As the weather gets colder, the flowers and the brightly colored foliage in your garden wilt away and get buried under piles of snow. It can feel almost discouraging to watch nature hide her beauty away to protect it from the cold. However, not all of her beauty is hidden. There are numerous plants that are supremely winter-hardy and brightly-colored enough that they still shine under a layer of snow. These are some of those flowers that you can grow in your garden or home to bring some color to your life during the winter.
(By Tony Hisgett, Wikimedia Commons)
The poinsettia is the best plant to have around during the festive season, with it’s bright pink and red leaves and small yellow flowers. This plant can handle cold temperatures but needs to be kept away from drafts. They also require indirect light, the brighter the better.
(By DenesFeri, Wikimedia Commons)
This flowering plant originated from the Mediterranean and comes in various shades of red, white, and pink. The plant typically blooms during the winter and is highly cold-hardy. However, for best growth, ensure to place the pot in a location with a lot of sunlight.
(By 清水五月 (Shimizusatsuki), Wikimedia Commons)
A plant named after its native region, this blossoming beauty comes from China. In Japan, it is used to make mitsumata paper. It is thoroughly winter-hardy and can be planted outdoors in regions with milder climates. The flowers that bloom are usually yellow and occasionally red, and they need plenty of sunlight to bloom. It also possible to plant an oriental paperbush indoors, and it doesn't need much watering or warmth.
The flowering maple is a bushy indoor plant that blooms light-colored flowers, usually yellow, orange, pink, and red. There are numerous hybrids of the Abutilon that continue to bloom in the winter. These hybrids usually thrive in cold temperatures but require immense amounts of sunlight, both indoors and out.
(By Forest & Kim Starr, Wikimedia Commons)
This genus of flowers comes in a variety of colors like pink, orange, and blue. Though they are fairly resistant to the cold, they are not frost-resistant so unless you live in a mild climate, it’s better to grow them in pots inside the house. The flower blooms beautifully even with artificial light.
(By CatalpaSpirit, Wikimedia Commons)
This flowering plant from the mountains of Southern and Central Europe also goes by the names alpine heath and winter-flowering heather. The flowers of the plant are usually pink or white and are extremely winter-hardy. The plants can even withstand snow and frost which makes them great outdoor winter plants.
(By David J. Stang, Wikimedia Commons)
This hybrid begonia is a flowering plant that was bred specifically to survive in the winter. However, they bloom best when kept indoors, away from drafts and frost, and in a slightly humid environment. They need to be exposed regularly to bright but indirect light. They come in a wide variety of colors including deep red, orange, yellow and pink.
(By KENPEI, Wikimedia Commons)
This South African plant is another indoor winter bloomer that can add some bright color to the ambiance of your home, usually lighter colors like white and pink. It is frequently given as a gift during the holiday season as December is when small clusters of flowers bloom on leafless stems. The bulb can be collected, stored, and replanted when the plant wilts.
(By Wildfeuer, Wikimedia Commons)
The Winter Jasmine lives up to its name as it is one of the hardiest winter plants that is frost-resistant as well. It needs to be grown in a hanging or climbing pot outdoors and kept in a place that protects it from the wind while also allowing it to absorb plenty of sunlight regularly. The flowers come in varying shades of white and yellow.
(By Mk2010, Wikimedia Commons)
Despite the fact that this lovely plant is originally from the tropical ecosystem of eastern Africa, it is still quite winter-hardy. The plant is not frost-resistant and needs to be grown indoors. It requires bright light to grow, but not direct light. The best place for a pot of this flowering plant is at the sill of an east-facing window that receives a lot of indirect sunlight on a daily basis.
Keep winter colorful by sharing these cold-hardy flowers!
