Seven of the best flowering house plants to grow

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Tuesday, 24 August 2021 at 9:06 am

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Browse our favourite flowering house plants, including streptocarpus and Madagascar jasmine.

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Most house plants are grown for their dramatic and interesting foliage, but indoor flowering plants can add further drama and interest.

Unlike cut flowers, which last maybe a week or so, flowering house plants can often be coaxed into providing long-lasting successions of blooms, for weeks on end if you're lucky.

More advice on growing house plants:

We list seven of the best indoor flowering plants to grow for beautiful flowers, below.

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

House plants for shade - peace lily

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

A member of the Araceae family, peace lily has unusual flowers consisting of a white spadix (containing lots of tiny flowers) surrounded by a graceful white bract. Blooms usually appear in spring and summer and are long-lasting. A warm, moist environment out of direct sunlight will provide you with the best chance of blooms.

Pelargoniums

Pink pelargoniums

Pelargoniums (or geraniums) are ideal for the brightest, driest indoor spots and some have aromatic foliage, too. Boost your stock of plants for indoors by taking pelargonium cuttings. Don't forget to deadhead them to provide a continuous supply of blooms. Bougainvillea is another pink flowering houseplant to try.

Madagascar jasmine(Stephanotis floribunda)

Stephanotis floribunda

Stephanotis floribunda flowers

Like the hardy varieties of jasmine that can be grown outdoors in the UK, Madagascar jasmine (Stephanotis floribunda) has divinely scented flowers that appear from late-spring to mid-autumn. It has a reputation for being slightly tricky to coax into re-flowering, but it's not too difficult. The flowers appear along the length of the whippy stems produced in the current year, and can be encouraged by growing them in a bright, sunny and warm location in spring and summer, and feeding them with a potassium-rich liquid fertiliser.

False shamrock (Oxalis triangularis subsp. papilionaceae)

Oxalis triangularis subsp. papilionaceae

As well as the gorgeous trifoliate leaves, false shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) also produces small clusters of contrasting, pale lilac flowers held on dainty stems. It's easy to grow, doing best in a bright spot out of direct sunlight in a relatively cool room.

Bromeliads

Aechmea 'Elegant Ruby'

Bromeliads include a broad variety of flowering plants that can be grown indoors as house plants, including aechmeas, tillandsias, vriesias, neoregelias and billbergias. What at first glance look like colourful flowers are actually brightly coloured bracts from which small flowers emerge. A bright spot out of direct sun with regular misting suits them perfectly.

Hoyas

Hoya bella

Hoya lanceolata subsp. bella

Also known as waxflowers, hoyas produce beautiful clusters of deliciously scented flowers, which varies depending on the type you're growing. Grow them in a bright spot, but not in direct sun. Hoyas to consider include Hoya carnosa, Hoya australis and Hoya lacunosa.

Streptocarpus

Streptocarpus 'Denim'

Growing best in a bright area, though not in direct summer sun, streptocarpus will provide you with lots of brightly coloured flowers for months on end. Better still, they're easy grow and propagate, so you'll never be short of new plants.

Pick off spent flower stalks and feed with a potash-rich liquid fertiliser to ensure a steady supply of flowers.

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