Keep spirits bright this holiday season with these gorgeous blooms. Order poinsettias, Christmas cactus, candy cane amaryllis and other Christmas flowers directly to your door!
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! We found the best Christmas flowers and plants for bringing holiday magic indoors. Decorate for the holiday with poinsettias, holly, Christmas cactus and candy cane amaryllis, which are some of the most iconic blooms. Move over mistletoe—there are plenty of other beautiful picks that deck the halls with holiday cheer.
We found bouquets that simply need to sit in a vase, as well as potted plants that require a little TLC. All of the Christmas flowers on this list require little maintenance to thrive in your holiday home. Send them as winter gifts to loved ones, or treat yourself to these beautiful blooms this season.
This BloomsyBox arrangement is truly a perfect pair that’s just right for gifting. A red amaryllis and a white orchid arrive in bloom, standing tall in a white ceramic pot and ready to brighten up any surface they’re placed upon. They’ll thrive in indirect light with just a few tablespoons of water (or a couple of ice cubes) each week. Even better? This plant duo is nontoxic for pet households.
A fully lit Christmas tree, but make it small and cute as tabletop decor. This is a real Alberta spruce in a bright red ceramic planter. It’s lit by twinkly snowman-shaped lights (batteries not included) for a festive gleam. It will continue to flourish in bright, direct sunlight with light watering.
Set a festive holiday table with this striking centerpiece from Harry & David. This one happens to be faux, so it’ll last for the season and beyond. But just because it’s no-maintenance, it doesn’t diminish the beauty of the eucalyptus leaves, pine cones, and bright red berries. A white LED candle at the center adds a soft glow (batteries not included).
Think tulips are just for the spring? Think again. This gorgeous bouquet of red and white tulips combines beautifully with sprigs of Douglas fir and frosted pine cones for a fragrant floral arrangement they’ll love. It’s all arranged in a clear glass vase along with candy canes for a sweet treat.
Red Christmas flowers often take center stage during the season, but this fragrant, snow-white gardenia plant deserves a turn. Unlike other flowers that will fade by the end of the holidays, this plant will continue to thrive, with blooms from May to September. It arrives in a cream galvanized metal container decorated with shimmery silver snowflakes. You have the option to upgrade the gift with a snowflake snow globe.
This vibrant Teleflora arrangement truly is a hug in a mug. Its cheerful display of red carnations, white alstroemeria and greenery with accents of bright berries and frosted pine cones. Instead of a vase, it all comes arranged in a Cozy Cub Wish Mug that looks like a polar bear wrapped in a red-and-white striped scarf. You’ll make their day with these Christmas flowers, and you’ll also make a difference in the life of a child; now through December 31, Teleflora will send 15% of the purchase price of all Send A Hug® Snowy Lane Trees sold to Make-A-Wish.
We’re not sure what’s more beautiful in this selection from UrbanStems—the antique bronze pot or the lush green plant nestled in it. Thankfully, Black Queen ZZ plants are simple to care for (indirect bright light and occasional watering) so your gift recipient will have a long time to form their own opinion.
Editor’s Note: This plant is not pet safe, so it must be kept safely out of reach of furry friends.
Want a unique spin on traditional Christmas colorways? Try the Holiday on the Farm bouquet with pops of pink and light green. Enjoy alstroemeria, roses, Gerbera daisies, hypericum, Asiatic lily and a whole bunch more.
“The bouquet was pretty right out of the box, but when the lilies opened up…WOW did it become a stunner,” says Senior Shopping Editor Katie Bandurski who tested this bouquet. “This was one of the few arrangements I’ve tested where it seemed to get better as time went on, and it’s one of the longest-lasting bouquets I’ve ever had, too.”
If you prefer a moodier color scheme, look no further than the Pining for You bouquet. There’s no such thing as a blue Christmas when this dreamy beauty graces your table. Spray roses, protea and alstroemeria dance among pinecones and evergreen boughs.
Katie also tested this arrangement and was awed by the fresh pine scent. “I can’t have a real Christmas tree due to allergies, so this bouquet was the perfect way to bring that fresh pine scent into my home for the season,” she says. “I was able to enjoy the greenery for several weeks after the roses and more fragile flowers died.”
Nothing screams ’tis the season more than poinsettias. Not only are they the quintessential winter buds, but they also require little maintenance. Just find a warm spot with indirect sunlight. As long as the soil stays moist, these Christmas flowers stay in prime condition all winter long.
We love these poinsettia flowers for sending as a Christmas care package to loved ones—and decorating the mantel. It arrives budding and blooming in a decorative planter. Learn how to care for poinsettias to make them last all season.
Editor’s Note: Poinsettias are mildly toxic to dogs and cats, so place them on a hard-to-reach surface to keep pets safe.
Peonies? In winter? Yes, it’s groundbreaking to see spring’s darling in a rich, ruby-hued bloom. Aptly named The Cherry bouquet, this is an ideal choice for minimalists or those who prefer simpler arrangements. I’ve also tested peonies from the brand before (check out our UrbanStems vs. Bouqs comparison for the full breakdown) and can confirm they’re as pretty in real life as they look online.
You know Balsam Hill for its hyper-realistic artificial Christmas trees. But did you know the brand sells fresh greens, too? We’re smitten with the southern magnolia evergreen wreath, laden with fresh noble fir, cedar, pine, magnolia leaves, pinecones and faux berries. We love the classic style for above the mantel, gracing the front door or hanging in a window. Plus, this style is also available in garlands for all your holiday decorating needs.
This candy cane amaryllis from Harry & David deserves a spot on everyone’s table this Christmas. The festive, forced bulb blooms in mid-winter and is a holiday favorite because, well, it looks just like a candy cane! This bulb arrives in a fully lined, decorative box designed to prevent water from leaking. Bulbs take about four to eight weeks to bloom, so order yours in November and watch it bloom just in time for Christmas. This way to Candy Cane Lane!
For the person who craves a little holiday drama, you can’t go wrong with the Santa Tell Me bouquet. It’s loaded with red roses and white anemones, plus pops of limonium, hypericum berries and blue thistle. This eye-catching arrangement is equal parts naughty and nice. Choose between an original, deluxe or grand size as a Christmas gift for your sister.
A bouquet of red roses is a Christmas classic. Everyone’s a sucker for this gorgeous flower any time of year, but there’s something about the Christmas season that makes them extra special. Send a loved one this bouquet, then order another one for yourself. Note: This bouquet now comes in a tall, black ceramic vase! It’s a Christmas gift for mom, your significant other, sister, grandma and anyone who needs an early dose of holiday magic.
Sure, the words “flamingo flower” don’t quite scream Christmas, but this beautiful bloom is a common holiday plant that brings tropical vibes indoors. Pink Anthuriums are one of the best Christmas plants because they prefer indirect light. Plus, their glossy blooms and green leaves pair perfectly with the glitz and glam of the holidays. It does love healthy watering throughout the week, so pay close attention to the topsoil. It should only dry a little before watering the plant again.
Your favorite succulent, but make it Christmas. The Christmas cactus is a tropical winter staple native to South American jungles. Though they only bloom once a year, they’re perfect for Christmas because the blooms thrive in cooler temperatures. Just be sure to keep them away from heat sources! The best way to tell when they need more water is when the top half of the soil is dry. Then, feed it with water until the top is saturated and wait for it to dry up again.
Bring the Christmas forest indoors with a Norfolk Island pine plant. It’s a pint-sized alternative to a real Christmas tree and thrives indoors any time of year due to its tropical nature. It arrives potted in a beautiful pot (you choose the color and style). As a low-maintenance Christmas plant, all it takes is watering this little guy every one to two weeks, or when the topsoil is dry. Keep in medium to bright indirect light for optimal growth.
Did you know you can buy Christmas flowers on Amazon? It’s true, and Costa Farms makes it oh-so-easy to send one to a friend (or yourself). This flowering bromeliad boasts big, beautiful red blooms surrounded by greenery. This live holiday decoration doesn’t require consistent sunlight, making it ideal for any room in the house. Plus, bromeliads don’t shed so no need to worry about pruning this Christmas flower!
Gingerbread decor is having a moment. And if you weren’t lucky enough to snag a viral HomeGoods candy mansion, this Gingerbread Dream bouquet is the next best thing. A darling planter is stocked with Christmas flowers like white carnations, red roses, Christmas greens and candy-inspired picks.
If you’re looking to spruce up your home with some holiday floral decor or have it delivered to a friend or family member, here are some things to consider:
No Christmas flowers are quite as popular or synonymous with the holiday as poinsettias, with their vibrant red petals and deep green leaves. But they’re far from the only type of Christmas flower. Other types include amaryllis, hellebores (AKA Christmas roses), lilies of the valley, carnations and a variety of pines. You’ll also typically see pinecones and hypericum berries in holiday arrangements.
If you’re getting a potted plant, it has the potential to last all the way through the season (with the proper care and maintenance, of course). However, if you’re buying cut flowers, you may want to get them closer to the holiday, or else you’ll have to replace them fairly regularly. Cut flowers only last for a couple of weeks max (even with food and water cycling).
As mentioned, many Christmas flowers come potted. It’s important to remember that these living things require care to survive and thrive. If you want your buds looking their best, you’ll want to adhere to their care instructions. Lax care could have them drooping and dying before the holiday comes to pass.
Yes, we call these Christmas flowers, but they don’t just live through the end of December. You can actually continue to care for these plants well after the holiday ends and potentially even keep them alive through the next year (or longer). Poinsettias, for instance, can survive all year round by placing them somewhere with good indirect sunlight and by keeping their stems trimmed at the right time. If you don’t wish to care for a plant after the holiday, consider alternative options, like fake plants you can put into storage between holidays.
As home and kitchen shopping experts, we already have a backlog of trustworthy online florists. We’ve extensively tested this product category, evaluating the best flower delivery, best flower subscriptions and best plant clubs. We started by parsing through our favorite sites and exploring their holiday floral options. Then, we read user reviews and asked our team of experts if they had any recommendations. We also called in a handful of bouquets for additional firsthand testing. All of the picks on this list were handpicked by a Taste of Home editor.
Madi Koetting is a shopping content veteran, having helped pioneer Taste of Home‘s social media shopping team. To date, she has reviewed hundreds of products in the home space, including kitchen appliances, cooking gear, cleaning gadgets, furniture and—most applicable to this Christmas flowers guide—home decor. Her work has also appeared in Reader’s Digest, Family Handyman, and Better Homes & Gardens.
Barbara Bellesi Zito, a Taste of Home contributor and houseplant mama, added recommendations to this article.
The poinsettia, with its vibrant red petals and deep green leaves, is perhaps the flower most closely associated with Christmas and holiday decor. But they are far from the only festive option, as our list above confirms.
Amaryllis, with its trumpet-shaped flowers and variety of warm, welcoming colors, is another great Christmas flower alternative to traditional poinsettias.
This may refer to Narcissus papyraceus (AKA paperwhites), which are actually one of December’s birth flowers, alongside holly bushes.
