Year-Round Evergreens for Indoor Planters
Houseplants are a wonderful addition to any interior of course. There’s no doubt about that. They’re often chosen for their easy-going nature and reliable blooms, but the real showstoppers are those that flower all year round.
And only natural that these plants need the right care to stay looking good for a long time. In this article, we’ll look at some of the best examples of evergreens and share some great tips on how to look after them. And how to contain them.
Streptocarpus
Streptocarpus is a stunning Herbaceous plant from the Gesneriaceae family.
With its rosette of lush foliage, it can produce up to a hundred flowers at once (provided you regularly remove spent blooms). The flowers come in a delightful range of shades: from deep purple and blue to soft pink and white, often adorned with some delicate veining.
To keep it blooming for a year, place it near a north or north-east-facing window – right where it can get the gentle light. From spring to autumn, water it regularly and feed it with a low-nitrogen fertilizer – just to encourage those gorgeous flowers.
Begonia
Begonias are a fantastic choice for indoor gardening, offering a dazzling variety of species with patterned leaves, lush, and double flowers in the most vibrant and vivid colours possible.
The plant, however, thrives on consistency and really dislikes being cramped – make sure it has enough room to grow. The ideal spot is near an east or west-facing window, where it gets bright, yet indirect light. Water your begonia moderately. Avoid misting, as getting the leaves wet can lead to red spots.
Bromeliad
Hailing from the tropics, Bromeliad plants bring a bold splash of colour indoors with their striking red or deep yellow inflorescences. Depending on the variety, these can be feathery, spike-shaped, or even resemble a glowing torch, all made even more eye-catching by their bracts.
Bromeliads love warmth and high humidity, making them perfect for bright, steamy bathrooms or kitchens. They’re also pretty low-maintenance when it comes to watering, as their leaves form a reservoir to store moisture.
Kalanchoe
This unassuming yet resilient plant can brighten the home with its vibrant blooms for almost the entire year – provided you give it the right care.
Without proper conditions, it still may grow tall, but fail to produce even a single flower.
The Kalanchoe stores water in its leaves, making it drought-tolerant. Thus, you can go weeks without watering it, and it still might surprise you with buds during its dormant period – from November to April.
Clivia Miniata
Unlike many flowering plants, the Clivia miniata doesn’t grow from a bulb. Instead, it has a sturdy rhizome at its base, from which stems and thick, arching leaves emerge. Its striking flowers are funnel- or tube-shaped, with up to 15 blossoms per stem.
Some varieties do also produce multiple stems, creating a display of up to 60 flowers.
Bright and indirect light is the best bet for Clivia miniata, though during its dormant phase (from mid-autumn to mid-winter), it appreciates a bit of shade.
Water it moderately from Spring to Autumn, allowing the topsoil to dry out. And when buds appear, increase watering slightly.
That’s pretty much all of it.
Balsamina
A lushly blooming indoor flower that likes plenty of moisture and feels better in small, cramped pots. The delicate, whimsical shades of the flower refresh the interior of any flat. But stay sharp, as Balsamina is pretty susceptible to disease.
Fuchsia
This one is quite unpretentious, yet strikingly beautiful. The main thing is to provide the flower with bright, diffused light in the morning and a little shade in the afternoon. To maintain humidity in the heat, you can put the pot in a tray with moist pebbles.
