Leafy plants can be incredibly beautiful with their lush green leaves, interesting variegations, or unusual shapes. Your indoor garden could be filled with greenery and be gorgeous. But sometimes it’s nice to add a splash of color with flowers as well. The best flowering plants will happily grow and flower for you indoors, even with low light. If you’re thinking about adding some colorful vibrancy to your home, try one of these flowering houseplants.
African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
African violets are easy to grow if you provide them with a warm atmosphere and moderate amounts of indirect light. Their leaves can rot if they get too moist, so be careful when watering these guys. Or water from the bottom to be on the safe side. Repot violets when they get too big for their current home. But keep their pots as small as they can handle. African Violets will bloom more readily when they become slightly rootbound.
Brazilian Fireworks (Porphyrocoma pholiana)
Brazilian Fireworks get their name from the reddish pink and purple blooms they produce which resembles an explosion of color. They bloom in the summer but are just as beautiful in the winter with their silvery veined leaves. They like partial to full shade which is perfect for a home with very little natural light.
Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus x hybridus)
Streptocarpus, or cape primrose, is a close relative of the African violet but it’s hardier and easier to care for. They thrive in low light and can be sensitive to overwatering. So be sure to use well-draining soil for these plants. Primrose will flower freely from spring to autumn, and perhaps all year round with the right conditions. You can encourage flowering by allowing the plant to become a little rootbound.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)
Christmas cactus is a flowering succulent that will bloom red, pink, white, or orange flowers in the winter months. There are so many plants that bloom in the spring and summer. The Christmas cactus is a nice addition to your garden if you want to see flowers in the colder seasons. Even when not in bloom, they have a unique appearance, with flattened, segmented stems that grow in long, arching tendrils.
Hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus)
Hibiscus plants produce large, beautiful, 5-petaled flowers in a variety of colors, including blue, red, purple, white, and bicolored combinations. The wide petals with long pistils in the center are what gives the hibiscus its characteristic appearance. The flowers only last 1-2 days, but they will continue to bloom freely from late spring into the fall. You’ll just need to provide them with ample light.
More of the Best Flowering Houseplants
Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana)
Impatiens are also known as busy Lizzies. They should be placed in a room with plenty of bright light. Also, they need to be watered generously, as these are very thirsty plants. They don’t like cold temperatures, but when grown indoors they will bloom year-round. When in bloom, impatiens produce dainty, 5-petaled flowers in a range of colors, such as red, pink, white, and violet.
Ixora (Ixora coccinea)
Ixora, or flame of the woods, produces tiny flowers in dense clusters of fiery oranges, reds, or yellows. They will bloom nearly all year long if provided with plenty of light, warmth, and humidity. Ixora do best with well-draining soil and should only be watered once the soil on the surface has dried out. These shrubby plants can be grown indoors in a container, if provided with a bright, warm atmosphere.
Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus radicans)
Lipstick plants aren’t a typical houseplant, but they can be grown inside. And they make a beautiful and unusual addition to your indoor garden. They require a consistently warm temperature and humid atmosphere. Be sure to place them in a bright room, and water them with room temperature water. When in bloom, buds will emerge from their tubes, looking much like a bright red lipstick before the flowers open.
Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis Blume)
Moth orchids are elegant and beautiful looking plants. A long, thin stem grows up from the middle of their broad leaves. On the top of this stem grows white, pink, or yellow flowers. The petals may even have a striped or splotched pattern. They are gorgeous plants but they’re a little trickier to care for than some others. Orchids must not be overwatered and should be planted in an orchid-specific potting mix. Alternatively, use a bark mix with plenty of drainage. Moth orchids require ample light to flower, but it should be indirect as full sunlight could scorch their leaves.
5 More of the Best Flowering Houseplants to Go!
Oxalis (Oxalis triangularis)
Oxalis, also known as purple leaf shamrock, is a flowering plant but its leaves are as beautiful as its blooms. The dark purple leaves are trifoliate, and they will close up at night and when they are disturbed. The small white or pale pink flowers that it produces do this as well. To encourage this plant to bloom freely you should place it in a bright spot with plenty of light. Also let the soil dry out between waterings.
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
Peace lilies make a wonderful addition to any indoor garden. Not only are they easy to grow and care for, but they’re said to filter pollutants out of the air. They can thrive in shade and will bloom in low light. However, if your peace lily is not blooming, it could need just a slightly brighter area. When they do bloom, their showy white flowers can last for months.
Scarlet Star (Guzmania lingulata)
The scarlet star, or droop-head tufted air plant, is one of the most common bromeliads to be grown indoors. The star shaped flowers can be found in deep reds, oranges, yellows, or pinks. The long leaves grow up and out, fanning themselves around the plant to give it a tropical appearance. They will thrive in indirect light and they’re quite easy to care for.
Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
Scented geraniums give off some of the sweetest aromas. Strangely, these delightful smells come from the leaves rather than the flowers. Different scented geraniums cultivars can give off fragrances of pineapple, chocolate mint, citrus, apple, peppermint, and other delightful scents. But the Pelargonium graveolens emits a wonderful rose-smelling aroma. The flowers are fairly small and can vary from light pink to nearly white. They’ll bloom from late summer all the way into the winter if provided with plenty of light and moderate watering.
Wax Begonia (Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum)
Wax Begonias enjoy full sun but they can tolerate some shade. They don’t do well in cold weather but will thrive in any region as an indoor plant. Their leaves are thick and glossy and their white, pink, or red flowers will bloom from May to October. Some even bloom year-round when grown indoors. In tropical climates, these plants can grow to the size of a small shrub. They’ll remain smaller and more manageable in cooler regions, however.
White Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)
One of the best flowering houseplants you can grow in your home is white jasmine. Its small leaves and dainty, star-shaped white flowers create the perfect picture of delicate beauty. These plants are winter-blooming, so they’ll require about 4 hours of direct sunlight in the summer. However, cooler temperatures in the fall will make flowers appear. They’re also quite aggressive climbers so you may want to provide them with a trellis to support their growth.
Best Flowering Houseplants - The Wrap-up
If you’re looking for a way to keep fresh flowers in your home throughout the year, consider cultivating an indoor flower bed. With the right selection of the best flowering houseplants, you can enjoy plenty of beautiful blooms without having to worry about tending to an outdoor garden. Whether you have limited sunlight indoors or prefer to keep your flower beds contained and out of sight, these flowering plants are sure to thrive and produce stunning flowers. Just be sure to provide them with plenty of care and attention, and they will reward you with bright blossoms that add beauty and cheer to any room.
