s surface is a common way to ascertain whether a plant needs to be watered. Dry surface soil is to be expected in the winter. However, if the soil is dry several inches below the surface, it’s time to water your winter houseplant.

Low humidity can harm winter houseplants, as a wide variety of plants thrive in about 50% humidity. In winter, heated homes may hover around 10% humidity. Indoor gardeners can easily mitigate this dryness by placing plants near a humidifier. If you don’t have a humidifier, placing plants in bathrooms or kitchens is also helpful. You can also take advantage of the moisture that indoor plants release when transpiring by grouping them into clusters.

Different species need different amounts of water, so be sure to understand the needs of your indoor winter plants before coming up with a plan for watering them. Some plants need moist soil to thrive, but others may only need to be watered a few times each month.

Lights for Indoor Plants in Winter

Natural sunlight is best for plants, so find a spot where they can enjoy lots of it. Sunlight will enter your home at a lower angle during the colder months, so your winter indoor plants may need to be moved from a spot that provides enough light in summer. Be wary of placing plants too close to windows — draughts and temperature fluctuations aren’t beneficial for houseplants.

For some plants, shorter days might make supplemental lighting necessary during the winter. If your plants aren’t getting enough light from the sun, consider a bright LED bulb. LED bulbs shed a bright white light covering the whole spectrum and mimics natural sunlight. In contrast, most traditional bulbs — designed for indoor use — give off a yellowish light that only contains part of the spectrum.

Can You Propagate Houseplants in the Winter?

Since most houseplants enter a dormant state during the winter, it may be challenging to persuade cuttings to take root. For most houseplants, this season of dormancy extends roughly from October to mid-February, and cuttings taken during this time are likelier to rot than to take root.

Plants typically begin to grow again from late February to April, making spring the best season to start taking cuttings. If you cannot get cuttings to sprout during the winter, try waiting until the plants are ready to grow in the spring.

Some outdoor plants — particularly hardwood plants — can sprout from cuttings taken during the winter. However, it will typically take much longer for them to develop roots than it would for cuttings taken during the plants’ growing season. Gardeners who want to propagate plants during winter will need to be patient.

A Parting Reminder

Whether they stay inside at all times or sit on your porch for most of the year, potted plants can add life to your home. They can also improve your health — researchers have found that indoor plants can improve air quality, reduce stress and even help you focus. This is particularly important during winter since you’re likely to spend a lot of time indoors. If you feel tired of dreary weather, cultivating winter houseplants is a healthy way to go!