8 Flowering Houseplants You Can Grow from Seed or Bulb

Spring means it's flower time! While most of our favorite indoor houseplants can and do flower(otherwise we wouldn't have houseplant seeds!), most either flower so rarely or the flowers are so small, that they're practically not noticeable. 

This post covers some houseplants you can grow in your home that do produce lovely flowers that add to the beauty of the overall plant!

1) Adenium Obesum

Adenium Obesum is commonly referred to as Desert Rose. As the name indicates, these plants grow in dry areas and produce gorgeous blooms of various colors once the plant matures and has enough light and water. The seeds in our shop(Pink Hybrid)produce a Pink flower.

Desert Rose seeds are relatively easy and quick to germinate. They're not the fastest-growing seedlings, but they make up for that by being one of the cutest succulent seedlings you'll ever see!

2) Sinningia

Sinningia produce teeny dust-like seeds. Given the small size of the seeds, they do require certain conditions and a long time to germinate, however once they do get to a mature size, they produce long, bell-shaped flowers(and adorable fuzzy leaves!). Different varieties produce differently-colored flowers, usually red or blue.

3) Geranium

Geraniums are super versatile plants and are commonly grown indoors and outdoors. They tolerate poor soils, grow quickly and grow quite large, making them a great landscaping plant, which means you've likely seen these before! 

These beginner-friendly plants are very easy to grow from seed, germinate quickly and, unlike many houseplants, take off very quickly.

4) Oxalis

Oxalis are usually grown for their shamrock leaf foliage, however they do flower readily and the flowers are simple but lovely. 

Oxalis can come in 3 main colors of foliage: green(Regnelli), purple(Triangularis) and a mix of green and purple(Iron Cross). There are several varieties other than the main 3 which we carry in our shop, and each produce leaves that are slightly differently shaped or have differently-colored flowers.

Out of the bulbs we have in our shop, Oxalis Regnelli produce white blooms, Triangularis blooms are a lavender color, and Oxalis Iron Cross have bright pink flowers. 

5) African Violets

African Violets are a staple houseplant! My grandmother had many African Violet plants thriving on her windowsills in her home(in addition to Hoya and Kalanchoe), and it completely makes sense why: they're very low-maintenance, and flower easily indoors. Furthermore, there is a large variety of African Violet foliage and flower types(we have 5 different types of African Violet seeds in our shop alone!).

Despite how easy the plants are to care for, the seeds are pretty difficult to germinate. The seeds are extremely tiny, practically specks of dust, which makes them difficult to sow and requires the seedlings a very long time of consistent care to grow into adult plants. That being said, that challenge makes the experience that much more rewarding, especially when you see the first flowers start to bloom! 

6) Bird of Paradise

Strelitzia, also known as Bird of Paradise, also come in varying sizes and colors. The seeds are relatively large with very thick outer shells and iconic little orange tufts.

That tough outer shell makes these seeds pretty difficult to germinate, requiring prep prior to planting, high humidity and warmth, and a good amount of time before sprouts begin to pop through the soil.

Given the right conditions, however, they do germinate reliably, and with each new leaf their growth accelerates and makes the plants gradually easier to care for.

Our shop carries two Strelitzia varieties: Strelitzia Reginae or "Orange Bird of Paradise" and Strelitzia Nicolai or "White or Giant Bird of Paradise".

7) Begonia

8) Tulbaghia

Tulbaghia, also known as Society Garlic, are another houseplant commonly used for landscaping or in herb gardens.

These seeds sprout easily and grow quickly, grow well on windowsills and produce lovely lavender-colored flowers.

An added bonus is these plants have many medicinal purposes and can be used in various recipes(both the flowers and the leaves!)

Thanks for reading this post! If you liked this one and are looking for other tips on expanding your indoor garden, make sure to check out these other posts:

- What kind of lighting do houseplant seeds and seedlings need?

- 10 awesome pet-friendly houseplants you can grow from seed

- How to select the right planter for houseplant seeds