12 Winter Plants That Stay Gorgeous Long After Christmas

Once the tree is down and the glitter is gone, the house can feel a little bare. Winter plants keep color and life going when everything outside is gray and dead. The key is picking plants that actually like cooler indoor conditions and lower light.

These winter picks keep earning their space well past December.

1. Christmas cactus

After the Christmas rush, a healthy Christmas cactus still looks right on a windowsill or side table. The fleshy stems and hanging segments are interesting even between bloom cycles, and it’ll likely flower again next year if you give it bright, indirect light and don’t overwater.

2. Amaryllis (post-bloom)

Once the flowers fade, amaryllis leaves grow like a houseplant. If you keep watering and feeding lightly, you can move the pot outside in warmer months and then bring it back in next winter to try for another bloom cycle. It’s one of the few holiday plants that can turn into a long-term project.

3. Cyclamen

Cyclamen thrives in cooler rooms and can bloom for weeks if you don’t cook it next to a heater. The patterned leaves and bright flowers hold their own long after Christmas decor is put away. Keep it where temps stay on the cooler side, and water when the soil is barely dry.

4. Hellebores

If you bought hellebores for Christmas, they transition easily into winter decor. They tolerate cold weather, so they work in chilly sunrooms, enclosed porches, or planted outside once the ground allows. Their soft blooms and evergreen foliage keep beds and containers looking alive in winter.

5. Rosemary

Rosemary topiaries or simple pots don’t have to scream Christmas. Strip off any seasonal bows, and they become everyday kitchen plants you can cook with. As long as they get plenty of bright light and aren’t overwatered, they’ll hang around for years.

6. Norfolk Island pine

Norfolk pines are basically long-term roommates. When the ornaments come off, you’re left with a soft, airy indoor tree. It fits nicely in living rooms, bedrooms, and offices and quietly fills a corner that would otherwise feel empty after the holidays.

7. Snake plant

If you decorated with a snake plant at Christmas (or bought one during a sale), it will keep on behaving. It doesn’t mind low light, doesn’t need much water, and still gives you strong vertical lines in a room that can feel flat in winter.

8. ZZ plant

ZZ plants are great for rooms that don’t get much light. They keep their glossy leaves and structure all year with minimal care. If you tucked one into a holiday vignette, it’ll still look intentional once the seasonal pieces are gone.

9. English ivy

Ivy is easy to keep going through winter as long as it gets decent light and you don’t let it dry out completely. The trailing vines soften shelves, cabinets, and mantels that can feel bare after garlands come down.

10. Pothos

Pothos will forgive almost any winter neglect—low light, missed waterings, and dry indoor air. It’s perfect for keeping a bit of green going in January and February on top of bookcases, cabinets, or fridge tops where other plants sulk.

11. Peace lily

Peace lilies give you glossy leaves and occasional white blooms even in lower light areas. They’re good for corners that feel dead after the tree is gone. They’ll droop when they need water, which makes them easy to read even if you’re busy.

12. Mixed evergreen porch planter

If you had an outdoor evergreen planter for Christmas and temps stay cold, it can still look great deep into winter. The branches dry slowly and keep their shape. You can pull any obviously holiday-specific decor and let the greens carry you through until early spring.