21 Houseplants that Bloom Indoors: Best of Growing Joy Replay

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness
Published: Thu 24 Jul 2025
Episode Link: www.growingjoywithmaria.com/podcast

Houseplants are celebrated for their amazing foliage, but I think we overlook another amazing ability, a specific subcategory our favorite indoor plants have — the ability to bloom! Some people say we are intrinsically connected to flowers because, way back when, they signified fruit.

Personally, I just think they are joyful as hell with their bright colors, and let's be frank, we all need a little more joy and color in our lives. To give us a better grasp of this beautiful subcategory, I've invited back Lisa of The Houseplant Guru to talk about the must-knows of houseplants that bloom and how reconnecting with this group of plants can help us reconnect to generations we might never know.

In this episode, we learn:

[01:13] Maria’s garden updates
[04:15] Introducing Lisa, a beloved Growing Joy guest
[06:38] African violets and their underrated beauty
[08:27] What are the differences in plant care between foliage houseplants and blooming houseplants?
[13:25] How long should grow lights stay on for flowering houseplants?
[14:13] How does photoperiod affect the bloom cycle of a plant?
[15:42] Can you put orchids under grow lights?
[16:59] Do blooming houseplants need fertilizer?
[20:24] What to do when your orchids don’t bloom
[25:10] How to get orchids to re-bloom
[26:26] Maria and Lisa share their thoughts about collecting plants and moving homes
[29:51] Best blooming houseplants for beginners
[30:59] Why do you need to turn your holiday cactus all year round?
[31:53] What is the trick for beautiful and healthy African violets?
[33:36] Best blooming houseplants for beginners (continued)
[36:17] Best blooming houseplants for intermediates
[38:38] Are Gerbera daisies appropriate houseplants?
[39:37] How to make blooms last longer
[40:37] Should you fertilize your plant while it is in bloom?
[41:04] Lisa’s favorite blooming houseplants
[41:44] Where to get Lisa’s latest book!
[43:27] Maria’s personal story on how blooming plants connected generations of their family
[48:17] Closing remarks