6 Flowering Indoor Plants That’ll Add a Pop of Color to Any Space
Before you go running off to the closest greenhouse, keep in mind: Your new blooming buddy might require more TLC than that snake plant in your corner. Like any species of plant or flower, each has its own set of "rules" for ensuring it blooms and grows to its fullest potential. While these vary, Erin Marino, plant expert and director of brand marketing at The Sill, has some general tips:
- For light: "Indoor plants that bloom usually require more sunlight—bright direct to bright indirect—and frequent waterings than other plants," she says. "You’ll want to make sure your space receives enough bright light for your new houseplant to thrive and support its flowers, or that you invest in supplemental lighting."
- For water: According to Marino, you'll probably find yourself watering flowering plants more often than those that don't bloom. That means you may want to invest in a good self-draining pot: "It depends on the specific plant whether it likes to dry out between waterings or remain semi-moist," she says. "Either way, good drainage is key."
- For soil: Fertilizing your blooming houseplants can also help encourage more flowers. "Fertilizer isn’t food but nutrients, similar to those your plant would get out in its natural habitat," Marino says. She suggests always checking the fertilizer label for directions and notes that some flowering plants, like orchids, even have their own fertilizers developed just for them.
Ready to add some color to that green thumb? Below are six flowering indoor plants to check out (as if you needed another reason to expand your collection...)
6 pretty flowering indoor plants for beautiful blooms
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1. Phalaenopsis Orchid
Caring for tropical plants can be hard indoors but the amount of light, humidity, and temperature often have to be juuust right.
Want a jungly feel, but don’t want to turn your living room into a greenhouse? The phalaenopsis, AKA the “beginner orchid,” is a good place to start. “This is one of the easiest varieties of orchids to grow as a houseplant,” says Marino. Although these plants only open once a year, their flowers are total knockouts for 3 to 4 months. Marino suggests unclipping the stalks of the orchid’s blooms, so they grow naturally and really spark that wild, jungle vibe.
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2. Peace Lily
Fun fact: While peace lilies “bloom” in white, their real flowers are the spike-shaped spadix, or barb, that’s sits inside the white leaf.
Regardless, the stark contrast between its vivid white leaves and its lush green stalks make it an instant classic in any space. “I love the peace lily because it’s such a full, bushy plant which makes for a great houseplant,” says Marino. “It’ll add a pop of green to any space year-round.”
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3. African Violets
These hearty houseplants are a low-maintenance way to incorporate color in your indoor plantscape. “They can adapt to a wide range of conditions and there are many varieties to choose from, with all different colored flowers,” says Marino.
Pro tip: Marino recommends trying the bottom-up watering method to feed your African violets, allowing them to pull water up from a saucer through drainage hole. This will keep their potting soil moist while their fuzzy leaves remain dry.
- Erin Marino, former director of brand marketing at The Sill
- Joyce Mast, horticulturist and resident plant mom at Bloomscape
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4. Bromeliad
Bromeliads are a beautiful flowering plant known for their lasting blooms. With over 1,000 different species (including the pineapple, which yes—you can grow in your living room!), these plants come in a variety of vibrant colors. The best part is, they’re pretty easy to care for. Joyce Mast, a horticulturist and Bloomscape’s resident plant mom, says light to medium indirect light should suffice with a little bit of water about every two weeks.
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5. Anthurium
Planning some serious summer entertainment post-COVID? Welcome your guests over with a bright, leafy anthurium. “The anthurium symbolizes hospitality with its open heart-shaped flower and inspires happiness and abundance,” says Mast. “These beauties will enjoy a warm and bright spot in your home and a bit of extra humidity.”
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6. Christmas Cactus
Despite their nickname, these plants are actually tropical in origin and make an excellent addition to any indoor garden. The Christmas cactus (or Zygocactus, if you want to get technical) grows in long, segmented vines that bloom at the end in whites, pinks, corals, and deep reds.
While they’ll look great on a windowsill, Mast recommends giving their lanky vines some room to stretch out in either a hanging planter or on a floating shelf. “Just make sure there is never any standing water in the saucer of the bottom of the pot,” she says.
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