Rochester winters ask a lot of a houseplant. Short gray days, furnace air that dries everything out, and windows that get cold enough to chill a leaf on contact. The plants that do well from November through March are the ones built for low light and irregular care, and they are worth having, because a room with something green in it feels warmer once the snow starts.

Rockcastle Florist has been a family owned florist since 1951, and our shops in Greece and Canandaigua keep a full selection of indoor plants through the colder months. Here are the indoor plants we recommend for winter, and what each one needs from you.

What Winter Does to Indoor Plants

Three things change in a Rochester home once the heat comes on. Light drops, in both hours and strength, so a plant that sat happily a few feet from a window in July can go hungry in January. Humidity falls, sometimes to desert levels near a forced air vent. And the glass itself gets cold, so leaves pressed against a window can be damaged by the chill the same way they would be scorched by sun in summer.

A good winter plant tolerates all three. That rules out a lot of what looks tempting in a garden center in May, and it points toward a short list of dependable varieties.

Peace Lilies: The Easiest Winter Plant We Sell

The peace lily, or spathiphyllum, handles low light better than almost any flowering houseplant. That makes it the first plant we suggest for a north facing room or a winter that never seems to brighten. Its glossy dark leaves stay full all season, and it will send up white blooms indoors when it is reasonably content.

It also tells you exactly when it wants water. The leaves droop noticeably when the soil dries out and perk back up within hours of a drink. For anyone who forgets about plants once the holidays get busy, that signal is the whole selling point. Our Natural Beauty Large Spathiphyllum Plant is a generous size for a floor or a low table, and the planters in our green plants collection include smaller options for a desk or end table.

Succulents and Snake Plants for Bright, Dry Rooms

If you have a south or west window, succulents are the opposite of the peace lily in every way that matters. They want as much light as winter will give them, and they would rather be ignored than overwatered. Dry furnace air does not bother them at all, since they store water in their thick leaves.

The Modern Mood Succulent Garden pairs a snake plant with succulents in a geometric ceramic pot on a wooden stand. Snake plants are among the most forgiving plants there are and will tolerate a dim corner too, so this one still works if the brightest window in the house is already taken. In winter, water succulents sparingly, and only once the soil is completely dry.

Dish Gardens: Several Plants in One Container

A dish garden groups several compatible plants in one wide container, which gives a coffee table or kitchen island the look of a small indoor landscape. Because the plants are chosen to share the same light and water needs, a dish garden is no harder to care for than a single pot.

The White Garden combines a blooming peace lily with upright and trailing foliage in a sculpted brown bowl. For a sunnier windowsill, the Verdant Charm Planter sets succulents under clusters of small white blooms. You can browse the full range in our dish garden collection.

Keeping a Plant Healthy Through a Rochester Winter

• Move plants back from the window on the coldest nights, and never let leaves rest against the glass.
• Keep pots away from heat vents, radiators, and exterior doors that let in January air.
• Water less than you did in summer. Growth slows in winter, and soggy soil is the most common way houseplants fail between November and March.
• Group plants together, or set them near a humidifier, to hold a little moisture around the leaves.
• Give the pot a quarter turn every week or two so the plant grows evenly instead of leaning toward the light.

For advice on specific varieties, see our flower and plant care tips.

A Plant Is a Gift That Outlasts the Holidays

Cut flowers are the right choice for a party or a single occasion. A plant is the better choice when you want the gift to still be around in March. A peace lily for a new homeowner, a succulent garden for a friend with a sunny kitchen, a dish garden for parents who spend more time at home in winter: each one keeps going long after the holiday cards come down. We deliver plants across Monroe, Ontario, and Wayne counties, with same day delivery available, so it is easy to send one across town.

Three Winter Plants Worth a Closer Look

Order Indoor Plants in Rochester and Canandaigua

Ready to bring something green into the house for winter? Browse our full plant collection, or call Rockcastle Florist at (585) 225-3640 and tell us about the room, the light, and who the plant is for. We are a family owned florist with shops in Greece and Canandaigua, delivering throughout Monroe, Ontario, and Wayne counties.