It’s winter in Minneapolis. While you’re busy lacing your winter boots and donning a thousandth layer to fight the wind chill, gardening is probably the last thing on your mind. At Schaaf Floral, however, our expert florists believe there’s no better way to warm up during the winter than by thinking sunny, greed thoughts by spending time with an indoor garden and winter plants. We put together a list of our top five favorite plants to warm up with during the long winter.

A Peace Lily Plant

1. Peace Lily

Peace lilies are beautiful plants that produce white and off-white colored flowers that are perfect for bringing the beauty of the snow into your home in the winter. While these plants bloom naturally in the spring and summer, florists cultivate them specially for winter.

Peace lilies are hardy plants that are relatively easy to care for. They’re tropical evergreens that grow naturally on rainforest floors. As a result, they like their soil to be kept moist and require plenty of filtered sunlight. Be careful introducing a peace lily into a home with pets or small children because every part of the lily is poisonous. Lilies are exceptionally toxic for cats and aren’t recommended for homes with feline residents.

Pothos Plant

2. Pothos

The Pothos plant is a wonderful choice for starting an indoor garden. These leafy vines grow fairly fast, which means you’ll have a fully luscious plant in just a couple of months. Plus, they’re really simple to propagate by rooting a cutting in a glass of water.

Pathos plants are also easy to care for. They prefer to have filtered, rather than direct, sunlight and can even thrive in low-light conditions. Keep their soil watered regularly, but be careful not to let them sit in standing water. While a puddle of water won’t kill one quickly, they’re not their happiest with soggy roots.

Prayer Plant

3. Prayer Plants

These leafy beauties feature absolutely stunning foliage. Their leaves are a vibrant green color with white and red stripes and other variegations. Prayer plants are also fairly simple to grow indoors. They prefer locations where they’ll receive lots of indirect or filtered sunlight and humid conditions, as they’re tropical plants. To keep their soil moist, but not soggy, pot yours in a container that will drain easily and water it regularly. If your home is dry this winter because the heat’s running constantly, you can spritz your prayer plant’s leaves to mimic a humid environment.

Ivy Plant

4. Ivy

Ivy, especially English ivy, is a favorite of ours for winter. This vine plant’s deep-green leaves will quench your thirst for springtime and also fill your home with freshly purified air. English ivy can be potted in either a hanging or stationary container. They prefer all-purpose soil and to be kept moist. In the winter, it’s best to mist your ivy with water or a specially formulated plant spray regularly to keep it happy. These plants need bright sunlight, so be sure to place yours in a south-facing window.

Arboricola Plant

5. Arboricola

Arboricola is another plant that’s perfect for an indoor winter garden. They remain vibrant throughout the year and will give your home a lush, tropical feel with their pretty, green leaves.

These low-maintenance plants do well with moist soil that isn’t soggy and medium to bright sunlight. Be careful not to place them too close to a door or air vent, as both hot and cold drafts can damage the arboricola.

Poinsettia Garden Basket with Pine Cones

Also, Celebrate the Season with Festive Poinsettias

It’s tough to put together a list of favorite winter plants and not even mention poinsettias! These beauties bloom naturally in winter and are perfect for the holidays. They make lovely decorations and great gifts. While their red and white varieties are the most popular for the season, they also come in colors like orange, yellow, salmon, pink, and marbled varieties. These unexpected poinsettia plants can make for a fun take on traditional holiday decor.

For more winter plant recommendations and indoor gardening tips, we welcome you to stop by Schaaf Floral any time this winter!