Winter season is here and once again, some homes become too cold for most houseplants. We hope that you prepped your garden well ahead! The good news is, there are so many houseplants that could thrive in dark, cold, and dry growing environments. Caring for these houseplants are so easy, even beginners won’t have a hard time growing their own indoor garden in the middle of the winter season. In today’s guide, let’s take a look at some of hardy houseplants that could survive the winter cold:

ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant also known as arum fern, is a popular houseplant known for its deep green, shiny foliage. This houseplant could work as a living horticultural decor or as a centerpiece display! The ZZ plant is incredibly beautiful yet it is so easy to care for. For one thing, this plant could survive low light conditions. You can set this houseplant in any corner of the home because it can tolerate cold and damp environments.

What makes the ZZ plant unique is that it can even survive the dark, which makes the houseplant suitable for the winter months. ZZ plant is naturally slow growing so it will thrive in places that get natural light. It does not grow too big either so it won’t overwhelm a small home. That said, the ZZ plant cannot tolerate direct sunlight as bright lights could burn the shiny foliage.

Maidenhair Fern

This houseplant is easily recognizable for its graceful, lacy foliage. It’s the perfect houseplant to grow if you’d like to bring the beauty of nature into your home! The Maidenhair fern naturally grows on the forest floors so it can survive low light growing conditions. This houseplant is incredibly tolerant to humidity and low temperature. The Maidenhair fern could also thrive in shady environments.

Bright, direct sunlight could harm its delicate foliage so it’s best to set this houseplant in cool places that get limited sunlight. Maidenhair fern can tolerate slightly dry environments although it grows best when watered and misted frequently. Do note that Maidenhair fern loves constantly moist soil so we recommend setting this in a humid spot. It also helps if you use compact or water-retentive soils.

Chinese Evergreen

Add lushness to every corner of your home with Chinese evergreen. This beautiful yet resilient houseplant is known for its show-stopping, patterned leaves. The Chinese evergreen thrives best in tropical climates although it will tolerate all indoor growing conditions. This slow-growing houseplant could tolerate low light conditions, cold or dry environments, you name it.

The Chinese evergreen is one of those unique houseplants that do not discolor even when grown in a dim room. That being said, this houseplant cannot stand overwatering so use well-draining, evenly moist soils. One thing that could affect the Chinese evergreen’s white patterned foliage is a cold draft so keep it away from cold spots to avoid browned leaves. Also, this houseplant is prone to aphids, mealy bugs, scale, and spider mites so wipe the leaves clean regularly!

Clivia

Clivia is a versatile houseplant that can be grown indoors and outdoors. This houseplant is known for its trumpet-shaped, vivid blossoms that vary in color from red to pale orange. Clivias are able to retain their foliage all year round, even in the midst of the winter season.

Part of the reason why this houseplant is so versatile is its ability to adapt to different growing environments. It could survive low lights and/or drafty rooms. However, it's best to take potted clivias indoors once the climate turns cold. Clivias prefer a milder weather although it can tolerate dry environments. This houseplant doesn't need much watering so it's harder than most houseplants. That said, clivias love rich, well-draining soil so you have to enrich the soil with fertilizers every now and then.

Jade Plant

The Jade plant features striking, fleshy leaves and woody stems. This plant ages beautifully, it takes on the shape of a mini tree as it ages. Jade plant is one of the hardiest houseplants because it can tolerate a combination of hot and cold air as well as less than ideal growing conditions. Also, the fleshy leaves could store water during the dry months.

Ideally, jade plants should be grown in a spot that gets the full sun although it can also tolerate low-light environments. This houseplant loves well-drained, gritty soils and requires infrequent watering. In fact, the only time that you should water a jade plant is when the soil is almost completely dry to the touch. To keep its gorgeous foliage shiny and green, add a low dose of fertilizer every now and then.

Christmas Cactus

The Christmas cactus represents the holiday season so it's not surprising that this eye-catching houseplant is a favorite pass along plant as Thanksgiving approaches. As a true cactus, the Christmas cactus thrives in a tropical climate, particularly high humidity growing environments. When grown in the ideal environment, Christmas cactus will reward your hard work with jewel-toned blossoms. The blossoms look just like orchids with their shimmering pink or purple petals.

The Christmas cactus is easy to take care of. In fact, it thrives on neglect. You can plant the Christmas cactus outdoors in the garden or indoors in a pot. This houseplant loves the full shade and hates moistness so water only when the soil is dry to the touch. Never set a pot of Christmas cactus near the window or a spot that receives direct sunlight.

Philodendron

As one of the toughest houseplants around, the Philodendron will thrive in an outdoor or indoor setting. The Philodendron is loved for its large, vivid green split leaves. This makes the Philodendrons such a lovely living home decor! It’s incredibly hardy too. It's drought-resistant, resilient, and it can tolerate shady environments. Even people with brown thumbs are able to grow Philodendrons successfully because this houseplant does not need much coddling to survive.

This houseplant loves well-draining potting soil. Philodendrons love moist soil but hate standing water so water this houseplant carefully. Just like most cacti, Philodendron can survive long periods of drought so no need to water often. Water it once every two weeks or so.

Fiddle Leaf Fig

With its glossy, leathery leaves, Fiddle leaf fig has found its way to many homes! This resilient houseplant is not only pretty to look at, it could also purify indoor air by absorbing noxious odors! It does not grow too big so the Fiddle leaf fig has the right height to brighten up any room.

Fiddle leaf fig’s needs do change depending on how mature the plant is. Ideally, this plant should be watered every two weeks during the growing season. During the winter months, Fiddle leaf fig only needs to be watered once a month. Though resilient, pay close attention to the dryness of the room as this could cause water to evaporate from the soil. In a dry room, you should water the Fiddle leaf fig more frequently to keep the soil slightly moist.

Snake Plant

As the name implies, snake plant is known for its thick, leathery, and reptilian-like leaves that grow upright. When grown in the right conditions, a snake plant will produce large clusters of white blooms with a green tinge. The tubular blooms will gently fill the room with a sweet, floral scent!

This quintessential houseplant thrives even with a bit of neglect! It can tolerate dim growing environments, it's incredibly drought resistant, and it doesn't require the full sun at all. This houseplant is happiest when set in a partially shady spot. Snake plants hate standing water so water only when the soil is dry to the touch. Also, use a well-draining, sandy soil for optimal water drainage.

Hoya

Hoya, best known as wax plant, is a trailing or climbing plant that's often found in tropical forests. Prized for its thick, waxy, and eye-catching leaves, Hoya can thrive in a variety of growing conditions. It can also adapt to different light levels.

For instance, this houseplant will do well in bright light although it can tolerate partly shady growing environments. Its waxy leaves hold a lot of water so the Hoya doesn't require frequent watering at all. In addition, Hoya loves light soil and prefers a slightly drier growing environment. It’s the kind of plant that doesn't do well when watered often so water only when the soil is dry to the touch.

The winter months may be long but you can add color and life to your interiors by decorating your home with any of these hardy houseplants! Tune in for more gardening tips, we’ve got more coming your way. Join the ECOgardener community and get 15% off your first order!