20 easy-to-care-for winter houseplants

Article for :Beginner and plant killerExperienced plant lover

It's not easy being a Monstera deliciosa, a Ficus elastica or a Calathea picturata from November to March. Between the short days, the drafts and the air-drying heating, our living rooms have little in common with their native rainforests. Can't keep a Kentia alive after Halloween? Don't want to stress about keeping your indoor jungle healthy when you're in the throes of seasonal depression? Here are 20 houseplants that will survive the winter. Without breaking a sweat.

#1 Moonflower (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

The moonflower blooms come rain, snow or shine - Photo by Dinesh Valke / Wikipedia

While you may have a runny nose, chapped lips and a pale complexion, your Moonflower is living its best life. This plant from the Araceae family blooms even when the days are short.White varnished spathes enhance its lush foliage.

Spathiphyllum wallisii is an easy-care variety. But it can be a target for scale insects and aphids. To avoid invasion, place its pot in a dish of moist clay balls and spray the leaves regularly, in addition to watering.

#2 Echeveria elegans

The edges of Echeveria elegans turn red when it receives a lot of light - Photo by Stephen Boisvert / Flickr

Several months ago, at the garden center, I heard a customer refer to succulents as "little c*nneries". I ran into him again at the checkout; he'd bought a caladium. But while his caladium is now just a bulb fighting rot in a box, my Echeveria elegans delights me every day with its rosette of bluish-green leaves.

And what's more, she asks nothing in return. I put it next to the window so that it gets as much light as possible. But I've only had to water it once a month. And its leaf blades are as fleshy as ever.

#3 Chinese coin plant (Pilea peperomioides)

Burying a coin in the Pilea's substrate when repotting brings prosperity - Photo by Impluviatus22 / Flickr

While most species go dormant, Pilea peperomioides continues to grow. Admittedly, it grows more slowly between December and March than in midsummer. But it continues to produce new , round, bright-green leaves.

Want to encourage your Chinese coin plant to thrive during the dreary season? Place it near a window and water when the potting soil has dried to two or three centimetres.

#4 Mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Remember to empty the water stagnating in the saucer after each watering - Photo by Enzo Rippa / Wikipedia

An adept of arid environments, mother-in-law's tongue wouldn't survive our outdoor winters. But indoors, its green limbs with yellow margins stand proudly, as if taunting bare trees.

All year round, your Sansevieria has just one enemy: excess water. As with other cacti and succulents, give it water only when the substrate is completely dry, about once a month. To make sure you don't forget, download the Monstera app. We'll send you a message to remind you to water your plant.

#5 The mother-in-law cushion (Echinocactus grusonii)

Impossible to sit on this cushion - Photo by Роман Рябенко / Wikipedia

You'll have to explain to me botanists' obsession with stepmothers... But no matter whether you call it Echinocactus grusonii or stepmother's cushion, this cactus will make it through the winter retaining its bouncy shape, yellow spines and light green color.

You won't have to do much to keep it alive. Watering it every four weeks and placing it near a window are enough to keep it going. When the warm weather returns, take it out onto your balcony or garden to recharge its batteries.

#6 High Aspidistra (Aspidistra elatior)

Aspidistra elatior can also have variegated leaves - Photo by Rrei320 / Flickr

High Aspidistre is indestructible 365 days a year. This palm-like herb tolerates low light, dry air and a few draughts. Some even grow it outdoors, in pots or in the ground, where it tolerates temperatures as low as -15°C.

Although easy to care for, Aspidistra elatior is not a plastic plant. Its leaves can turn yellow and fall off. This is part of the natural aging process of plants. Remove them with a clean, sharp tool. New leaf blades should soon appear.

#7 Haworthia fasciata

Haworthia can be recognized by the white stripes that zebra its leaves - Photo by Maja Dumat / Flickr

In the wild, haworthiopsis fasciata grows in the hot deserts of South Africa. This small, rosette-shaped succulent plant is resistant to drought, scorching sunlight and hungry predators. So three months in an overheated house won't scare it off!

The best way to help your Haworthia fasciata survive is to leave it alone. Stop adding fertilizer, don 't mist it and water it when the substrate has completely dried out.

#8 The money tree (Pachira aquatica)

Your Pilea hasn't made you rich? Maybe your Pachira will Photo by Rigel / Flickr

In Asia, the Pachira aquatica is a lucky tree, often given as a gift for the Lunar New Year. Legend has it that its lobed leaves, like hands, catch money and fortune. And good news for superstitious gamblers and magical thinkers: the shrub doesn't lose its foliage when grown indoors.

Pachira aquatica requires no special care or maintenance during the cold season. Just water at room temperature, without limescale. Take advantage of bad weather to collect rainwater! It's its favorite cocktail!

#9 Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)

You don't have to tinsel your Christmas cactus to decorate it - Photo by Peter Barabas / Flickr

Christmas Cactus offers us a colorful bloom when most plants are in hibernation. The icing on the cake is that you can choose the color of the flowers. Depending on the cultivar, they can be pink, red, white, orange or purple.

In winter, Schlumbergera truncata is very quiet and doesn't need much. Don't move or repot it. A change of environment will cause its flowers to fall off.

#10 The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

Zamioculcas zamiifolia, a plant that's easier to grow than to spell - Photo by Dbwolfe / Wikipedia

Unknown to the general public fifteen years ago, plant ZZ has become a houseplant staple. Especially for beginners and those without a green thumb. Its large, smooth, shiny leaflets add a touch of style to our home decor, even in winter. The most common botanical variety has dark green foliage. But there are also cultivars with variegated or black leaves.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia likes temperatures between 18 and 26°. It will feel perfectly at home in your house, even if you don't heat it very much. Just avoid leaving it in front of an open window, an unheated veranda or in a draught. The plant can't stand the cold.

#11 Sedum nussbaumerianum

Sedum nussbaumerianum leaves turn red in the sun, even in winter - Photo by Agnieszka Kwiecień / Wikipedia

All sedums deserved to feature in this list of plants that survive winter. The reason I chose sedum nussbaumerianum rather than sedum morganianum or sedum burrito is its resistance to low light. Its green, triangular leaf blades retain red margins until spring.

When watering, be generous. Water the soil until excess water runs off through the drainage holes. This will allow the plant to build up its reserves. Then leave your succulent alone until the soil has completely dried out.

#12 Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Variegated varieties need more light - Photo by Sweetlouise / Needpix

In suspension, on a stake or in water, your Pothos will keep its foliage bushy and glossy. You can admire its heart-shaped limbs even when the snow is falling and the wind is blowing. To keep you company with originality, choose a variety with fluorescent or variegated leaves. All are equally easy to care for.

You were given a Pothos cutting this summer and you're wondering what to do to get it through the winter? The answer is: nothing, or almost nothing. Epipremnum aureum and its cultivars are hardy and suitable for indoor cultivation. Stop adding fertilizer, water when the soil has dried on the surface, and make sure the plant gets plenty of natural light.

#13 Aloe vera

Although it has thorns, Aloe is not a cactus - Photo by Cecília O. Tommasini / Pexels

Like other succulents, aloe vera doesn't care about the temperature outside or the humidity inside. Comfortably ensconced in your home, it continues to shoot out its fleshy green leaves, even when the sun has long since given up.

Aloe vera stores water in its limbs. So it doesn't need to be watered often, especially in winter. To find out if it's thirsty, observe it. The leaves hollow out and the plant sags when it needs to drink.

#14 Aglaonema commutatum

Aglaonema is Jean Reno's favorite plant in the film Léon - Photo by Digigalos / Wikipedia

In the wild, this silver-leaved aglaonema thrives in the shelter of tall trees. It appreciates diffused, filtered light and won't suffer too much from the low light levels that prevail in our latitudes during winter (unless you live in Sweden or Latvia).

Between November and March, you don't have to do much to look after your Aglaonema commutatum. Water when the soil surface is dry, and spray the leaves with non-calcareous water to remove dust. The plant will make the most of the available light.

#15 Euphorbia trigona

$Euphorbias contain a toxic latex. Wash your hands after handling them - Photo by Tom Knight / Flickr$

Euphorbias contain a toxic latex. Wash your hands after handling them - Photo by Tom Knight / Flickr

From October onwards, euphorbia trigona loses the leaves that grow at the crest of the stems. But don't let this worry you. The deciduous foliage grows back as the days lengthen. The fall of the limbs doesn't prevent the euphorbia from getting through the winter with grace and dignity. It retains its deep green color and brown spines even when it's dark 18 hours a day.

In winter, a monthly watering is all that's needed. Take the opportunity to move your Euphorbia trigona a quarter turn each time. The plant has a tendency to twist in search of light. By rotating it, you'll keep the plant upright and regular.

#16 The curved noline (Beaucarnea recurvata)

This Beaucarnea recurvata looks like cousin Machin - Photo by Maja Dumat / Flickr

In the song, Jolene has emerald eyes and auburn curls. In my living room, my noline has long hanging green leaves and a bouncy trunk. And like Jolene, her beauty knows no comparison. Even in winter. Beaucarnea recurvata is native to the deserts of Mexico, so it doesn't mind the dry air of our apartments.

Beaucarnea recurvata tolerates half-shade exposure. But lack of light slows its already slow growth. To compensate for the short days, take your plant out onto your terrace and give it some fertilizer in spring. It will gain a few centimetres and flesh out its foliage more easily.

#17 Hook cactus (Mammillaria tetrancistra)

Inside these flowers are cacti - Photo by Luzzo / Plantnet

The hook cactus is best cultivated for its pink flowers, which bloom in both winter and summer on mature plants. Before that, it's a ball of spines barely three centimetres in diameter and five centimetres high. After a few years, its silhouette lengthens and it reaches around forty centimetres in height and 20 in diameter.

You don 't need to water your hook cactus in winter. The water reserves built up during the summer will keep it going through the months of short days. However, check the substrate regularly. If it becomes rock-hard and a gap appears between the potting soil and the edges of the pot, watering is essential.

#18 Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Like a candle in the wind, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana blooms valiantly in winter - Photo by Lyubo Gadzhev / Flickr

Kalanchoes are so attractive, with their red, white, purple and pink flowers in the dead of winter! And when you get home, you won't be disappointed. Flowering lasts an average of eight weeks, even indoors.

Blossfeld's Kalanchoe adapts well to the dry air of our apartments. It doesn't require misting, and only needs watering when the soil has dried to three centimetres. Final tip: remove spent flowers before they set seed. Their production exhausts the plant.

#19 Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Can the spider plant make a web? Of course not, it's a plant - Photo by Maja Dumat / Flickr

Do you long for a plant to make you feel less lonely during the long December evenings, but have little experience (or a few disasters) under your belt? Set your sights on the spider plant. Withits variegated leaves and drooping habit, it's an easy-care, graphic variety.

Chlorophytum comosum is resistant to neglected watering, excess water and low light levels. But that's no reason to neglect your new friend! Water it when the surface of the compost is dry and place the pot near a window. It'll be in great shape and will provide you with plenty of cuttings in spring.

#20 Gasteria acinacifolia

Unlike Aloe, Gasteria has no thorns on its margins - Photo by KP Lacer / Plantnet

Not all succulents love the sun. Gasterai aciancifolia prefers a shady exposure. Indeed, the brightest rays risk burning its long, dark-green, lanceolate leaves. This makes it the perfect plant for our interiors, even when the days get shorter.

In Latin, Gasteria means stomach. But you won't need to fill it very often. During winter, gasteria acinacifolia needs only one generous watering a month. Soak the substrate until the water runs off through the drainage holes. Don't forget to drain off any excess water stagnating in the dish or planter. Plants hate standing in water!

By Servane Nemetz
on 18-01-2024 at 12h30