Blooms for the Holidays
Hyacinth flowers, Annie Spratt on Unsplash
One of the loveliest ways to celebrate the holidays is by growing flowering bulbs indoors. When everything outside has gone quiet, these bulbs bring color, fragrance, and life into your home. In Houston, we’re lucky that our mild winters make it easy to grow Paperwhites, Amaryllis, and Hyacinths through the holiday season. With a little timing and care, you can have blooms right when you need them most.
Paperwhites
Paperwhites in a bowl, White Flower Farm
Paperwhites are the easiest of the holiday bulbs. They don’t need any chilling and will bloom about 4–6 weeks after planting, so early to mid-November is perfect if you’d like flowers by Christmas.
Plant them in a shallow bowl or pot filled with pebbles or decorative gravel. Nestle the bulbs so the tops are just above the pebbles and add enough water to touch the base of the bulbs. Keep the bowl in bright, indirect light and refill the water as needed.
Once the shoots appear, cooler temperatures (around 60–65°F) will help them last longer and keep the stems sturdy. Paperwhites bloom for about two weeks and bring a sweet, spicy fragrance to the room. While their stems are a little soft for cutting, you can snip a few for a small vase if you like.
Amaryllis
Amaryllis bulbs in a pot, White Flower Farm
Amaryllis bulbs are the showstoppers of the season — bold, dramatic, and surprisingly easy to grow. Plant them in October or November for holiday blooms. They take about 6–8 weeks from planting to flowering.
Choose a pot just a little larger than the bulb, with drainage holes. Fill it with loose potting mix, leaving the top third of the bulb exposed above the soil. Water well once, then sparingly until growth appears. Once the leaves and flower stalk start growing, move the pot to a sunny spot and water regularly, keeping the soil slightly moist.
Amaryllis blooms last 2–3 weeks, sometimes longer if kept in a cool room. They also make stunning cut flowers — long-lasting and elegant in a vase.
Hyacinths
Hyacinths are the most fragrant of the three and need a bit more planning. Because our winters aren’t cold enough, they need to be “pre-chilled” before planting. Place the bulbs in the refrigerator (away from fruit) for about 8–10 weeks before you plant them. If you start chilling in late September, they’ll be ready to plant around Thanksgiving for blooms in January.
You can grow hyacinths in soil or in a special glass forcing vase so you can watch the roots grow. Keep the bulbs in a cool, dark spot for the first few weeks after planting to encourage root growth, then move them into bright, indirect light. Once they bloom, their fragrance will fill the room for one to two weeks.
A Few Tips
Stagger your plantings every week or two for continuous blooms all winter.
Keep them cool (60–65°F) to extend bloom time.
Reuse when possible: Amaryllis bulbs can rebloom year after year with care. Paperwhites and forced hyacinths usually won’t rebloom reliably in our climate.
Bringing these bulbs indoors during the holidays is a simple way to make the season feel alive and fresh. Whether it’s the elegance of an Amaryllis, the cheerful charm of Paperwhites, or the perfume of a Hyacinth, each one adds a touch of warmth and beauty to the winter season.
Happy Holiday Gardening!
-Lindsey