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15 Best Plants for the Winter

Okay, if you’re like *cough* some of us, you may have a brown to blackish thumb when it comes to keeping plants alive. However, houseplants are much easier to take care of than you think. Also, houseplants have many positive effects that should definitely be mentioned.

There are studies that have actually shown that indoor plants don’t just look good—they can help to make us feel good as well. The studies have shown that indoor plants help to reduce stress, boost mood, clean indoor air, and can be therapeutic to care for. Plus, let’s face it. They’re just pretty.

With the days getting shorter and winter about to descend upon us, the folks here at alot.com thought it would be nice to add some color to the office… and we did the research to see which houseplants might be best to get us through the dreary winter about to come. We compiled a list of the 15 best houseplants for the winter and thought we would share it with you.

**Some of these plants may not be safe for pets, so be sure to check before purchasing

Jasmine

Jasmine

Benefits:

The Jasmine plant gives off a fragrant aroma and can become a focal point with its pretty white and pink flowers and dark green vines. It is a natural air freshener and one benefit it’s known for is boosting mood. It’s also easy to care for during the winter.

Care:

Just place the pot in a partly sunny spot and water them regularly, being careful not to make the soil soggy. If the leaves begin to droop, that means the plant is getting too much sun. They can usually only tolerate about four hours of direct sunlight.

Begonia

Begonia

Benefits

One of the many benefits of growing begonias indoors is that they can have beautiful flowers and foliage with varying leaf sizes, shapes, and colors in blooms. When given enough space and cared for properly in the home, begonias will grow for the entire blooming season, as well as into winter.

Care

The care of begonias is also super easy because, relatively speaking, they’re not too picky. They can be grown in the shade of a tree, inside as a houseplant, or in full sunlight. They do well in shady spots with sporadic watering, however, as all plants they do better with regular care.

Desert Rose

Desert Rose

Benefits

A.K.A as Adeniums, the Desert Rose is an arid land plant native to sub-Saharin Africa. It is also a beautiful and exotic plant to feature in your home. The leaves are spirally arranged, and the flowers are tubular with five petals, resembling plumeria. It is a beautiful plant that is long flowering, colorful, and low in water demand.

Care

They can tolerate dry conditions, so these plants actually need very little care. As a matter of fact, most find that they have a problem with over-watering them at first.  They do, however, require full sunlight, so be sure to place them in a spot where they’ll get plenty of it.

Lipstick Plant

Lipstick Plant

Benefits

Closely related to African violets, it is native to the damp forests of the West Indies and South America. In the home environment, it looks best as a hanging plant. The best part of this eye-catching plant is that it is so aptly named! When it is blooming, the buds appear to be lipstick coming out of a beautiful purple tube.

Care

These plants love the humidity so it’s best to keep them in a humid environment. They need a lot of light but too much direct sunlight can cause them to burn. Watering them is relatively easy. Avoid letting them dry out but don’t water them excessively, especially in the winter.

Bleeding Heart Vine

Bleeding Heart Vine

Benefits

The biggest benefit of this houseplant is its pretty flowers which have the appearance of a bleeding heart. The flowers are a crimson color, and they grow on a shrubby evergreen vine in clusters. Another great benefit is that it does well in a pot indoors and can be moved outside in warmer weather in a shady area.

Care

You can only allow the soil in this plant to dry up to one inch deep, which means it will need regular watering, filling the pot until the water begins to drain from the bottom of the pot. Otherwise, you can sit the vine in a well-lit area. Be sure to turn the pot every so often to prevent one-sided growing.

Snake Plant

Snake Plant

Benefits

How about the benefit of having a natural air cleaner sitting right on the end table or in the corner of your living room? The snake plant has a natural ability to absorb excessive amounts carbon monoxide as well as the ability to emit oxygen and filter other toxins from the air. It can also aid in increasing productivity, decreasing stress, and fostering happy vibes.

Care

These guys aren’t finicky at all. Just a bit of love every once in a while, and some light, as well as avoiding over watering is all it takes to keep them thriving. When the soil is dry to the touch is usually the best indication that it’s time to water it. If the leaves turn yellow, it means that you’ve over-watered your snake plant and need to move it to a warmer spot to dry out a bit.

Bromeliads

Bromeliads

Benefits

The coolest thing about bromeliads is that they have beautiful forms, foliage, and flowers, which makes them a great addition to any home. In addition, they are super easy to care for, grow in any environment, and they reproduce constantly. Another great benefit is that they are one of the least likely plants to be attacked by pests and diseases.

Care

When taken care of properly, the blooms of the flowers can last for up to three months at a time. They are super easy to grow indoors as they are very adaptable and resilient. They can be grown in a pot or mounted on pieces of wood with nylon ties or grown in rocks. The best way suggested is to grow them in a layer of rocks with the water just a layer under the rocks, so the plants are set in a humid setting without sitting directly in water.

Amaryllis

Amaryllis

Benefits

This beautiful flower usually blooms right in time for the holidays for several weeks and comes back to charm you each year. They are a great showstopper as they are impossible to ignore once in full bloom. Plus, they come in several colors like pink, orange, yellow, green, and purple; not just in red and white.

Care

Check this out: These plants don’t need water OR soil to grow. They are wax bulbs that hold in all the moisture and nutrients they need to grow. You can just set them down in a brightly lit spot a few weeks before winter and they will bloom big and bright for you. It’s even easy to keep and revive these blooms each year for years to come.

African Violet

African Violet

Benefits

African violets can have a beautiful charm all their own with their velvety, funny shapes and compact structure that are just made to be grown indoors. They also have bright, beautiful blooms that can continue blooming throughout the year. They do okay outside but can be attacked by pests and stay more beautiful indoors.

Care

African violets are super easy to care for and keep vibrant all year long as long as they are kept in indirect sunlight. If they are placed in direct sunlight, they can be burnt by it. The best temperature to keep them in is around 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. They do, however, need a humid atmosphere which can be achieved by using the bottom-up watering method or by placing the plant on a dish of pebbles that are kept moist.

Peace Lily

Peace Lily

Benefits

The peace lily is known to purify 60% of the air around it, combatting pollutants such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. The peace lily also promotes a restful sleep by absorbing airborne mold spores that are common allergens in addition to bringing calmness by alleviating feelings of stress in the mind and body. Not to mention that these plants are simply breathtaking.

Care

These plants can survive without direct sunlight and can go long periods between watering. However, you should water them regularly to keep them shiny and healthy. In addition to its beauty, the peace lily is truly the best kind of houseplant to keep due to its low maintenance requirements.

Hawaiian Wedding Vine

Hawaiian Wedding Vine

Benefits

Also known as Madagascar Jasmine, the Hawaiian Wedding Vine adds a natural spectacular fragrance to any room. They are a beautiful plant with long thick vines that are densely covered with glossy leaves and an abundance of star-shaped flowers. Their flowers are so pretty, brides usually add them to their bouquets.

Care

The plant needs ample light, humidity, and warmth to bloom year-round. Although it thrives in indirect sunlight most of the time, it does benefit from several hours of direct sunlight per day. When the top of the soil dries out, you can give the plant a deep watering, being careful not to over-water.

String of Pearls

String of Pearls

Benefits

The string of pearls plant is a low-maintenance cascading plant that looks great hanging anywhere in your home. It’s uncommon, so it’s definitely a conversation starter, especially when your décor is simple and the plant adds a bit of personality to the room.

Care

Apparently, it takes a lot of neglect in order to kill a string of pearls. However, if you’d like it to thrive it should be properly maintained. String of pearls needs lots of natural light while indoors. If you move it outdoors for an amount of time, it needs some light and some shade. Keeping the home between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit will also help your plant grow. And because this plant is a succulent, it doesn’t need much water to thrive at all.

Crown of Thorns

Crown of Thorns

Benefits

Crown of Thorns is a type of cactus plant that boasts pretty little red or yellow, year-round flowers, which bloom the most in the winter. It’s a sprawling shrubby succulent that has the capability to grow up to three feet tall, although some newer varieties can grow up to six feet tall. The great thing is, you can grow the kind that are super spindly, or you can choose to grow the kind that hardly have any spines at all.

Care

It is quite difficult to kill this plant once it has started to grow. They should be set in the full sunlight. The only time they should be liberally watered is after they’ve been transplanted until the roots take. After that, you can cut back on the water thanks to its drought tolerance.

Peppermint Plant

Peppermint Plant

Benefits

Not only is this a beautiful, fragrant plant, it is also great to have on hand for a number of reasons. Peppermint leaves are known to aid in digestion when chewed; relieve headaches, acts as a decongestant, and relieves fatigue when crushed and their aroma is inhaled; and it can aid in weight loss, and oral care.

Care

It’s easy to grow mint: you can just cut a sprig off of an existing plant, or you can buy a seedling from a nursery. Then all you need is your pot and soil. It does need to be set where it will get plenty of direct sunlight. It does need to be kept damp and so it should be watered frequently. When trimming off leaves, be sure to begin from the top to help it grow more leaves on the side.

Zebra Plant

Zebra Plant

Benefits

These showpieces are evergreen plants with pairs of shiny lance-shaped green leaves, boldly colored with cream, white, or silvery stripes giving it the appearance of a zebra. They can grow up to six feet tall in their native Brazil but can be kept to about 12 to 18 inches by pruning.

Care

Although this houseplant is a bit harder to care for, many gardeners agree that it’s worth the trouble. Start with placing it in an area with bright, indirect sunlight and keeping the soil moist but not soggy. These plants seem to thrive in temperatures between 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit. It is truly a jungle plant, so it can be quite a feat to get one to flower!