9 Houseplants You Should Trim Back in January

January is the perfect time for cozying up by a fire and enjoying the cold. It’s also a great month for trimming some fast-growing houseplants. In this article, plant expert Matt Dursum covers the houseplants you should trim back in January.

A woman uses blue pruning shears to trim a houseplant with feathery, vibrant green fronds indoors during January.

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Just because it’s peak winter doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about your houseplants. As the cold weather continues, it may be time to trim some of your houseplants back before the growing season. 

Most houseplants put on new growth during the spring and summer. Winter is usually the season where they slow their growth and rest until the warmer months arrive. Houseplants don’t need trimming as frequently as your outdoor plants, but sprucing some species up before the spring is a good idea. 

If you see dead or diseased branches and leaves or unruly growth taking up space, grab your pruners and start trimming. But be careful—not all houseplants enjoy a haircut in winter. Below are 9 houseplants you should trim back in January to encourage healthy growth in spring. 

Jasmine

Slender, trailing stems hold clusters of delicate, star-shaped white flowers surrounded by glossy, deep green pointed leaves in a white pot on a white background.
Vibrant flowers and rich foliage fill indoor spaces beautifully.
botanical-name botanical name Jasminum spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Bright, indirect light
height height Up to 20’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 7-10

Jasmines are hard not to love as houseplants. There are many species and varieties to choose from. Their flowers smell like stunning perfume, while their foliage fills an indoor space with deep green hues. 

These sub-tropical vines grow quickly and put on a lot of new foliage if they’re happy. They also like to have constant airflow between their branches and leaves. This is why it’s a good idea to prune them throughout the year, especially in January. 

To give them a proper haircut, use disinfected pruners to cut above the buds. This will stimulate healthy new foliage to grow. Remove any dead plant material and clear out clusters of leaves to give your jasmines more space to breathe. You’ll get fresh new flowers to develop and help encourage fresh growth in the roots. 

Christmas Cactus

Flat, segmented stems with smooth edges showcase clusters of tubular pink-tipped flowers blooming gracefully from their arched structure in a clay pot.
Save cactus segments for easy propagation this spring.
botanical-name botanical name Schlumbergera x buckleyi
sun-requirements sun requirements Bright, indirect light
height height Up to 2’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

Christmas cacti are popular flowering houseplants that benefit from pruning and deadheading in January. They produce stunning blooms in winter, usually around the winter holidays. 

After blooming, deadhead your Christmas cacti’s spent flowers. This process helps the plant redirect nutrients into new growth and cleans up its appearance. 

If your Christmas cacti have long, untrained growth, you can trim back their leaves in January. Trim the leaves at the nodes connecting the flat leaves. Be careful not to remove too many leaves. Once you’re done, save the segments to propagate new Christmas cacti just in time for spring. 

Rubber Plants

Thick, upright stems support large, oval leaves with a glossy finish and rich shades of green in a white pot on the table.
Lush foliage and easy care make them perfect plants.
botanical-name botanical name Ficus elastica
sun-requirements sun requirements Bright, indirect light
height height 3-12’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-12

Rubber plants are bold and beautiful houseplants grown for their thick, dark green leaves. They grow well in pots and thrive in well-draining soil with bright, indirect light. If you satisfy their growing conditions, these tropical shrubs will flourish indoors. 

In January, you can give your rubber plants a good trimming if they are looking lanky or their growth is concentrated in only a few sections. When you prune the main branches, you’ll get bushier growth that radiates outward. 

Be careful when trimming these tropical houseplants. Their milky sap can leak everywhere, irritating your skin and staining your clothes and furniture. Use gloves whenever you prune your rubber plants to avoid the irritating sap. 

Umbrella Trees

Multiple slender, woody stems support dense clusters of rounded, glossy green leaves, neatly arranged in a white pot against a white background.
Encourage fuller growth by maintaining proper light and care.
botanical-name botanical name Heptapleurum arboricola
sun-requirements sun requirements Bright, indirect light
height height 1-25’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

Umbrella trees are common houseplants that make beautiful bonsai. They grow quickly and need to be trimmed back throughout the year, especially in January. They’ll bounce back quickly after a thorough pruning and look healthier than ever. 

Most varieties of umbrella trees grow to become tall trees. To prevent this, you’ll want to trim them back. You’ll also want to trim them when you see dead or diseased growth. 

If you see your trees have weak branches that can’t hold the dense foliage, give them a good trimming. This will encourage your umbrella trees to shoot out new growth that will turn into stronger branches. 

White Christmas Caladiums

Broad, heart-shaped leaves feature striking white veins and pale green edges, creating a bold contrast.
Green and white leaves revive after a peaceful rest.
botanical-name botanical name Caladium x hortulanum ‘White Christmas’
sun-requirements sun requirements Bright, indirect light
height height 1-2’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-12

White Christmas caladiums have stunning white and green foliage that looks great in winter plant collections. They’re from Central and South America and thrive in the undergrowth of tropical forests. 

They go into a dormant cycle every winter. When this happens, the plants drop their leaves, and much of their big, beautiful foliage dies back. Once you see this, it’s time to trim them back. 

Use disinfected shears or pruners and clip away any dead, yellow, or damaged foliage. Once your white Christmas caladiums go into their active growth phases, you’ll see fresh new shoots emerge from the crowns. 

Inch Plants

Trailing stems with purple undersides and oval, silver-striped green leaves cascade elegantly from their base in a white pot placed on a light windowsill.
Encourage bushier growth by clipping back leggy vines.
botanical-name botanical name Tradescantia zebrina
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 6-14″
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Inch plants are common houseplants that grow fast and vigorous. If left alone, these tropical vines will spread throughout your house. In their native habitats of Mexico and Central America, they become some of the most dominant plants in the forest undergrowth. 

If you see your plants become leggy in winter, trim them back about halfway. This will encourage bushier growth, especially in spring. When your plants are growing bushier, they’ll send more nutrients evenly instead of a few vines at a time. 

After you’ve trimmed your inch plants, save your cuttings. Clip off all but a few leaves and place them into a jar of water. They’ll form new roots quickly and be ready for planting in spring. 

Boston Ferns

Delicate, upright stems with finely serrated, narrow leaflets form a full, textured display spilling gracefully over the edges of the decorative pot on a wooden table against a backdrop of various potted plants.
Keep your ferns healthy by ensuring consistent moisture levels.
botanical-name botanical name Nephrolepis exaltata
sun-requirements sun requirements Bright, indirect light
height height 12-36”
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-13

Boston ferns are picky houseplants that can give novice gardeners a run for their money. As picky as they are about their growing environments, they don’t mind being trimmed in winter. 

These fast-growing perennials can be trimmed back once their growth gets out of hand. During the winter, their growth slows down, giving you time to trim back leggy stems. By doing so, you’ll be able to keep their shape.

Pruning can be especially helpful for Boston ferns growing in hanging baskets. It’s also helpful in winter in cases when your Boston ferns turn brown from accidental cold exposure. For most of us in northern regions, this can happen, and it’s best to take off the damaged foliage immediately.  

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Hoya Plants

Twining vines with waxy, pink-edged green leaves display a creamy white variegation in a decorative pot on a white table.
Vigorous indoor plants reward you with blooms and lush growth.
botanical-name botanical name Hoya spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Bright, indirect light
height height 2-4’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-12

Hoya plants are incredibly fast growers that can catch indoor gardeners off guard. There are over 500 different species of hoya plants. Each one has vigorous growth when the growing conditions are prime. 

Trim away excess foliage in winter before the plants enter their growing phase. Be careful not to remove their older stems. These stems, called spurs, are where the most flowering occurs. 

Always trim away dead and diseased foliage. This will encourage the plant to produce healthy new leaves and branches in the spring. Winter is also a good time to remove dead or damaged parts of your plants. 

Coleus

Soft, square-shaped stems support vibrant, patterned leaves in shades of green, accented with burgundy markings along the rounded, serrated edges.
Colorful leaves can really brighten up your indoor space.
botanical-name botanical name Coleus spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Partial shade
height height Depends on variety
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Some species of coleus can make fantastic houseplants. They’re relatively easy to care for and produce some of the most intricate and colorful foliage of any houseplant. They are prone to leggy growth, and that’s where winter pruning comes into play. 

If you see your coleus plants experience uneven and leggy growth, trim them back around half their length. Always use clean pruners or sheers and clip away excess growth in front of the leaf nodes. 

Pruning in winter will encourage bushier and more even growth. It is also a good way to remove dead or damaged leaves that can follow environmental shocks such as cold exposure or too much light. Once you’ve trimmed back your plants, they will produce new foliage during the spring growing season. 

Key Takeaways

Most houseplants don’t require trimming in January and prefer to be trimmed back in early spring. However, a few species grow quickly in the fall and need to be trimmed back during the winter

Trimming these houseplants back in January gives them the space they need to grow bushier. It also opens up space for more airflow in time for their growing season in spring. 

Don’t over-prune your houseplants. If they’re ready for pruning in January, only trim away what’s needed to avoid shocking your plants. 

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