The dark months of November and December are a time for bringing some of nature’s greenery inside – whether with Christmas trees, fresh-cut garlands or classic holiday houseplants. While the striking flowers of Thanksgiving cactus, Amaryllis and Poinsettias will certainly make our homes feel festive, how about including some new, unusual and, perhaps unexpected, fall to winter bloomers this year?
HOYA
Hoyas are very easy to care for and reward the grower with exotic, almost otherworldly, waxy blooms which are pleasantly fragrant. Unlike other flowering plants, never deadhead the bloom stalks for they’ll repeat flowering over and over again from the same flower peduncles.
It’s fun to get creative with Hoyas since their vining habit makes them useful for climbing and twirling around a plant stand or cascading out of a hanging pot. Best of all, many Hoyas bloom with abandon through the fall and winter months. Hoya ‘Odorata’ is one such floriferous and sweetly-scented variety!
AESCHYNANTHUS
Aeschynanthus, also known as Lipstick or Basket Vine is a vigorous plant that blooms reliably through the darkest months and is extremely tolerant of dry, heated air. With its trailing habit and as its nickname implies, Basket Vine is perfect for a hanging basket where the long stems can gracefully spill over the sides.
The variety known as ‘Mona Lisa’ with its eye-catching vivid red tubular flowers and purple calyxes will brighten any room!
ANTHURIUM
Anthuriums are remarkable houseplants in that they tend to bloom all year! However, the ‘flowers’ are actually colorful heart-shaped spathes with a contrasting spadix which can remain on the plants for months. Regular deadheading of old blooms that have lost their vibrancy will keep new ones coming.
Although the more common red Anthuriums are the perfect complements to holiday décor, they also come in a vast array of other colors including pink, green, yellow, coral, white and purple. By collecting several varieties, you can enjoy a rainbow of colors year round!
JASMINE
If you’re a fragrance lover, then ‘scentsational’ Jasmine is a great choice for a sunny room; just be sure to look for those that are autumn to winter bloomers. Jasmines can be climbing, trailing or upright in habit so there’s plenty of versatility here as to where you place them in your home.
Sweetly-scented and everblooming ‘Orange Jasmine’ will easily fit on a small table or windowsill, while ‘French Perfume’ is a robust vining plant perfect for a stand, pot trellis or hanging basket.
ABUTILON
Abutilons or Flowering Maples are typically grown as outdoor summer shrubs but there are several small-scale varieties that are well suited to indoor culture. The large, hibiscus-like flowers on these almost everblooming plants can bring a look of the tropics to our homes!
Abutilon ‘Blushing Belle’ is a romantic pink and white beauty that is compact in size and blooms nearly non-stop. ‘Miss Marmalade’ with its cheerful orange-yellow blossoms is a dwarf Abutilon that is ideal for a hanging planter. ‘Red Glory’ is a deep scarlet that makes a strong accent plant and is especially lovely when partnered with holiday greenery.
