Bold red flowers, heart-shaped leaves, and classic blossoms that keep on blooming—these houseplants offer all of the appeal of a flower bouquet but keep growing long after Valentine’s Day is over. As a touchstone to keeping the romance alive throughout the year, or simply as a comforting gift in the middle of winter, these houseplants are sure to win a few hearts.
Cyclamen
Cyclamen is another houseplant that holds charming appeal and perennial blooms. Originating in the Mediterranean, they take the summer off to rest, when natural conditions would be dry and hot. They wake up again in the early fall and bloom during the winter, just in time for Valentine’s Day, or sometimes in the spring or fall. The flowers glow in vivid red, white, pink, or violet, usually lasting for a couple of months. Sensitive to both overwatering and underwatering, they like to have a drink when the soil is dry to touch. Allow the soil dry out entirely during the dormancy and give them a little water occasionally. During the rest of the year, they prefer a spot with cooler temperatures and adequate humidity.
Anthurium
Bold, exotic, and sensual, the anthurium is an attractive houseplant any time of year, especially during the romantic season. It features heart-shaped leaves and red, pink, or purple flower spathes that shine like fresh lipstick. Each spathe remains colorful for 2-3 months, but the plant produces them throughout most of the year, especially if you clip them off once they start to wilt. As an extra perk, anthuriums are very easy to care for, enjoying bright indirect light and water once the top inch or two of soil has dried out.
Rieger Begonia
The Rieger Begonia embodies an age-old romantic sentiment that never goes out of fashion. It features glossy green leaves and an abundance of classic flowers, blooming in creamy pink, white, orange, red, or yellow. As the flowers fade, you can pinch them off to encourage new blossoms. Because this plant starts to wither after it finishes blooming, many gardeners treat it as an annual. But it’s possible to keep it alive if you cut the plant back after flowering and let it remain dry for six weeks. New shoots should appear once you start watering it regularly again. It’s also easy to take leaf clippings from this begonia and propagate new plants. During the magnificent blooming time, the plant needs bright indirect light and water once the top 1-2 inches of soil dry out.
Hoya Kerrii
The leaves are so perfectly heart-like that your sweetheart will immediately get the message.
We’ve already gushed recently over the beauty of hoyas, but the charm of these plants can’t be overstated. The Hoya Kerrii has all of the laid-back elegance of this family of trailing succulents, but with the added appeal of heart-shaped leaves. In fact, the leaves are so perfectly heart-like that your sweetheart will immediately get the message. And even after the day of romance is over, these hoyas will continue to speak to the heart, rewarding you with many years of slow growth.
Plus, they bloom with porcelain-like flowers, as long as you treat them to the right conditions: bright, indirect sunlight and water once the top two inches of soil are dry. As they grow, they reach out a tendril first, and then sprout leaves follow along after. If you like, you can train the single stem varieties to climb up a stake, preferably one that curves back towards the soil, so it has somewhere to go once it reaches the end. Or you can simply let them spill over the edges of the pot.
You’d think giving flowers would go out of fashion by now, but like a garden, they’ll never cease to impress us. These houseplants express the sentiment of the season as much with their flowers as with their leaves. To see what we have in store, feel free to visit our garden centers in Carpentersville and Bloomingdale!
Additional Information:
Terracotta vs. Ceramic Pots: Which is Better for Your Houseplants?
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago’s premier garden center and nursery.
