Most people around the world realize that gifting flowers is a kind and loving gesture. For men and women alike, flowers feel good to give and to receive. But while the beauty of flowers and the appreciation of gifting flowers is common knowledge, herbalists and florists are in on a secret that much of the public does not know: plants, including flowers, actually offer a host of benefits to us in a natural, soothing, and non-harmful way.
According to a blog called Gateways to Inner Peace, “Flowers are much more than the beautiful blooms we admire in the garden. All plants have a unique vibrational energy pattern, and the flower is the pinnacle of this energy. And we can use this energy to help ourselves to heal. Flower remedies capture the energy imprint of the flower into water. There is no physical part of the flower in the essence, only its healing vibration.”
In addition to flowers containing substances that benefit human health and happiness, they help to stave off depression. There is also the fact that many flowers exude a pleasant aroma or sweet fragrance. This calming scent can help to bring us happiness and feelings of peace, like the sensation we all experience when we use lavender to help fall asleep or lemon zest to perk ourselves up.
That’s right: flowers aren’t just pretty to look at: they help us too! Below, we’ve put together a guide on some of the most common flowers that bloom in the winter as well as some of the potential healing properties they offer. We’ll also take a look at how flowers can help to cure the winter blues. Read on to learn more about the benefits that flowers offer us, both in the winter time and all year round.
Orchid
When it blooms: Many orchids only bloom once a year, though some species can bloom twice or even more times over the span of one year. Once they have bloomed, many orchids last for weeks or months, ensuring you have a fresh colorful bloom to enjoy for a longer span of time.
Healing properties: Orchids are thought to have many healing properties. According to Town & Country, “Orchids in general, and Gold Orchids especially...possess extraordinary properties that can rejuvenate or prolong the youthfulness of human tissue. Studies in the emerging field of cellular bioenergetics, a branch of biochemistry concerned with how energy flows through living systems, suggest that molecules from orchids might be able to repair decaying mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, in humans.”
Photo Credit: by @ironfanyu, instagram
Christmas Cactus
When it blooms: The general understanding of Christmas cactus is that it blooms once per year around the holiday season during winter, which is how it earned the name Christmas cactus. However, there are actually a variety of “Christmas cactus” plants and they are able to bloom more than once per year.
Healing properties: Many believe that Christmas cactus can help to purify the air and boost healing, which is especially helpful during the flu and cold season of winter.
Photo Credit: by shotaku, flickr.com
Anthurium
When it blooms: Anthuriums can flower all through the year, but will typically flower for about three months out of the year. In the winter, anthuriums generally have fewer flowers because they like the sunshine and prefer to “hibernate” during the shorter, darker days.
Healing properties: Some healers have reported that anthurium is useful for arthritis, rheumatism, muscle aches, and cramps.
Photo Credit: by @ironfanyu, instagram
Peace Lily
When it blooms: Peace lilies generally bloom in the spring, and they can bloom again in the fall if cared for well. The white blooms of the peace lily typically last for around two months, and following their bloom, they will undergo a period of non-blooming.
Healing properties: The peace lily is claimed to offer spiritually and emotionally healing properties. It is even purported to be effective as a healing agent for people receiving radiation cancer treatment.
Photo Credit: by @ironfanyu, instagram
Guzmania
When it blooms: Guzmania is a type of bromeliad. Bromeliads only bloom once during their lifetime, but the flowers generally last for three to six months.
Healing properties: Guzmania are easy to care for and can help to purify the air in your home, bringing a tropical touch to even the darkest winter days. According to The Joy of Plants, “Guzmania is the symbol of the Brazilian wilderness: the funnel is said to capture all the ‘blessings from above’ (rain, sunlight) in order to store them. As a houseplant, it’s particularly the colours that are significant: yellow represents fortune and wealth, red represents fiery love, pink means lasting love, and orange represents passing something (driving test, examination, course).”
Photo Credit: by @ironfanyu, instagram
Winter-Blooming Begonias
When it blooms: Winter-blooming begonias bloom during the winter time, but you can grow begonias year-round.
Healing properties: Begonias can be used to help relieve pain and heal sores or burns by rubbing their crushed flowers and leaves directly on to the skin. Many plants offer benefits to help beautify and detoxify the skin. Begonias are also a good source of vitamin C. Begonias are also used for a variety of other medicinal and healing purposes.
Photo Credit: by @ironfanyu, instagram
Can flowers cure the winter blues?
Sending or receiving a bouquet of colorful blooms during the winter may not cure all your feelings of sadness and melancholy, but it certainly can’t hurt! Flowers can inspire and encourage us, and allowing them to brighten gloomy winter days may work wonders for you. Just like red roses signify romance and love and white flowers are sent for funerals and weddings, colorful florals during the winter can be an especially sunny way to experience a boost and a smile.
An article on Martha Stewart reads, “Imagine a location with a built-in natural apothecary that has healing potions, healthy CO2 balanced air, and energy that is blooming with so much positivity you can actually feel it. Welcome to your home with healing plants. Adding plants can transform your abode from just a place to lay your head to a certified zen den for all things self-care. Especially when growing and surrounding yourself with certain medicinal plants in your indoor or outdoor garden.”
Filling your home with plants can be beneficial all year long, but especially during the winter months. They can make you smile while the world outside is cold, dead, and frozen. What better natural remedy to make us happy when the world outside is uninviting than living, breathing, colorful plants?
According to the Exotic Flowers blog, “It is a scientific fact that flowers have the power to elevate our moods, particularly when we are feeling at our lowest. All of the senses play a part, including the way a flower smells, its texture, color and arrangement with other species. Our minds are positively enhanced the moment we set eyes on a bouquet and eventually we learn to connect this sensation of happiness with flowers in general.”
However, one of the traits of wintertime is the fact that a layer of ice and snow arrives, and in many places, it remains on the ground all the way through spring. There may be no signs of life and no live plants, flowers, or trees for months on end. For many people, this is one of the biggest causes of the winter blues. With no natural greenery or refreshing nature scenes outside, the soothing properties of plants are entirely absent.
The Exotic Flowers blog continues, “When the weather turns chillier and we lose our stimulation from outdoor gardening and growing, we have to make a conscious effort to seek them out elsewhere. Contacting your local florist is the best way to solve this problem, or you can even begin with indoor seeds, such as marigolds and nasturtiums. They’ll be fun to watch sprout, and you’ll have pretty blooms flowering through the coldest months of the year.”
In addition to the uplifting properties of flowers, which help to inspire happiness and contentment even through the dead of winter, the blog points out that flowers can encourage connection with other humans, which also makes us happier and more fulfilled. For example, if you present flowers in your foyer or entryway and guests come over, they feel warmly welcomed and eager to share in their happiness with you.
Similarly, if you give or receive flowers from a loved one, these blooms inspire feelings of intimacy and bring you both closer together. It can truly make someone’s day to know that another person is thinking about them, wishing them well, and is eager to show it by gifting a bouquet of colorful blooms.
Don’t think you have to wait for Valentine’s Day to perk up your life with flowers. You can treat yourself to flowers any time of year, whether you decide to order them online from an online florist service like FTD or pick up a bouquet at wholesale pricing from big-box stores like Costco there are always great deals on florals. In the winter, opt for arrangements that include lots of bright colors—think sunflowers, tulips, or daisies—or stick with moody, romantic blooms like roses and lilies.
Lastly, keeping floral arrangements and live plants around us can help to encourage creativity, inspire our imagination, and serve us with deep inspiration, both artistically and emotionally. There’s a reason Van Gogh, one of the greatest artists mankind has ever known, regularly surrounded himself with flowers! Flowers can make people happy, boost their moods, help to encourage creative expression, and just generally uplift us when we are feeling low.
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