Red is the color of passion and romance. It’s the first color that comes to mind when thinking of flowers. The pleasure of adorning your home with eye-catching red flora is unmatched. There are so many amazing houseplants with red flowers.
Let’s cover some basics about red flowers before sharing a list of amazing house plants with red flowers, that are quite popular in various cities in the United States also.
Meaning of Red Flowers
Did you know that each flower has a meaning? Floriography is the practice of ascribing meanings to flowers that spread through Europe like wildfire during the victorian era.
People used flower arrangements to send messages to each other. For example, roses mean happy love or red amaryllis signifies pride.
Red Flowers in Different Cultures
Red flowers have a special meaning in different cultures. However, the concept of red roses for love is universal. There are some countries where the rules of red roses are a little different than others.
For example, you can give anyone a red rose here in the States. Usually to your partner on valentines day but also a sick relative or your mother. While in France, a red rose is reserved for your soulmate, and red carnations mean ill will.
In Japan, red flowers mean overall love as they do in the US, and red carnations are gifted to close relatives.
Chinese tradition dictates that red is the color of luck, while orchids are the flower of new beginnings. Therefore red orchids are gifted in the Chinese new year for a lucky new beginning.
In Indian traditions, red roses decorate wedding ceremonies alongside orange flowers. As you can see that the color red signifies love, passion, and strong feelings in every culture, with small differences here and there.
They say you shouldn’t give someone a potted flower as a gift since it means the relationship is restrictive. We think that’s completely untrue if you mean to gift it to a fellow plant lover.
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List of Amazing Houseplants With Red Flowers
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum Species)
Amaryllis is a really easy flower to grow, and they are the perfect companions for the holiday season. Their bulbs are sold by centimeters and are bred to grow perfectly indoors. The bigger the bulb you buy, the more flower stalks you get out of it.
Thirty-four to thirty-six-centimeter bulbs are okay, but if you can find thirty-eight-centimeter bulbs, you’ll have a jolly good time. Amaryllis flowers do not bloom all at once, giving you a long flowering time. However, it would help if you thought about when you want them to bloom when buying them.
Amaryllis bulbs from the southern hemisphere, in places like Peru, bloom four weeks after being planted, while bulbs from the northern hemisphere, such as holland, take six to twelve weeks.Â
Ruby Rall Cactus
If you thought cacti were boring, you’re in for a surprise. Now, these aren’t true flowering cacti. Ruby ball cacti are graphed products. There is a mutant cactus on top with no chlorophyll in it. The lack of chlorophyll exposes red or yellow pigment. Believe it or not, it’s grafted on the Dragonfruit plant.Â
Caring for a ruby ball or moon cacti is exceedingly easy. They need ample indirect sunlight and infrequent watering. Let the soil completely dry before watering again. They need fertilization after every two months and repotting every couple of years.
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Poppies
Poppies usually grow two to three feet, but there are dwarf varieties perfect for indoors. They come in many colors, but we always picture the quintessential red-oriental poppy flower. They don’t like to be transferred, so you should bury their original, preferably peat pot, in a larger soil pot. Otherwise, they are the easiest flowers to care for.
Water them on alternate days for the first couple of weeks as their roots get comfy in the new pot. Later you only need to water when the top soil gets dry. They need plenty of suns but would do okay with some sun in the morning. Fertilize them monthly and pinch off dead flowers to encourage new growth.
African Violets
African violets come in many colors, but we’re talking about the red variety. They are great houseplants with large ovate leaves and pretty small flowers. These tiny wonders need partial sun or bright indirect light and slightly acidic soil.
Native to East Africa, they need well-draining soil with lots of organic matter to help it grow. When you repot them, try not to bury them any deeper than they already were. They are a little fussy this way.
You must avoid overwatering since African violets are highly susceptible to root rot. In fact, too much humidity makes the leaves rot as well, so water from below the leaves.
You only need to fertilize during the growing season once you see the plant weaken a little. Do not be generous with the fertilizer, as over-fertilizing is a more significant issue than under-fertilizing. Basically, you must know when to give this plant love and when to cut back for it to thrive.
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Flaming Swords
The Vriesea splendens is called the flaming sword because of its red inflorescence. This attractive flowering houseplant needs partial or filtered sunlight and has a unique watering procedure. You must ensure the florets stay wet at all times while the soil is kept minimally moist to prevent root rot.
You can pot it in the orchid soil mix, and it will grow up to two or three feet tall. The ideal temperature to keep it at is between 70°F to 80°F, and it’s non-toxic to pets and children.
To maintain 50% humidity, keep a tray of water under it with some stones to prevent the water from touching the pot or the soil.
Read How Many Potted House Plants does the Average Person Have?
Christmas Cactus
Christmas cacti are super popular because they flower in the winter during the holidays. They become a part of the holiday festivities and delight everyone with the tubular flower it produces.
They have a long bloom time and cute segmented stems that resemble leaves. Unlike most cacti, these succulents are native to the rainforest, not the desert. That means they must be watered well and kept in a humid place like a bright bathroom.
To water the right way, keep pouring water till you see it drip out the drainage hole, then either suspend the plant or keep a tray under it with rocks to drain the water out quickly. That way, it gets saturated without sitting in water.
Fertilize it every two weeks from spring to the fall and then every month once it flowers. Pruning encourages more branching and flowering. You can propagate more Christmas cacti from the offcuts.
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Flamingo Lily
The Flamingo lily or anthurium flower is similar to the peace lily plant. It is a short ornamental shade plant with a modified bright red or pink spath or leaf bract, a central spadix, and large heart-shaped leaves. Like the peace lily, all parts of this plant are poisonous to humans and pet animals.
Anthuriums like indirect bright light but need an abundance of it to flower. If you keep it in low light, it will survive and produce foliage. To ensure it flowers, you need to place it in a room with plenty of bright indirect sunlight.
Anthuriums are a little drought resistant and survive okay in slightly dry soil. Overwatering is the number one rookie mistake that leads to them dying. Check every alternate day if the soil has dried before watering. Fertilize it once every two or three months.
Crown of Thorns Plant
The Crown of thorns plant, also known as the christ plant, gets its name from the back thorns that grow along its stem. This slow-growing succulent plant actually has green flowers with red bracts that look like petals. For the untrained eye, it seems like a red flower.
Native to Africa, it is toxic to people and pets, growing about two feet tall indoors. It needs full sun, but it will manage with a little less and neutral to acidic, well-drained soil or cactus mix.
Like its other cacti brothers, it goes a long time between watering. So long that you can give it half diluted strength fertilizer every single time you water it.
Read Types of House Plants with Large Leaves
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a beautiful tropical all-year flowering plant. They produce abundant flowers in the summer and take a break if the winter is too harsh. If you can recreate the summer conditions, it will also bloom through winter.Â
Hibiscus bushes grow huge outside, but you can trim them to stay small indoors. They may even produce more flowers that way. It needs at least four hours of direct sunlight as long as the temperature is between fifty and eighty degrees Celcius. If it goes over that, then it needs shade.
So it’s ideal for growing it indoors if you live somewhere hot like Arizona. They have large roots and appreciate a large pot to match. With the right care, it will produce two to three flowers a day. You can keep this perennial plant around for forty years.
Red Double flower Begonias
Begonias are a good beginner plant for any novice plant lover. They are a little drought resistant and very hardy. If you want to cheat, you can plant begonias instead of roses.
The double flower rose from begonia almost looks identical to an actual rose. A basic flowering plant care regiment is enough for these tough plants to thrive.
Read How to Kill House Plant Bugs
Roses
Our favorite indoor red flower has to be the one and only queen of romance, the red rose. This classic flower is the most popular and most bought and sold.
Featured in countless fairytales and stories, it inspires wonderment in everyone who sees it. Some people think roses are basic. We don’t disagree. We think they’re awesome.Â
You’re probably wondering whether you can grow roses indoors. Yes, you can grow roses near a sunny window. You only need to know a few special tips. Not everyone can have a luscious rose garden inside their home, but we can help you try.
You can’t cheap out on the sunlight for roses. The queen of flowers demands to be near a southern or western window and get at least six hours of light every day. The divas of the flower world have a set temperature they thrive in. They strictly wish to stay in between sixty and seventy degrees Faranhieght.
They will not be able to bear anything too hot or too cold. Rose gardeners do their best to control temperatures during the summer days and winter nights outside. It’s much easier to control the temperature indoors.
If the air is too dry, the delicate petals will dry out. They also suffer from spider mites. You can place a dish with some pebbles under the pot with water to improve humidity conditions.
The water will slowly evaporate, and the water vapor will surround and protect the roses. Growing roses is hungry work. Remember to fertilize them frequently during their growing periods, especially miniature rose bushes.

Conclusion
We have shared an amazing list of classic and unique houseplants with red flowers. We hope you will choose a few to bring you joy and decorate your home. You can never go wrong with a pop of red bursting out of the foliate now and then.
Each plant has different requirements, as does each houseplant owner. There is a perfect match for both out there. The forgiving plant for the forgetful, lazy, or beginner plant lover or the fussy plant for the expert. Choose the one you’ll love. All these plants are very popular in the United States.
You may like the following houseplant articles:
- Low Light Indoor Plants That Are Safe for Cats
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- Houseplants That Bring Good Luck
- What houseplants clean the air
- How Much Oxygen Does a House Plant Produce?
- Why is My House Plant’s Soil Growing Mushrooms?
- House Plants for Cold Dark Rooms

Hi! I’m Sophia, and I love plants – especially an expert in growing house plants. I stay in Chicago, United States of America, and through my blog and social media platforms, provide tips and tricks on how to grow healthy, vibrant plants indoors. Check out more here.