15 Holiday-Inspired Indoor Plant Ideas

Festive holiday plants embrace the spirit of the season and enrich our connection with nature, bringing cheer from the winter landscape indoors. With so many beautiful evergreens, seasonal blooms, and natural accessories, the creative potential is endless. 

Indoor plant designs are the perfect opportunity to highlight jewels of the winter garden and to tailor them to any holiday celebration. From simple to ornate, achieve color and texture in holiday containers with a foundation of rich evergreens and winter bloomers that brighten shorter days. You can also incorporate natural embellishments like fruits, pinecones, birch poles, and red berries among evergreen boughs in arrangements. Fill gaps with boxwood, fir, and magnolia cuttings. Then, let houseplants join the party by decorating them with a holiday twist.

Here, we’ll explore inspiring holiday indoor plant ideas. Cheers to enjoying the season naturally!

Holiday Amaryllis

	botanical name Hippeastrum spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 7-10

Amaryllis bulbs create a beautiful potted plant display that spans the weeks of the holiday season. With large, bold blooms in various colors, there’s one for every display. Amaryllis ‘Red Lion’ is bright red, ‘Christmas Star’ has red edges filled with white, ‘White Christmas’ is pure white, and ‘Candy Cane’ has striped petals of red and white.

Amaryllis stands alone as a stately beauty. Arrange multiple bulbs in a glass bowl for a luxe look, and add moss to soften the terrarium aesthetic. Place pebbles and fill with shallow water so that only the very bottom of the bulb is submerged (too much water coverage causes rot). Potted in soil, leave ⅓ of the bulb exposed above the soil line.

Amaryllis grow and bloom quickly – within four to six weeks of forcing indoors. They bloom once annually, and while we associate them with the holidays, their natural bloom time is in late spring to early summer.

Christmas Cactus

	botanical name Schlumbergera russelliana
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	height 6-12”
	hardiness zones 10-11

Christmas cactus is easy to care for and blooms for four to six weeks in the winter. Buds emerge along branches of succulent, segmented leaves in late fall and become billowy blooms in winter. Flowers in shades of pink, red, white, salmon, purple, and bicolor embellish the display.

Christmas cactus hails from Brazilian rainforests and lends a tropical accent along with holiday counterparts poinsettia and Norfolk pine. Christmas cactus is a long-lived houseplant—often lasting generations—providing all-season interest that spans beyond the holidays. You can also move them outdoors in warm weather or grow them indoors year-round.

Potted Fir Ensemble

	botanical name Abies spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15-200’
	hardiness zones 4-7

Fir trees are quintessential holiday plants. From their Christmas tree shape to their thick, dark needles and sugary pine fragrance, even a small, singular specimen evokes festive charm. In a bundle of ranging sizes, they essentially create a mini-forest indoors, offering a soothing ambiance on cold days and nights.

Look to Fraser, noble, white, and balsam species for the hallmark holiday aesthetic. As a bonus, these are also North American native trees. Potted evergreens can move to the landscape after the indoor festivities wind down. 

Choose evergreen trees suited to your hardiness zone to become handsome landscape specimens. Firs prefer rich, well-draining soils for best growth.

Simple Norfolk Island Pine

	botanical name Araucaria heterophylla
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-200’
	hardiness zones 9-11

Norfolk Island pines feature soft, symmetrical evergreen needles in a loose pyramidal shape for a lush look any time of year. Norfolk Island pine is not a true pine but a different conifer native to the subtropical South Pacific. It thrives as an indoor plant, or it can move outdoors during warmer months, bringing joy beyond the holidays.

Decorate with strands of tiny lights for a festive addition. If your specimen is small, use it as a tabletop decoration. Norfolk Island pine is slow-growing and can remain dwarfed as a houseplant, usually three to six feet tall – perfect for a holiday container.

Elegant Orchid

	botanical name Phalaenopsis spp.
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	height 6-24”
	hardiness zones 10-11

A classic addition to the interiorscape, orchids add an elegant touch to the season. Opt for a readily available Phalaenopsis variety for a stunning, reliable orchid. Phalaenopsis stems produce numerous large, bright blooms at once.

Orchids typically lend themselves to formal and contemporary designs. For a bright display, arrange a few orchids in complementary color schemes among natural accents like branches, seed pods, and moss. Scarlet, rosy pink, bronze-peach, and white blooms are beautiful holiday options.

Rustic Paperwhite Narcissus

	botanical name Narcissus tazetta
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Paperwhites bring a bouquet of cheer, especially those with a light, sweet fragrance like ‘Inbal,’ ‘Ariel,’ and ‘Nir.’ Other varieties can have acrid notes and may be less pleasing up close, though just as beautiful in the landscape.

In crisp white, paperwhites are small bulbs that make the most significant impact planted in numbers. Force them indoors where the easy growers bloom as quickly as two to three weeks after planting. Forced bulbs root in a variety of vessels, from a shallow dish of pebbles and water to a bulb vase to a shallow log planter. This novel twist on potted bulbs combines naturalistic elements with a contemporary style of a single row of blooms.

Make sure bulbs are pre-cooled, either from the grower or from time in the refrigerator. Once new growth appears, move them to a warmer, brighter spot to initiate budding and hasten flowering.

Poinsettia and Evergreens

	botanical name Euphorbia pulcherrima
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-10′
	hardiness zones 9-11

Around the globe, we associate poinsettia plants with the holiday season. With merry names like ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Winter Rose,’ and ‘Plum Pudding,’ the colorful varieties we celebrate today are bred in various colors and patterns, from bright red to white to pink, and even blotched coloration.

Usher in the season with welcoming containers of poinsettias, evergreen boughs, and accessories. Cuttings from conifers, hollies, eucalyptus, magnolia, and boxwood also make a bold statement in an indoor arrangement.  

Arrange live greens around vibrant poinsettias with the same rule of thumb as potted containers—a “thriller,” or taller focal point, “filler” to create an abundant look, and “spillers” to overflow the pot. Branches of interesting form or color can also become the focal point among filler evergreen boughs and spilling clippings of eucalyptus and boxwood. Finally, add natural elements like pinecones and berries to accent the display. 

Rosemary Tree

	botanical name Salvia rosmarinus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-6’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Rosemary brings form and fragrance to invigorate the winter home. Select a rosemary specimen already pruned into conical or standard tree forms for a unique twist on a container, or plant a classic upright or trailing variety in a decorative pot.

Enjoy the lemony-camphor scent of this iconic Mediterranean plant throughout the season, then add flavor to holiday dishes with fresh herb clippings. Grow rosemary indoors year-round or move it to the garden after winter to let it thrive in summer’s sun and warmth. Where not hardy, overwinter it in a pot inside or in an unheated, sheltered space.

Tillandsia Ornaments

	botanical name Tillandsia spp.
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	height 2″-7′
	hardiness zones 9-13

Tillandsia species are fine-leaved, silvery-green air plants that absorb water and nutrients epiphytically. The fun tropical houseplants make unique ornaments to hang or gift. Depending on the species, their leaves grow spiky and upright or long and curled.

Airplants need little more than bright light and occasional water to flourish. An east-facing window is ideal. Tillandsia also appreciates a good long soak every week or two to absorb moisture. They do well resting on a piece of driftwood and in terrariums. 

Succulents and Live Greens

	botanical name Varies
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Varies
	hardiness zones Varies

Succulents such as sedums, echeverias, and crassulas offer color and textural contrast to make a creative display. With varying scale and form, from spiky to flat-leaved to trailing, and with thick, fleshy foliage, succulents shine in a shallow bowl, pot, or terrarium.

Here, the tablescape features live greens—clipped evergreen boughs in vessels at varying heights. The nestled succulents balance the scheme. Use twigs (red twig dogwood would be gorgeous) to add height and continue the natural theme. Fruits like apples and citrus would add to the arraignment.

Nestled Cyclamen

	botanical name Cyclamen coum
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 3-6″
	hardiness zones 4-8

Cyclamen, with mottled, heart-shaped leaves, offer a sweet choice of white, pink, purple, red, or bicolor flowers for winter. Cyclamen blooms from November through April, giving months of color and active growing until summer dormancy.

Hardy cyclamen provide a profusion of upright blooms, rising in a bunch above deep green leaves. Cyclamen hederifolium and Cyclamen coum are smaller relatives of the florist’s cyclamen (C. persicum). C. hederifolium is the hardiest and easiest to grow, with fragrant pink blooms in October and November, while C. coum blooms mid-to-late winter with a profusion of pink-purple flowers.

Tucking cyclamen into a pot with other blooms, greenery, and ornaments is an easy alternative to direct-planting seasonal growers. Nestle them into a basket, wooden crate, galvanized bucket, or wooden trough, and keep them in their nursery pots for easy watering. Then, use moss or greenery to conceal the individual pots.

Here, cyclamen pairs with primrose and white blossoms among a rosette of dark, ruffled leaves. With a sweet, subtle fragrance and low-growing habit, primrose makes excellent border plantings in garden beds, along walkways, and in container arrangements. 

Cyclamen and primrose can live indoors until temperatures warm in the spring. The portable potted versions make lovely host gifts.

Festive ZZ

	botanical name Zamioculcas zamiifolia
	sun requirements Bright indirect light
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 9-10

The ZZ, or Zuzu plant, carries a structural form with sturdy, slightly arching stems. Its architectural stems hold thick, waxy leaves in dark olive, black, or variegated.

ZZ is exceedingly low maintenance; it requires little water and can also improve air quality by filtering volatile compounds. ZZ is relatively slow-growing and seldom needs repotting.

Zuzu tolerates low to bright, indirect light and grows well in fluorescent lighting – perfect for the home or office. Here, little ornaments don the arching branches, perfect for tabletop decor or to gift.

Themed Terrarium

For a unique indoor composition, try a seasonal take on a terrarium. Terraria bring boundless creativity in combination and form and a chance to highlight details. They also make for a fun activity on a chilly day for adults and kids alike.

Opt for ferns and mosses in contrasting heights and textures on a micro-scale. Additionally, include natural elements like lotus pods, pine cones, red berries, and budded branches from the garden. Mini succulents offer a low-moisture, low-maintenance arrangement with varied shapes and colors.

Lemon Cypress Grinch

	botanical name Hesperocyparis macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-40’
	hardiness zones 7-11

Lemon cypress adds a pop to the houseplant jungle with its fine, bright yellow needles and conical form. Fresh, lemony-scented needles complement its striking color. To get a little Grinch-y, lemon cypress tied into a Grinch hat is a whimsical twist.

I like an unfettered lemon cypress so it can brighten in lime green with full, aromatic stems. A tidy evergreen with a tight, uniform habit, lemon cypress is also available in tall columnar or dwarf pyramidal varieties. Dwarf varieties like ‘Gold Crest Wilma’ are well-suited for containers and reach only three feet.

Aloe Holiday

	botanical name Aloe vera
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 10-12

Say “aloe” to the season with a funky decorated indoor succulent. Aloes have spiny, juice-filled leaves with soothing gel. The southern African, Mediterranean-climate natives do best without much attention and minimal water.