Spring and summer are definitely blooming flowers’ favorite seasons, but winter in Boston doesn’t have to be completely without colorful flowers and greenery. While there are some flowers that will bloom outdoors in Boston as early as February, you can enjoy a variety of flowers and green plants inside throughout the dreary winter months. At Central Square Florist, our flower experts put together a list of our five favorites for winter!

Double Poinsettia Basket

1. Poinsettia

Poinsettias are easily one of the most popular choices of winter plants. They’re traditionally used to decorate for the holiday season or given as gifts. You’re probably most familiar with deep red and snowy white varieties of poinsettias, but they’re also available in colors like yellow, orange, and pink.

Poinsettias are sensitive to sunlight. It’s the shortening length of the days that trigger them to bloom in the winter. Although many people confuse a poinsettia’s brightly colored bracts (leaf-like structures) for its blooms, their blooms are actually the small, yellow flowers found at the center of their vibrant bracts. Poinsettias prefer locations where they receive direct sunlight and a pot that drains easily. It’s important to keep their soil moist, but never to let a poinsettia sit in standing water.

Succulents

2. Succulents

Succulents are a wonderful plant to add to your home in the winter. These desert beauties will remind you of sunshine and warmth on even the coldest winter days. Plus, they’re available in a wide variety with different colors, strangely shaped leaf-like segments, and in both blooming and non-blooming varieties.

Succulents thrive in the low-humidity atmosphere found in most heated homes during the winter months. Plant succulents in a well-draining soil formulated for cacti and/or succulents and allow the soil to dry completely between watering. Yours will do best if they can get sunlight from a south-facing window.

Orchid & Succulent Planter

3. Orchids

There are literally tens of thousands of different orchid species growing around the world. The one thing they all have in common is their exotic beauty. With so many varieties and different colors, orchids are always a great choice. Orchids respond to changes in temperature, which trigger them to bloom during the winter when everyone’s craving their tropical colors the most.

Provide orchids with porous, well-draining soil, filtered sunlight, and water about once per week. Orchids also prefer a bit of humidity, so feel free to mist their leaves with water every once in a while, too.

Amaryllis

4. Amaryllis

Amaryllis flowers are a favorite bloom for winter. They burst with dazzling red flowers, which are perfect for the holidays. They bloom about six to eight weeks after they’re planted — no matter the time of year — and this makes it simple to perfectly time their blooming for winter.

Like many other plants and flowers, the amaryllis does contain poisonous toxins. Although they’re not nearly as deadly as their cousins the lilies, it’s important to keep them away from small children and household pets.

Pothos Plant On Bark

5. Pothos

These leafy green beauties grow in long tendrils of lush leaves. Pothos plants grow quickly, making them a great choice if you’re just starting an indoor garden. You can grow them easily in hanging pots or other types of planters. They’re also really easy to care for. Although they prefer lots of indirect light, they’ll tolerate low-light conditions, as well. They do best in a well-draining soil, which is allowed to dry completely between watering, which means they’re also quite tolerant of caregivers with busy schedules.

Winter Plants for Boston’s Hardiness Zone 6

Boston can get pretty cold in the winter, but thanks to its USDA zone 6 rating, there are several plants that will survive even our coldest weather, enjoy a longer growing month, and even bloom as early as February. These include snowdrops, crocuses, and Icelandic poppies in addition to many more.

Whether you plant an outdoor garden or not, you can enjoy a nearly endless variety of both green and blooming plants in an indoor garden throughout the year. Since you’ll be better able to control the climate, you can even grow cacti and succulents inside. For more information about how to enjoy plants and flowers during the winter in Boston, we welcome you to contact Central Square Florist for recommendations and assistance.