How long does an amaryllis take to bloom?

About 6 to 8 weeks from potting a new bulb, according to University of Wisconsin Extension. A bulb you're bringing back after a rest period of 8 to 12 weeks in the dark takes about 4 to 6 weeks, University of Minnesota Extension says. So a bulb potted in mid-December blooms around February.

When should I cut branches to force them indoors?

When the flower buds begin to swell in late winter. Iowa State University Extension says forsythia and pussy willow can be cut as early as late February and bloom in one to three weeks; crabapples, magnolias and redbuds are best left until March and take two to five weeks.

How long do hyacinths need to be chilled before they bloom?

12 to 15 weeks of cold, according to University of Wisconsin Extension, at about 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (a home refrigerator works, but not next to apples, whose ethylene gas damages the flowers). Most bulbs bloom three to four weeks after they come out of the cold.

Which winter flowering plants are safe for cats and dogs?

Of the common winter bloomers, Christmas cactus is listed as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses by the ASPCA. Amaryllis, hyacinth, cyclamen and kalanchoe are all listed as toxic to dogs and cats; for hyacinth the bulbs contain the most toxin, and for cyclamen the tubers are the dangerous part.

When should Christmas decorations come down?

Most people aim for Twelfth Night, around January 6. According to English Heritage, the idea that it's bad luck to leave them up longer is a modern one: in medieval England, Christmas officially ended at Candlemas, February 2, 40 days after Christmas. Living winter decor bridges that gap.

Winter Home Decor for January to March: What to Grow

The short answer: the best winter home decor for January to March is alive and on a schedule. An amaryllis bulb potted in mid-December blooms in about 6 to 8 weeks. Forsythia or pussy willow branches cut from late February flower indoors in 1 to 3 weeks. Hyacinths need 12 to 15 weeks of cold first, so they're an October job for a February bloom. Cyclamen flowers longest in a room no warmer than 68°F. Of all of them, only the Christmas cactus is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

When the tree comes down, most homes lose the one living thing that made December feel different. The instinct is to fill the gap with more throws and candles. They help, but they don't change from week to week. A bulb pushing up a flower stalk, or a jar of bare branches opening into yellow, gives January and February something to watch, and it costs less than most of what gets packed away with the ornaments.

This guide is about indoors. For containers, ice lanterns and the porch from January to March, see our outdoor winter decor guide; for the season's colors and textiles, our winter decor trends for 2026.

A Planting Calendar for Winter Flowers

Plant	When to start	When it flowers
Hyacinth (chilled bulb)	Mid-October, into the fridge	Late January to February
Amaryllis (new bulb)	Mid-December	Late January to February
Paperwhites	Any time	2 to 5 weeks later
Forsythia, pussy willow (branches)	Cut from late February	1 to 3 weeks after cutting
Crabapple, magnolia, redbud	Cut in March	2 to 5 weeks after cutting
Cyclamen, kalanchoe, Christmas cactus	Buy in bloom	Through winter with cool nights

The dates are our arithmetic from the extension-service figures below. Paperwhites, and the trick for keeping them from flopping over, are in our holiday centerpiece guide.

Amaryllis: The February Flower You Plant at Christmas

Amaryllis needs no cold period at all, which makes it the easiest bulb to time. University of Wisconsin Extension says a new bulb "can bloom in 6 to 8 weeks." Plant it with the top third of the bulb above the potting mix. Pot one in mid-December, between the Christmas shopping and the party, and it flowers as the last of the holiday decor goes back into the attic.

If you're keeping last year's bulb, University of Minnesota Extension describes the rest cycle: leave the potted bulb in a cool, dark place at about 50 to 60°F "for 8 to 12 weeks" without water, then bring it into the light; "flowers usually develop in about 4 to 6 weeks from dormant bulbs." Amaryllis blooms best in a snug pot and only needs repotting every three or four years.

Decorating with it: one tall bulb in a plain terracotta or glass cylinder, top-dressed with moss, is a centerpiece on its own. Three in a row along a windowsill, potted a week apart, stretch the flowers over a month.

Branches: Spring Two Months Early

Forcing branches is the cheapest winter decoration there is: a pair of pruners and a tall vase. Iowa State University Extension says forcing "can be done as soon as the buds begin to swell in late winter," and that forsythia and pussy willow can be forced "as early as late February," while crabapples, magnolias and redbuds are best left until March. Look for the plump, round flower buds rather than the narrow, pointed leaf buds, and cut 1 to 2 feet from the branch tips.

How long you'll wait, per Iowa State:

Forsythia and pussy willow: one to three weeks
Apple and crabapple: two to four weeks
Magnolia: three to five weeks

University of New Hampshire Extension adds flowering quince, cherry, redbud, witch hazel, dogwood, fothergilla and red maple to the list, and gives the care: warm water in a room of 60 to 70°F out of direct sun, water changed every few days, then once the flowers open, a bright but cooler spot of 50 to 70°F. "The cooler the spot, the longer the branches will bloom." Iowa State suggests misting the branches two or three times a day while they force.

Decorating with it: one kind of branch per vase, cut long. A single armful of forsythia in a floor vase changes a whole room; a mixed bunch looks like a hedge trimming. Prune only what the shrub can spare, and only from your own garden or with the owner's permission.

Hyacinths in Water: Planned in October

Neutral living room with a gray sofa, cream knitted cushions and throws, framed winter landscape prints above, a potted evergreen in a tall vase and white pillar candles on the coffee table — A potted evergreen instead of a tree: still green in February, and nothing to vacuum out of the rug.

Hyacinths are the scented ones, and they need the most planning. The same Wisconsin Extension guide lists 12 to 15 weeks of cold for hyacinths (crocus, daffodils, grape hyacinths and tulips need 15 to 17). The ideal is a few weeks at 45 to 50°F for rooting, then colder, but "the constant temperature of a home refrigerator (typically between 35 and 45 °F) also works." One warning: keep apples and other ripening fruit out of that fridge, because their ethylene gas "impairs flower development."

Most bulbs then bloom "about three to four weeks after they are removed from the cold," and flowers last longer at cooler temperatures. For a hyacinth glass, the guide says the water level must stay just below the bottom of the bulb: "If water touches the bulbs, they will rot."

Our calendar: bulbs into the fridge in mid-October, out in mid-January, flowering by early February.

Winter Bloomers You Can Just Buy

Not everything has to be planned. Three houseplants sold in bloom through winter carry on flowering if the room suits them:

Cyclamen wants it cool. University of Illinois Extension says it does best in a cool, bright spot, "ideally no warmer than 68ºF during the day, and as low as 40ºF at night," away from hot or cold drafts, which make the flowers drop. A chilly entry hall or a bedroom windowsill is better than the living room.
Christmas cactus sets its buds in the short days of autumn. Penn State Extension gives at least twelve hours of uninterrupted darkness a day and 68°F by day, 60°F at night; Clemson's Home & Garden Information Center says fourteen hours or more. University of Minnesota Extension notes the cousin that blooms later: the Easter cactus flowers in late winter or early spring.
Kalanchoe prefers about 60°F at night and 70°F by day; "temperatures over 75 tend to delay or reduce flowering," according to University of Missouri Extension.

For all your houseplants in winter, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County advises keeping them "away from cold drafts, radiators, and hot air vents," and says fertilizer is "generally not necessary during the winter months." Most houseplants are happy at 65 to 75°F by day and 60 to 65°F at night. Our indoor plant decor guide has more on placing them.

With Pets in the House

Plant	ASPCA listing	Note
Christmas cactus	Non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses	The safe choice
Amaryllis	Toxic to dogs, cats, horses	Vomiting, tremors
Hyacinth	Toxic to dogs, cats, horses	Bulbs hold the most toxin
Cyclamen	Toxic to dogs, cats, horses	Tubers are the dangerous part
Kalanchoe	Toxic to dogs and cats	Rarely, heart rhythm problems

Sources: the ASPCA's plant pages for Christmas cactus, amaryllis, hyacinth, cyclamen and kalanchoe. For cyclamen, the ASPCA warns that large amounts of the tuber can cause heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures and death. With a dog that digs or a cat that chews, keep the bulbs and tubers out of reach, or stick to Christmas cactus and cut branches.

When the Christmas Decorations Come Down

Many people take the tree down around New Year's, and superstition says the rest should be gone by Twelfth Night, around January 6. English Heritage points out that it wasn't always the rule:

“The tradition that it is bad luck to keep decorations up after Twelfth Night and the Epiphany is a modern invention.” — English Heritage

In medieval England, Christmas officially ended at Candlemas, February 2, "exactly 40 days after Christmas," and greenery stayed up until then.

That's a useful way to think about winter decor: not a gap between Christmas and spring, but a season with its own things. Take down what's red, gold and Christmas-specific in the first week of January. Keep the plain greenery, pinecones and white lights until they look tired, then let the bulbs and branches take over. Our Christmas tree guide covers packing the lights and taking the tree to be recycled, and the winter mantel guide what goes above the fireplace from January to March.

Five Winter Rooms by Style

Cottage: amaryllis in an old enamel pot on the kitchen table, a jug of pussy willow on the dresser.
Timeless: a single white amaryllis in a glass cylinder; nothing else on the table.
Coastal: hyacinths in clear glasses along a white windowsill, roots on show.
Mediterranean: forced quince or cherry branches in a terracotta jar, with a bowl of lemons beside it.
Vintage-modern: a row of three cyclamen in matching ceramic pots in a cool hallway.

The Short Version

Amaryllis: pot in mid-December for February; 6 to 8 weeks from a new bulb.
Branches: cut forsythia or pussy willow from late February (1 to 3 weeks), crabapple and magnolia in March (2 to 5 weeks).
Hyacinths: 12 to 15 weeks in the fridge from mid-October, no apples nearby; water just below the bulb.
Buy in bloom: cyclamen (keep it under 68°F), Christmas cactus, kalanchoe.
Pets: Christmas cactus is non-toxic; amaryllis, hyacinth, cyclamen and kalanchoe are not.
Take down the Christmas-specific decor in early January; plain greenery can stay until it tires, and Candlemas (February 2) is the old end of the season.