Flowering Houseplants

Flowering houseplants are indoor plants grown for their blooms rather than their foliage, and they ask for one thing more than the leafy ones do: light. Flowers are expensive for a plant to produce, so a peace lily, anthurium, African violet or orchid that sits in a dim corner will keep its leaves going and quietly stop budding. Bright, indirect light — and for some, a genuine seasonal trigger such as cooler nights or a short dry rest — is usually the difference between a plant that blooms once in the shop and one that reblooms for years.The guides in this section give each species its own routine: how bright is bright enough, when to switch to a higher-potassium feed, and the specific rebloom triggers that matter for orchids, Christmas cactus, kalanchoe and bromeliads. There is also troubleshooting for the usual disappointments — buds that drop before opening, flowers that brown at the edges, and healthy foliage with no flowers at all.