Most plants kept as houseplants are native to tropical regions where the conditions are considerably different than the average home. These plants are very adaptable and can flourish indoors in many climates, but they are unlikely to produce flowers unless they're grown in the wild. However, some houseplants like prayer plants can surprise you with blooms. Here are some other houseplants with a higher likelihood of blooming when kept indoors:
There are more than one hundred species of hoya, commonly called wax plant. The hoya carnosa is popular for being easy to care for and producing long vines of thick, shiny green foliage. This trailing species of hoya is more likely to bloom than others, but only when the plant is fully mature. You may have to wait until the plant is at least five years old, but the blooms are stunning: round clusters of star-shaped flowers with a sweet scent. It's even common for multiple flower clusters to appear on the same vine.
Begonias grown as houseplants are typically loved for their colorful foliage, but they can produce flowers in the right conditions. One example is the rex begonia, sporting vivid leaves in a rainbow of color combinations depending on the specific cultivar. Outdoors, the begonia blooming season is from early summer until the first frost, but indoors they can bloom at any time. As long as you maintain ideal temperature, humidity and provide plenty of bright indirect light, you may find your colorful rex begonia producing flowers to add to its beauty.
Oxalis, also called shamrock plant, grows well as a houseplant as well as outdoors. One of the most popular varieties for houseplant enthusiasts is the oxalis triangularis, with its deep purple leaves resembling butterfly wings. Oxalis blooms with tiny white flowers on a seemingly random schedule, but most frequently during the winter months. In the summer, the plant will go dormant, so don't expect any blooming to happen until the weather cools off again.
These are only a few popular houseplants with indoor blooms. If you provide ideal conditions and consistent care, you may find your favorite houseplant surprises you with flowers one day.
Bob Hummer brings a wealth of experience with him; a practitioner in real estate in Northern Virginia since 1978, a Life Member of both the Million Dollar Sales Club and the Top Producers Club with over 2,500 Satisfied Families and President, Prince William Association of REALTORS in 1991. His experiences range from helping buyers and sellers attain their goals; to renovating historic homes on Capitol Hill; to counseling and assisting homeowners facing the loss of their home due to foreclosure. Since 1996, he has presented his free monthly Home Buyer and Home Seller seminars at the Woodbridge campus of Strayer University. In June 2023 he completed the Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist course and was awarded the designation CPRES. His goal is to assist individuals who inherited real estate and wish to sell. A former "Military Brat" and a retired Air Force Hospital Administrator, Bob has made more than 26 moves during his life and is extremely familiar with all aspects of a family relocating - whether it is across the street or across the nation.