Holiday Houseplant Styling

Festive Ways to Dress Up Your Indoor Jungle

Your houseplants don’t have to sit out the holiday fun. With a few creative touches, your indoor greenery can become part of your seasonal décor—adding warmth, color, and life to your home through the winter months. Here’s how to safely and beautifully give your favorite plants a festive makeover.

Add Sparkle with Ornaments and Bows

Small, lightweight ornaments can transform everyday houseplants into charming holiday accents. Try mini glass balls, wooden ornaments, or metallic stars tucked between leaves. Attach them gently with soft wire or ribbon, taking care not to damage stems. A simple bow around the base of the pot or a wide ribbon tied around a planter can add instant cheer without stressing your plant.

Pro Tip: Red and gold ribbons complement green foliage beautifully, while silver and white look lovely against darker leaves like ZZ plants or rubber trees.

Light It Up Safely

String lights bring a cozy glow, but always choose battery-operated LED micro-lights that stay cool to the touch. Wind them loosely around large houseplants like fiddle-leaf figs or Norfolk Island pines. Avoid tightly wrapping stems or leaves—plants need airflow, even when they’re showing off for the holidays.

If your plant sits near an outlet, use a timer so the lights automatically turn off overnight. It saves energy and prevents excess heat buildup.

Dress Up Planters for the Season

You don’t have to repot to refresh your display. Slip existing pots into decorative baskets, metallic cachepots, or rustic wooden crates for a holiday-ready look. Add natural accents like pinecones, cinnamon sticks, or sprigs of evergreen around the base of larger plants for extra texture and fragrance.

For tabletops, group a few smaller plants together—think poinsettias, ferns, or ivy—and surround them with candles (battery-operated for safety) to create a festive centerpiece.

Choose the Right Plants for Holiday Cheer

Some houseplants naturally lend themselves to holiday décor. Norfolk Island pines make perfect miniature Christmas trees. Christmas cactus, amaryllis, and poinsettias bring seasonal color, while glossy-leaved plants like peace lilies and philodendrons provide a lush backdrop for twinkling lights.

Water sparingly during winter and keep plants away from direct heat sources or cold drafts to maintain their holiday glow.

A little creativity can turn your indoor plants into living holiday decorations that last far beyond the season. Stop by Salt Box Nursery, located at 562 Boston Road, Billerica, MA 01821, or call (978) 663-4348 for festive houseplants, decorative pots, and accessories to make your home shine this winter.