12 Unusual & Easy Houseplants to Brighten Your Winter Windowsills

As outdoor gardens wind down, many of us turn our attention indoors. Here are twelve fascinating, relatively easy houseplants—each with unique foliage, flowers, or habits—to keep your green thumb active all winter.

Plant	Origin	Mature Size	Key Care Needs	Propagation
Friendship Plant (Pilea involucrata)	Central & South America	Up to 12"	Regular potting soil; bright indirect light; keep evenly moist; pebble tray for humidity; average warmth	Stem cuttings root easily in soil
Kaffir Lily (Clivia miniata)	South Africa	Up to 18"	Regular potting soil; keep evenly moist; cool dry rest (6-8 weeks in fall) to trigger bloom; bring inside before frost; resume water/warmth in midwinter for March-April flowers	Division
Scented-Leaf Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.)	South Africa	Up to 18"	Regular potting soil; bright light to full sun; let surface dry between waterings; average room temp. Fun for kids: rub leaves to release lime, lemon, pine, chocolate scents!	Stem cuttings in sand or soil
Mother of Thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana)	Madagascar	Up to 30"	Cactus/sandy mix; bright light, some morning sun; average warmth; water only when very dry	Tiny plantlets along leaf edges drop and root—kids love watching this!
Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica)	Central & South America	Up to 24"	Regular potting soil; bright light; keep evenly moist; average warmth. Leaflets fold instantly when touched—endless fascination for children.	Seeds (soak overnight, sow early spring, barely cover, keep warm/moist; germinate ~1 week)
Pink Calla Lily (Zantedeschia rehmannii)	South Africa	Up to 16"	Regular potting soil; bright light; keep evenly moist; average warmth	Bulblets
Urn Plant (Aechmea fasciata)	Brazil	Up to 20"	Orchid mix; bright light, some direct sun OK; keep central "urn" filled with water (change weekly); soil lightly moist; average warmth. Blooms once after ~3 years, then dies back, producing 2-3 "pups" to repot at 5 months.	Offsets (pups)
Egyptian Paper Plant (Cyperus papyrus)	Egypt/Africa	Dwarf form to 24"	Regular potting mix; full sun to low light; keep soil constantly wet (can stand in water); average warmth	Division in spring
Dwarf Chenille Plant (Acalypha pendula)	Java/New Guinea	Up to 12"	Regular potting mix; bright indirect light; keep evenly moist; average warmth	Stem cuttings in sand or soil
Fiber Optic Grass (Isolepis cernua)	S. Europe/N. Africa	Up to 12"	Regular potting soil; bright light to full sun; keep soil constantly wet; average to warm temps	Division in spring
Pussy Ears (Kalanchoe tomentosa)	Madagascar	Up to 12"	Cactus mix; bright light to full sun; water thoroughly, let top dry between waterings; average warmth	Leaf cuttings in sand/soil (spring/early summer)
Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus)	Myanmar	Up to 24"	Regular potting soil; bright indirect light; water thoroughly, let dry between waterings (not bone-dry); normal room temp	Stem cuttings in water or sand (spring)

Quick Tips for Success

• Fertilizer: Fresh potting soil needs no fertilizer for the first year. Thereafter, use timed-release fertilizer per label directions.
• History: Indoor gardening dates to ancient Egypt (houseplants in urns), Greece/Rome (atriums), and even Emperor Tiberius, who demanded fresh Armenian cucumbers daily—grown in wheeled carts moved indoors at night!
• Photos: Courtesy of Wikipedia under GNU Free Documentation License.