By Kay Pearlstein, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County
We’re about two months into sharing our homes with our tropical friends – our houseplants. Ideally, they were brought indoors around Halloween, once nighttime temperatures dipped below 45°F. About ten days before that move, leaves and soil should have been thoroughly cleaned to remove insects eager to hitch a ride indoors. A soil rinse of one part hydrogen peroxide to three parts water works well when pests are suspected, and leaves can be wiped on both sides with mild soap and water.
Before bringing your plant indoors, wipe it down with a damp cloth and mild soap, as shown on this Schefflera arboricola (umbrella plant). You can also repeat this during the winter to remove dust as it builds up. (Image credit: canva)
All summer long, these plants were living the good life on decks and patios, enjoying spa-like conditions similar to their native tropical understory habitat. Warm temperatures, filtered light, and the balmy humidity of a North Carolina summer kept them lush and green. They looked great the day you carried them inside.
They looked great the day you brought them all back in. But as the days get shorter and winter sets in, extra care is needed. (Image credit: F. D. Richards CC-BY-SA, Plant Toolbox)
But do they look as good today as they did outdoors? Is your Dracaena still plush? Is your Schefflera pushing out umbrella-like new growth? Are the fronds of your ponytail palm arching gracefully from the top?
As we near the end of the year, many houseplants have now spent weeks living in the unnaturally dry indoor environment we call home. How are they really doing? If your answer is, “Sort of OK, but I wish they didn’t look so punky,” you’re not alone.
Successfully overwintering houseplants comes down to managing three common stressors: improper lighting, improper watering, and an unsuitable indoor environment.
Light: One of The Most Important Elements But Hardest To Provide
Winter sunlight is limited. Days are shorter, the sun sits lower in the sky, and its rays are weaker. Indoors, light is often inadequate. Just like outdoor annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees, tropical houseplants have specific light preferences, and their natural position in the rainforest offers clues about what they need.
Many tropical plants have large leaves that act as solar collectors, adjusting their position through phototaxis – leaning toward light when it is scarce and away from it when it is too intense. Plants that naturally grow on the rainforest floor, such as Calathea and Sansevieria trifasciata (snake plant), tolerate lower light levels and can adapt to dimmer corners, making them good choices for low-light rooms or novice plant parents.
Left: Calathea with flowers. (Image Credit: Forest and Kim Starr CC BY 2.0 NCSU Plant Tool Box) Right: A variegated cultivar of Sansevieria trifasciata (namely ‘Laurentii’), (Image Credit: Martin Olsson BY-SA 3.0)
Other plants, including Dracaena fragrans (Corn Plant) and Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail Palm), prefer bright but indirect light – often the hardest condition to find indoors. That ideal spot is rarely the sunny windowsill; more often, it’s exactly where your favorite chair happens to be.
Left: Dracaena fragrans wants more filtered light than your snake plant. (Image Credit: Cindy ChristianCC BY 4.0Pitt County Arboretum NCSU Plant Toolbox) Right: Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail Palm), (Image Credit: Maja DumatCC BY 4.0 NCSU Plant Toolbox)
Succulents, adapted to dry desert climates, thrive in bright, direct light and perform best on a sunny, south-facing windowsill. Plants with vibrant foliage, such as Codiaeum variegatum (croton), need plenty of bright light to maintain their color – but direct sun can scorch their leaves, causing browning and curling.
Succulents or water-retaining plants, such as this Jelly Bean Plant Sedum rubrotinctum are often grown as Houseplants (Image Credit: JJ Harrison BY-SA 2.5) Croton, Codiaeum variegatum with its electric red foliage (Image Credit: Kathleen Moore CC BY 2.0 NCSU Plant Toolbox)
Rotate plants a quarter turn each week to encourage even growth. Moving indoors from bright outdoor conditions can also trigger “light shock.” Without enough light to support bushy growth and rich green color, plants may yellow or shed older leaves. Some leaf drop is normal, but if it becomes excessive, consider supplementing natural light with artificial sources such as LED or fluorescent grow lights. With many options available, it is worth finding a light that suits both your space and your plants.
Water: Less Is More in Winter
Overwatering is one of the most common and deadly mistakes made with houseplants. Indoors, growth slows significantly, and water needs drop just as dramatically. This is not summer, garden-hose watering; winter care requires restraint.
Before watering, clear the soil surface of fallen leaves, twigs, or other debris left over from summer. Allow the top 1–2 inches of soil to dry completely between waterings. A slight wilt is acceptable and often preferable to constantly wet soil. Use the finger test: push your finger an inch or two into the soil. If it feels dry, it is time to water. If moisture is present, wait and check again in a few days.
Plant roots need oxygen to survive. When soil remains saturated, oxygen is displaced, roots suffocate, and rot can develop. Rotting roots cannot take up water, even when plenty is present. Always empty saucers or trays beneath pots so roots are not left sitting in standing water.
For plants in smaller, easily moved containers, an effective way to re-oxygenate the root zone is to water thoroughly in the sink. Once water flows freely from the drainage holes, place the pot on a dish rack or drainboard and allow it to drip for 20–30 minutes. As excess water drains away, oxygen is pulled back into the soil pores. Larger pots require regular monitoring to ensure water is not collecting unnoticed in their drainage trays.
Plants will also signal when they are too dry. Wilting, slight drooping, or dull leaf color are common indicators. If caught early, a deep, thorough watering may revive the plant. However, if drought stress has lasted too long, recovery may not be possible, and decline may continue despite best efforts.
Indoor Environment: Everything Else.
Monstera sp. leaves (Image credit canva)
Beyond light and water, the indoor environment itself plays a significant role in houseplant health. Most houseplants, tropical by origin, are adapted to the warm, humid conditions of rainforests. While North Carolina summers often mimic those conditions, winter indoors is a very different story – it is much drier.
Bathrooms and kitchens tend to offer higher humidity and can better resemble a plant’s natural environment. For plants placed elsewhere, grouping them together helps create a shared microclimate by increasing humidity through transpiration. While misting adds moisture to the air briefly, it evaporates quickly; a humidifier provides more consistent benefits.
Airflow is another important consideration. Dry, warm air from heating vents can be especially damaging, causing leaves to dry, crinkle, or drop. If possible, move plants away from vents or use vent deflectors to redirect airflow. Leaves exposed to constant hot or dry air often show stress first.
Temperature stability is equally important. Ideally, the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures should be no more than about 10°F. Cold drafts from doors or windows and sudden blasts of hot air can damage plant cells, disrupting the movement of water and nutrients. Some plants are sensitive even to the chill radiating from cold window glass.
A quote from the University of Missouri captures this challenge well: “There are no houseplants in nature.” Plants we call houseplants are simply species that horticulturists have identified as being able to tolerate the constraints of indoor life. From Victorian-era parlor palms to today’s homes and offices, success has always depended on matching the right plant to the right conditions.
Indoor plant stress is rarely caused by a single factor. More often, it results from a combination of poor light, uneven watering, low humidity, unstable temperatures, and inadequate air circulation. Paying attention to these environmental details and adjusting where possible goes a long way toward keeping houseplants healthy through the winter months.
The Reward
Caring for houseplants through the winter months may feel tedious at times, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Healthy plants bring life, color, and a sense of calm to our indoor spaces- benefits that are especially welcome during the darker months of the year. Most houseplants also contribute to improved indoor air quality. Peace Lily, Spider Plant, Prayer Plant, and Christmas Cactus are among those known for helping filter indoor air.
Plants help make indoor spaces cozy. (Imge credit: canva)
For a few months each year, these tropicals live alongside us indoors. They make our lives better for it. If we can keep them healthy by observing and adjusting their indoor environment, we can gleefully release them to their preferred state of outdoor living when warmer weather returns.
Thank you to all our readers in 2025! We loved sharing the garden magic with you and can’t wait for more in 2026.
Resources and Additional Information on Houseplants:
We will be selling houseplants at our April 11, 2026 Plant Sale!. You don’t want to miss it.
- North Carolina State Plant Toolbox: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/
- Using hydrogen Peroxide to kill fungus gnats in soil: Cornell Cooperative Extention: https://allegany.cce.cornell.edu/gardening/pest-management/a-spooky-houseplant-pest-fungus-gnats
- University of Missouri, Integrated Pest Management, “Houseplant Problems” January 2019: https://ipm.missouri.edu/meg/2019/1/houseplantProblems/
- Chicago Botanic Garden, Smart Gardner “Bringing Houseplants Indoors”. chicagobotanicgarden.org
- The Spruce ”Winter Habits that could be willing Your Houseplants – and how to Fix them Fast,” February 2025. www.TheSpruce.com/thing-that-are-killng-your-houseplants-this-winter
- Missouri Botanical Garden, “Problems Common to Many Indoor Plants” www.missouribotanicalgarden.org
- history.com “How Houseplants Became a Historian Era Status Symbol”
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Extension Education “Winter Care of Indoor Plants” https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=university+of+nebraska-Lincoln+Nebrask+extension+education&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Successful Gardner, 2000 “Houseplants Help Improve Indoor Air Quality”, February https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=northcarolina+extension+successful+gardners&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Edited by Marcia Kirinus, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County