1. Poinsettias

Poinsettias — especially the red and white varieties — are a winter and holiday classic. They make wonderful gifts and lovely holiday decorations. Although red and white poinsettias are the most popular varieties, they actually come in pink, orange, and yellow, too! These unusual plants can make for a fun take on a classic holiday tradition.

Although most people think that a poinsettia’s flowers are its brightly colored bracts (leaf-like structures), the flowers are actually the small yellow clusters found at the center of the bracts. To keep your poinsettia’s bracts vibrant throughout the season, be sure to place your poinsettia in a sunny location and keep its soil moist, but never soggy.

2. Orchids

Sensitive to falling temperatures, orchids naturally bloom in the winter when the weather cools down. This makes them great plants to have in your home during the coldest, darkest months of the year because their exotic blooms in a wide variety of colors, including snowy white, will add a bit of tropical warmth to your home. We also love orchids because they grow in so many varieties — an estimated 30,000 species all over the world!

Orchids are fairly simple to care for. They like to have plenty of indirect or filtered sunlight, a pot that drains easily, and humidity. If your home is drier than usual in the winter, feel free to spritz your orchid with a bit of water or flower spray to help it stay healthy.

3. Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe is another winter favorite because this type of succulent can actually continue blooming from late fall into early spring. Kalanchoes bloom with large clusters of tiny flowers in bright colors like pink, orange, red, and white.

Since they’re succulents from the desert, kalanchoe plants require lots of sunshine and prefer dry air to humidity, which helps them thrive inside a winter home with a running furnace. The main trick to keeping a kalanchoe healthy is being careful not to give it too much water.

4. Cypress

Evergreen cypress trees stay green all year long and are wonderful for the winter. Potted alone or in a mixed planter, miniature cypress trees are a great holiday accent.

A cypress will continue to grow happily in a pot, as long as it’s kept in a sunny location with good air circulation. They also need soil that retains its moisture, as they’ll dry out quickly without water. They shouldn’t be left in standing water, but regular watering with a layer of mulch on top of the potting soil should do the trick.

5. Boxwood

Boxwoods are perfect for growing an indoor winter garden because they do exceptionally well in containers, require very little attention, and they will stay green and healthy-looking throughout the coldest months. To grow a boxwood indoors, be sure to plant it in a wide pot that will drain easily to accommodate its wide and shallow-growing roots. Come springtime, you can transplant your boxwood into the ground or leave it in its pot to enjoy next winter.