Best plants
Foliage is the easy part; flowers indoors take the right light and a little patience. These are the flowering species in our library, each with the light and care it needs to actually bloom.
How this list is built: plants in our library categorised as flowering houseplants— filtered from Growli's structured plant-care library, not hand-picked, so it stays consistent and checkable.
| Plant | Light | Water | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|
| African violet | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | When the top of the soil feels just dry, every 5-7 days | Pet-safe |
| Anthurium | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 3 cm of soil is dry, every 5-7 days | Toxic to pets |
| Begonia | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | Weekly watering | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Bird of paradise | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top 3 cm of soil is dry, every 7-10 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Bromeliad | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | Keep the central cup filled, soil barely moist | Pet-safe |
| Cattleya orchid | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the bark mix is nearly dry, every 5-10 days | Pet-safe |
| Chamomile | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 7-10 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Christmas cactus | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 2 cm of soil is dry, every 7-10 days | Pet-safe |
| Clivia | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-14 days | Toxic to pets |
| Coleus | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 1-2 cm of soil is dry, every 4-7 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Cosmos | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Crocus | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Natural rainfall | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Daffodil | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Rely on rainfall in autumn-spring; keep dry in summer | Toxic to pets |
| Dahlia | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Deep watering 2-3 times per week, more in heat | Toxic to pets |
| Dendrobium orchid | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the bark approaches dryness, every 5-10 days in summer | Pet-safe |
| False shamrock | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the top 1-2 cm of soil is dry, every 5-7 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Flowering coleus | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | Twice-weekly watering | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Forget-me-not | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Geranium (pelargonium) | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 5-10 days | Toxic to pets |
| Hellebore | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | Weekly watering until established | Toxic to pets |
| Hibiscus | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Deep watering every 5-7 days, more in heat | Pet-safe |
| Hoya | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | When the soil is mostly dry, every 10-14 days | Pet-safe |
| Hyacinth | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | Weekly watering during growth | Toxic to pets |
| Hydrangea | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | Deep watering 1-2 times per week, more in heat | Toxic to pets |
| Impatiens | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | Twice-weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Iris | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering during growth | Toxic to pets |
| Kalanchoe | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Toxic to pets |
| Lavender | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 10-14 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Lily of the valley | Low light (north window or shaded room) | Weekly watering | Toxic to pets |
| Lupine | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering | Toxic to pets |
| Marigold | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | When the top of the soil is dry, every 5-7 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Nasturtium | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Orchid | Bright indirect light (just back from a sunny window) | Once a week — soak the medium thoroughly, then drain | Pet-safe |
| Pansy | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Twice-weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Peace lily | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | As soon as the leaves start to droop slightly, usually every 5-7 days | Mildly toxic to pets |
| Peony | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Deep watering once a week in dry spells | Toxic to pets |
| Petunia | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Even moisture — every 1-2 days for hanging baskets in heat | Pet-safe |
| Primrose | Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Rose | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Deep watering once a week, more in heat | Pet-safe |
| Salvia | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Snapdragon | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly watering | Pet-safe |
| Sunflower | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Deep watering once a week | Pet-safe |
| Sweet pea | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Weekly deep watering | Toxic to pets |
| Tulip | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Water at planting; rely on rainfall after | Toxic to pets |
| Zinnia | Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours) | Deep watering once a week | Pet-safe |
This list is not hand-picked for looks. It is plants in our library categorised as flowering houseplants, drawn from Growli's structured plant-care library so the selection is consistent and checkable. 45 plants qualify today.
Growli currently lists 45 plants that meet the criterion (plants in our library categorised as flowering houseplants). The list updates as the plant-care library grows; each entry links to a full care guide.
Not necessarily — this list is selected by plants in our library categorised as flowering houseplants, not by pet safety. Each plant is tagged with its pet-safety status below, and links to a full ASPCA-sourced pet-safety guide. If you have pets, see the dedicated best pet-safe houseplants list.