A Beginner's Guide to Flowering Houseplants

From cleaning the air to improving your mood, houseplants have countless benefits. Flowering houseplants in particular can add some vibrant color and sometimes even pleasing scent to the home as well. Luckily, there are many houseplants that bloom easily with only basic care. Here are some of the best beginner-friendly flowering houseplants:

African Violet

African violets are a popular flower to grow indoors for many reasons. The major benefit of African violets is that they don’t have a dormant season, meaning they can bloom all year long. When they do bloom they produce small clusters of vibrant blooms in shades of purple, pink, white and red. African violets are low-maintenance plants and will thrive in bright indirect light and well-draining potting mix.

Peace Lily

Peace lilies are large and impressive plants with very few demands. In fact, their beginner friendliness makes them popular housewarming or closing gifts. They can adapt to most lighting conditions and only require occasional watering. The white flowers typically bloom in the spring but even when the plant is not in bloom it makes a statement with its lush, dark green foliage. The flowers even have a light and pleasant scent.

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe is a type of succulent. While all succulents flower, this one is one of the easiest to bloom indoors. However, it requires a specific combination of conditions to do so. Like other succulents kalanchoe needs well-draining soil but prefers to stay moist throughout its growing season. To encourage healthy blooms, mist regularly and keep the soil moist.

Bromeliad

Bromeliads are tropical plants that might not seem beginner-friendly at first glance. However, they are extremely hardy plants and their flowers are long-lasting. Bromeliads like bright light similar to their native environments, but do not require regular watering. Some bromeliads absorb moisture through their leaves rather than the soil, so it's best to mist them frequently. Overall bromeliads make a big statement with relatively little effort.

Holiday Cactus

You will commonly encounter this plant named Christmas cactus, named for the unusual time of year it produces flowers. However, there are multiple kinds of cactus that bloom at different times, earning the names of other holidays (Easter for spring, Thanksgiving for fall). Regardless of the “holiday” variety, this cactus doesn’t require hardly any special treatment but thrives in humidity and bright light. A holiday cactus can live many years and grow very large, providing brightly colored flowers annually indoors.

Most plants require high levels of humidity in order to produce flowers. This makes growing flowering houseplants easier in some climate zones than others. However, with frequent misting or portable humidifiers, you can encourage these plants to bloom no matter where you live. Many plants also produce more flowers with well-timed fertilizer. Research your specific options to determine what will suit it best. Of all the options, you will find a flowering houseplant to bring color and life into your home.