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The Hort Gang's Favorite Indoor Plants for Winter

Stan Shebs
a "pocketbook" plant

During the long, gray days of winter, some gardeners take comfort by looking through seed catalogs, and others find solace in the beauty of indoor houseplants. Cindy Haynes, an associate professor of horticulture at Iowa State University, says there are several indoor plants that are easy to care for during the winter months.

“Things like a cyclamen, pocketbook plant, or an orchid, these can bring in colors during winter,” Haynes says. “Cyclamen is the easier one on the list. They like cooler temperatures. That 50-60 degree temperature at night is great. We’re going to put them a little closer to a window for that bright, indirect temperature. Even though these plants like cold, they don’t like cold water. Try and water them with room temperature water.”

During this hour of River to River, host Charity Nebbe talks with Haynes and Richard Jauron, horticulturist for Iowa State University Extension.

Jauron says his favorite indoor house plant is sometimes called “devil’s ivy.”

“It’s green with a little bit of yellow in the leaf.  I have it in a pot, and it’s crawling around the room. It requires very little care.”

Tags
HorticultureHort Day
Lindsey Moon is IPR's Senior Digital Producer
Charity Nebbe is the host of IPR's Talk of Iowa