You can decorate indoor planters for Christmas by choosing a ceramic pot in a holiday color, setting the plant inside it in its nursery container, and adding only lightweight trim such as a velvet ribbon, dried orange slices or a short string of battery lights. The planter carries the look, so the plant itself stays undamaged.
The eight ideas below each use one handmade pot on one surface you already have. All of them stay indoors, where the constraints are low December light, furniture that cannot get wet and vents that dry soil quickly. Most holiday plant decor ideas are written for a porch instead.
Start with the one-third rule for planter and plant proportion
A decorated houseplant usually looks deliberate when the planter reads as about one-third of the finished height and the plant with its trim takes the other two-thirds. If the pot reads taller than that, the arrangement can look bottom-heavy. If it reads much shorter, the plant may look like it is standing in a dish. Decorative Indoor Planters often get chosen after the plant is already home, so measure the plant first and pick the pot around it. See our guide to pairing seasonal blooms with handmade ceramic planters.
1. A pastel orchid planter on the entry console
An entry console is the first surface a guest sees, so indoor Christmas planter ideas usually work better there as one tall plant in a pale pot than as a cluster of small objects. The Moon Gate Orchid Planter in Pastel comes in four pastel finishes including Bright White, and the saucer is attached, so the console stays dry. Set a white phalaenopsis orchid inside and tie a velvet ribbon around the support stake rather than the stem. Tip: drafts can cause buds to drop, so keep the orchid back from the front door.
2. A self-watering planter for the room you visit least
Guest rooms and home offices are the last places anyone waters in December, which is where a reservoir helps. The Jewel Self-Watering Planter holds water in a reservoir inside the planter in Baltic Sea, Emerald Sea and Rainforest finishes. The product page recommends peace lilies, ferns and pothos, and advises against cacti and succulents. Tuck a sprig of faux cedar at the rim for Christmas houseplant décor that lifts out in a second. Tip: check the reservoir anyway, because overwatering is the most common winter houseplant problem according to University of Maryland Extension.
3. A row of mini cache pots down the dining table
Instead of a single centerpiece, run a line of small pots down the middle of the table so people can see and talk across it. The Jewel Cache Pot Mix arrives as an assorted case of twelve in mint green, blush pink and cream white over a hammered bronze base. These Christmas plant pot ideas suit starter-size plants, so keep a mini cactus or haworthia in its nursery container and lift it out to water, since the cache pots have no drainage holes. Tip: keep candles out of the line, because heat can scorch nearby leaves.
4. A hanging pendant planter where a garland would go
A window frame or a stair rail can carry a living plant instead of cut greenery that dries out before New Year's. The Pendant Planter comes in Lava Aqua and Lava White, with a textured molten glaze on top and a smooth matte base, and it holds a plant still in its nursery pot. Hang one above a stair landing with a trailing pothos, since festive indoor planters read as decoration before you add anything to them. Tip: water the pothos over a sink, because watering it in place can drip onto the stairs below.
5. A rustic evergreen planter on the mantel
A mantel needs a pot that holds its own next to stockings and framed art. Santa Barbara Planters come in Rustic Evergreen, Rustic Gold and Rustic Ivory, and the tiered silhouette with textured bands gives the shelf interest before a plant goes in. The rim is tapered to fit a standard nursery pot, so a January swap is simple. These indoor planters have drainage holes, so set a saucer underneath if you plant directly in them. Tip: a mantel keeps trim away from pets, and Penn State Extension lists mistletoe berries as more toxic than holly.
6. A teardrop cup on the nightstand
A small room usually does better with one planted object than with a second lamp. The Tear Drop Planter Cup comes in Milky White and Pebble Grey with a gentle sheen, it has a small handle, and it has no drainage holes, which keeps the nightstand safe. Plant a small fern directly in it over a layer of stones, or drop a nursery pot inside. Decorative indoor plant pots without a hole need a lighter hand. Tip: water this cup in small amounts, because water collecting at the bottom can rot roots within a few weeks.
7. An Art Decor planter as the only object on an open shelf
Open shelving gets crowded in December, and one planted pot with space around it usually reads calmer than a group. The Art Décor Planter comes in Burnt Amber and Celadon, and Burnt Amber sits well next to brass hardware or warm wood. Put a compact snake plant in it and leave the rest of the shelf empty. Ceramic indoor planters suit this kind of single-object styling. Tip: check where the light falls on that shelf first, because an interior shelf may get too little December light.
8. A low freeform bowl as a centerpiece that lasts the season
A low bowl works as a dining centerpiece because seated guests can see over it. The Jewel Freeform Bowl has an organic freeform shape, comes in Pistachio Crackle and Nordic Blue, and has no drainage hole, so plant into it over stones or set a nursery pot inside. Paperwhites or a small Christmas cactus suit the open shape. Tip: Penn State Extension notes that Christmas cacti seldom flower well above 70°F, so keep the bowl away from a heating vent, and choose the cactus over paperwhite narcissus if pets reach the table.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can you decorate indoor planters for Christmas?
How can you decorate indoor planters for Christmas?
Choose the pot first in a holiday finish such as evergreen, gold or ivory, then add trim that rests rather than attaches. A velvet ribbon around the pot, dried orange slices on the soil surface, pinecones at the base and a short battery light string all work. Take the trim off by early January.
Which indoor plants are best for Christmas decorations?
Which indoor plants are best for Christmas decorations?
Poinsettia, Christmas cactus, amaryllis, paperwhite narcissus and rosemary topiaries are what most US garden centers stock in December. A snake plant, pothos or peace lily can carry seasonal trim and look ordinary again in January. On poinsettia safety, a review of poison control records by Krenzelok and colleagues found 22,793 reported exposures with no fatalities, and 92% showed no signs of toxicity.
How do you decorate houseplants without damaging them?
How do you decorate houseplants without damaging them?
Hang ornaments from a support stake or the pot rim rather than from stems, because the added weight can bend or snap a stem. Use battery-powered LED lights, which usually run cool, and keep the strand loose. Do not spray artificial snow onto leaves, since the coating can block light and clog the pores a leaf uses to breathe.
What are the best decorative planters for living rooms?
What are the best decorative planters for living rooms?
A planter with no drainage hole or with an attached saucer usually protects living room furniture best. A cache pot lets you keep the plant in its nursery container and lift it out over a sink at watering time. Match the finish to one metal or wood tone already in the room, and keep the pot to roughly one-third of the finished height.
How do you care for indoor plants during winter?
How do you care for indoor plants during winter?
Water less often and check the soil first, because overwatering is the most common winter houseplant problem according to University of Maryland Extension. A plant needing daily water in July may need it weekly or less indoors in winter. Keep most houseplants between 60°F and 75°F, away from vents and cold glass.
