Flowering Shrubs, Indoors

Insider's Garden : Episode TIG-205 -- More Projects »
Indoor flowering shrubs indoors? You bet--that is, if you can provide the bright light they need. Although flowering shrubs can bring additional color to your home, these plants require a lot of sunlight to repeat the blooming cycle. Horticulturist Yvonne Savio offers some important tips for selecting and caring for flowering shrubs in your home. Even though these plants may need some extra attention, the end results of colorful and lasting blossoms will make caring for them well worth the time.
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Figure A
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Figure B
  • Camellias feature elegant, glossy foliage, double or single bloom patterns, and produce flowers in a variety of colors such as red, white, and pink as seen here (figure A).

  • Shade-loving, single-petal camellias are the best choice for growing indoors (figure B). It's best to choose varieties with an early blooming season such as October to February for more frequent indoor blooms.
  • Azaleas are loaded with an abundance of vibrant blossoms that grow in a wide range of colors (figure C).
  • The crimson bottle brush (figure D) bears unusually shaped flowers that resemble bottlebrushes.
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    Figure C
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    Figure D
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    Figure E
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    Figure F
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    Figure G
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    Figure H
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    Figure I
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    Figure J
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    Figure K
  • When you purchase an indoor plant, it's important to select one that was not grown exclusively in a greenhouse. The plant needs to toughen up in less favorable growing conditions to lessen the shock of a home environment.
  • Gardenias need as much direct light as possible (figure E). This evergreen shrub boasts fragrant flowers, and requires a lot of water, humid growing conditions, and well-draining soil.

  • To create humid conditions, fill a tray as wide as the plant with pebbles. Place the plant on the tray (figure F) and water the pebbles. As the water from the tray evaporates, it will moisten the air.

  • The shrimp plant prefers indirect light and some airflow (figure G). One way to cut down on direct light is to put a very thin curtain over a south-facing window. Because the shrimp plant has a tendency to get leggy, pinch back the growth to encourage fullness. Cut the plant just above the bottom node (figure H). If you want to root the cutting, make the cut just underneath the node, instead.

  • When watering indoor flowering shrubs like this tea tree plant (figure I), supply plenty of water and check to make sure the water drains well from the plant. If the water moves too quickly through the pot, the root ball may be too dry. Leave a small amount of water in the drip pan so the roots can access extra moisture when it's needed.

  • Create a weakened solution of fertilizer using approximately one-quarter-strength fertilizer diluted in water, and apply when watering the plant.

  • False heather makes an excellent indoor flowering shrub that features lush foliage and tiny fuchsia, pink or white blossoms (figure J). While this plant tends to expand when grown outdoors, if grown indoors, the false heather can be maintained as a smaller size.

  • The zebra plant gets its name from the bold stripes on its leaves, but it also features a bloom similar to the shrimp plant (figure K).
    • Also in this Episode
    Insider's Garden : Episode TIG-205
    •Flowering Shrubs, Indoors
    •Decorating with Shrubs
    •Propagating Shrubs