As temperatures drop and the sun retreats to its winter hiding spot, it’s easy to think that your garden will remain drab until spring returns. But before you give up on a thriving garden, consider adding some colorful winter plants. These plants can survive the winter cold while also adding green foliage and bright flowers to your landscape.
If you didn’t have much of a garden to begin with, you can still add winter plants and flowers to your home. By picking the best houseplants and providing the proper care, you’ll enjoy cozy plant vibes as snow falls outside.
Best Plants for the Winter Garden
When deciduous trees begin losing their leaves, your garden can start looking a little dull. While most plants drop their flowers as colder weather arrives, some seize the moment as an opportunity to produce stunning blooms and berries. If you’re looking to add a boost of color to your winter garden, check out these winter flowering plants.
Winter Jasmine
Each year, winter jasmine plants burst out from the landscape with bright yellow flowers. These shrubs are natural trailers, so they look great cascading over walls or fences.
Before you plant winter jasmine in your garden, be aware that these shrubs grow rapidly. If you’re not ready to regularly prune your plants, get ready for scraggly and out-of-control branches.
Winterberry
A type of holly, winterberry provides year-round appeal to your garden. During the spring and summer, the medium shrub is covered with vibrant green leaves. However, it really begins to shine as temperatures dip.
When fall arrives, winterberry plants produce berries that remain well into winter. The bright red fruits bring color to drab landscapes and fit right in with Christmas decorations. But don’t think you’re the only one who will enjoy them — birds such as robins, cedar waxwings, and mockbirds feast on the berries.
Japanese Camellia
While there are all sorts of camellia plants, Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) is the winter garden star. These large shrubs thrive throughout the year in zones 7-10. They don’t like full sun nor complete shade, so plant them somewhere that receives partial shade. As long as they’re happy with their environment, Japanese camellia plants will become covered with large flowers in the late winter and early spring.
When it comes time to pick out a Japanese camellia plant, you’ll have lots of options. Plant breeders have created varieties that vary in height and flower color. You can choose from everything from variegated pink flowers to simple white blooms.
Winter Aconite
A member of the buttercup family, winter aconite bursts into winter landscapes with bright yellow flowers. Each flower is collared by green bracts, framing the sunny blooms.
Unlike popular spring flowers such as daffodils and tulips, winter aconite doesn’t emerge from bulbs. Instead, these plants grow from underground tubers. Try tucking a patch of tubers into a sunny spot in your garden or lining a walkway with these cheerful plants.
Snowdrop
Looking for the cutest flowers possible? Then look no further than snowdrops. Plant some snowdrop bulbs in fall and you’ll be rewarded with a display of drooping white flowers in February or March.
These winter-loving plants need a period of cold weather to bloom. So if you live in regions that rarely experience below-freezing temperatures, snowdrops aren’t the best choice for your garden.
Christmas Rose
As their name suggests, Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) plants burst into bloom right around this winter holiday. But don’t be fooled by their common name; this plant is a member of the buttercup family rather than the rose family.
Their delicate five-petal white flowers remain throughout the remainder of the winter. Even after their flowers fade, they add to landscapes with their evergreen foliage.
These plants like to be a bit protected from harsh sun, so nestle them against your house or in the shade of taller trees or shrubs.
If you’ve fallen in love with the Christmas rose and wish you could keep the flowers around all year, you’re in luck. The closely related lenten rose blooms just a bit later in the year.
Pansies
If you’re looking to add a pop of winter color to your window boxes or planters, look no further than the pansy. While these little flowers look delicate, they can handle temperatures down to 0ºF.
Pansies come in all sorts of colors, so you’ll be able to mix and match to your liking. Pick out yellow and orange flowers for some brightness or opt for moody purple and blue blooms.
Best Indoor Winter Plants
When winter arrives, much of the outside world turns gloomy and drab. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t keep things green indoors! Caring for winter houseplants will nourish your desire for greenery until spring arrives.
Tabletop Christmas Tree
As you probably know, there are lots of types of Christmas trees. Maybe you’re a diehard blue spruce fan or perhaps your household spends each year arguing about what type of tree to get. No matter your feelings about the big ol’ pine and spruce trees, one thing’s for certain — you’ll want to add one of these tabletop Christmas trees to your home ASAP.
With cute little pots and evergreen branches, these trees provide all of the Christmas cheer we love with none of the dropping needles or heavy tree stands. And since they come with their roots attached, you can enjoy them for more than a few weeks.
These little trees look excellent on their own, but they’re also ready for tiny decorations. Grab a little string of lights, spend an afternoon making some homemade ornaments, and get ready to trim your tree.
Snake Plant
Don’t worry, these snakes won’t bite. These ‘70s statement plants have made a comeback and are dressing up homes and offices across the country. Their surge in popularity is no surprise once you look at their twisty leaves and get wind of their easy to care for habit.
Compared to other tropical houseplants, snake plants can handle quite a bit of shade. That means you don’t have to worry about them once the darker days of winter arrive. While they can handle some darkness, they aren’t fans of the cold. Therefore, keep them away from cold drafts.
Like most houseplants, snake plants require less water in the winter than they do in the summer. Check their soil once a week and water when the top inch or two is dry.
ZZ Plant
Another low-maintenance plant that thrives in winter is the ZZ plant. With glossy, oval leaves and a carefree form, the ZZ is practically made to liven up your drab office or living room.
While this plant is easy to care for, you’ll need to remember that it hails from the tropics. That means you should keep the temperature warm and mist your plant if the air feels extra dry.
Best Winter Flowers for Inside
Looking to brighten up your home with natural color? Look no further than these winter flowers.
Amaryllis
Since the amaryllis grows from a bulb, humans have figured out how to control when these plants bloom. By buying dormant bulbs and planting them in the late fall, you’ll be rewarded with trumpet-shaped flowers during the darkest days of the year.
Amaryllis work great as potted plants, and flowers last for multiple weeks. If you’re not looking to grow your own, you can also buy these blooms as cut flowers — they’re one of the best winter flowers for bouquets.
Orchids
There’s something mesmerizing about orchids. Maybe it’s their tall stems or large flowers, or the way they grow without soil. Even if you’re not sure why you love them, it’s clear that they’re one of the best flowering plants for your home.
If you’re looking to add winter flowers to your home, pay attention to the orchid species — not all types of orchids bloom in winter. Some popular winter-blooming orchids include the Christmas orchid, white nun orchid, and epidendrum orchids.
Rose
If you don’t want to grow flowering plants indoors, you can always add some cut flowers for a touch of color. While our winter bouquets contain flowers ranging from tulips to calla lilies, many of them feature the beloved rose.
During the winter, red and white roses add some seasonal color. They work well in bouquets and also look beautiful tucked into wreaths and garlands.
Brighten Up Winter with Plants
Now that you know some of the best plants for winter, it’s time to add some foliage and flowers to your home. Whether you’re looking for a new houseplant or a bright bouquet, The Bouqs Co. is here to help. Browse our collection to order winter bouquets or find a new plant you’ll love.
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