The colorful cyclamen flowers that rise from the center of a mass of heart-shaped leaves can bloom for two months.
(IStock Photo)
After all the colors of the holidays, your home can feel a bit dreary after the tree's gone, or the menorah's packed up.
But just as sparkling earrings or a scarf can jazz up an outfit, colorful, flowering houseplants can provide just the right accents for the front entry, a bedside table, or anywhere you need a burst of color.
Several potted plants can help bridge the gap between red-themed winter holidays. In a range of reds, pinks, and whites, cyclamen, kalanchoe, and amaryllis can set the scene for Valentine's Day.
Other winter-flowering houseplants herald the coming of spring. Senecio cruentus, or florist's cineraria, forms a dome of daisy-like flowers, typically with a white eye surrounded by vibrant, gumdrop-like colors. Primrose colors are just as fun, with stems of violet-like flowers emerging from the center of a green, leafy rosette. Both cineraria and primrose prefer cooler temperatures. Give a group of them a day in the early-spring sun on a porch or patio.
These days, several "old" plants are new again. Reiger hybrid begonia, a classic '50s plant, blooms in pastel reds, pinks, oranges, and yellows this time of year, which stand out nicely against dark-green leaves. Regal geraniums have a long history as winter-blooming houseplants.
For a real Victorian throwback, try abutilon, or flowering maple. With the right care, these somewhat woody plants can produce drooping, hibiscus-like flowers year-round. But you may appreciate them most during winter's chill.
Perhaps fragrance and color are what you're looking for. Jasmine's white, star-like flowers bloom in February and are most fragrant at night. A citrus plant, too, will give off a delightful scent from flowers and foliage. The greens, yellows, and oranges of its fruits give some added color - and a little bit of pride in your green thumb.
Cyclamen: Shooting-star-shaped flowers arise from the center of a mass of richly veined, heart-shaped leaves, and can bloom for two months or more. Keep lightly moist and avoid watering its crown by placing in a shallow dish of water for 15-20 minutes. Difficult to rebloom.
Kalanchoe: A durable and long-blooming succulent that can handle the low humidity and cooler temperatures of a winter home. Clusters of star-shaped flowers also come in hues of white, orange, and yellow. Remove spent flower clusters to keep plants looking tidy. After a summer outside, it needs two weeks of 14-hour darkness to rebloom.
Amaryllis: Bulbs are frequently given as holiday gifts and bloom six to eight weeks later, just in time for Cupid. Larger bulbs can produce two or more trumpet-shaped flowers. Display surrounded by smaller green-leaved plants to accentuate the towering blooms. Worth the effort to rebloom.
Senecio cruentus, or florist's cineraria: Prefer temperatures between 50 and 65 degrees. Remove spent blooms to keep plant looking tidy. Discard this annual when blooming ends.
Primroses: Prefer temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees. Keep moist as it will wilt quickly. Remove old flowers to encourage longer bloom time. Plant in a moist, partly shady location in spring, or discard.
Reiger hybrid begonias: Soak plants, then allow top of soil to dry. Prefer cool nights. Can be treated as an annual, or propagate each year with cuttings taken in summer.
Regal geraniums: Keep lightly moist and provide bright light. Find these geraniums in a specialty nursery and be sure to ask for tips on how to rebloom.
Abutilon, or flowering maple: Soak plants, then allow top of soil to dry. Prune plants in spring and trim occasionally in summer to keep a manageable shape.
Jasmine: Twine its stems around a form and prune occasionally to control growth. Requires six weeks of cool outdoor fall temperatures to set buds. Prefers average winter home temperatures and bright light.
Citrus: Keep in a sunny location and in average room temperatures. Keep humidity levels high to prevent flowers from dropping.
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