Wishing everyone a happy return of the light! This weekend was the winter solstice and the final new moon of 2025, which means the darkest weekend of the year has passed. Just knowing that today the light starts to increase again makes me itch to get back out in the garden.

Meanwhile, I’ve been using the down time to learn more about dormancy cycles and “photoperiodism,” the phenomenon that describes how plants respond to length of day. It’s their internal clock that determines when they break dormancy, when they flower and bloom, and then, when it is time to drop leaves and go dormant again. Plants have specialized light-receptor proteins called phytochromes that actually measure the duration of both light and darkness and determine when the balance has shifted enough to trigger an awakening.

Winter Blooms

Dormancy is such an amazing natural cycle, but this is the time of year when a little color goes a long way. I love the little anarchists of the plant kingdom that defy winter with their waxy greens and bold reds, yellows, and pinks or the non-conformists with their subtle, papery shades of faded whites and purples. Below are my top 10 winter blooming plants, for indoors and out.

“A camellia drops,
spills yesterday's rain –
a small, bright puddle.”

– Buson

1. Hellebores

Hellebores. Also called Lenten roses, these are the subtle stars of my garden. They are evergreen, but particularly stunning in February and March, when they offer mid-winter blooms. Helleborus foetidus is our native species in New York.

2. Camellias

Camellias. Considered a large shrub or small tree, camellias, native to East and Southeast Asia, are a garden standard, offering blooms from late fall all the way through early spring.

3. Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel. This medicinal powerhouse is also a winter wonder. American Witch Hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, blooms October through December, while the Vernal Witch Hazel (also native to the U.S., from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma), Hamamelis vernalis, blooms January through April.

4. Snowdrops

Snowdrops. A late winter/early spring flowering bulb, it’s often the first flower we see poking out of the ground, usually right through the snow, and our first indicator that the spring bloom cycle has begun.

Hollies

Hollies. It’s hard to imagine this time of year and not think of hollies. The classic holiday variety we often see is an English Holly, Ilex aquifolium, but there are so many in this family that give blooms and berries throughout the year. Suggestion, experiment with different varieties for a longer berry season.

6. Pussy Willow

Pussy Willow. With late winter to early spring blooms, Salix (willows and sallows) provide fuzzy puffs of color in silver/gray, yellow/gold, and even ornamental varieties of pink, jade, and purple. American Pussy Willow, Salix discolor, is a native to the Northeastern U.S. and provides major ecological benefits to pollinators, soil, and water filtration.

7. Poinsettias

Poinsettias. Moving the garden indoors, it’s hard to imagine a more emblematic holiday plant than poinsettias, which come in an array of colors. But, remember this plant’s white sap is toxic to pets and can cause drooling, vomiting, and skin irritation. Like all indoor plants, always double check toxicity if you have pets.

8. Amaryllis

Amaryllis. There are so many design possibilities with amaryllis in winter. The bulbs are very easy to trigger in a container with water and can make beautiful centerpieces or mantle displays. Note: these are also toxic to pets.

9. Cyclamen

Cyclamen. Cyclamen grow from a tuber rather than a bulb, but offer similar design possibilities as Amaryllis. The key difference is this is a native to the Mediterranean, so give it gritty, well-draining soil, bright indirect light, and a cool spot. Note: cyclamen are also toxic to pets.

10. Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus. I can’t help it, I LOVE these! Ever since I was a child, my neighbor and piano teacher, Mrs. Jenkins had a gorgeous, old giant of a Christmas cactus, and it was such an event when it bloomed. Best, part, it’s nearly indestructible. Schlumbergera is native to the coastal mountains and tropical rainforests of Brazil, so it likes it wet. Best of all, it’s non-toxic to pets!

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter???

What’s the difference?

Here is a handy little guide to determine which cactus (and which bloom time) you are getting with your *Schlumergera* or Rhipsalidopsis..

Have a question for me? Email me at tom@raincarver.com

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Wishing you and yours all the best this season!

–Tom

Return of the Light