We have compiled the 15 best plants for your conservatory and give you tips on visual design and successful overwintering.
A conservatory is the dream of many gardeners, because it is a place where you can unwind. However, in order for the oasis of well-being to really come into its own, the selection of the right plants is crucial: not every plant will do well in every conservatory. While tropical plants feel particularly comfortable in heated conservatories, other residents prefer a cold winter quarters. You can find out which plant is suitable for which conservatory in our article.
Plants for the cold winter garden
Temperatures just below freezing point: The cold conservatory is not for heat-loving plants. In winter, this type of conservatory quickly reaches temperatures of -5 °C because it is not heated and is more comparable to a weather-protected garden room than to a second living room. Nevertheless, the cold winter garden offers numerous plants a perfect winter quarters: especially those that need a winter break for their growth, but need protection from the weather and need sufficient light, feel comfortable here. You can find out more about how to overwinter these potted plants properly in our special article.
The frost-free conservatory is a special form of the cold conservatory - here, a so-called frost monitor is used to heat the room minimally, so that the temperature never drops below freezing. Plants that are particularly sensitive to frost but need a winter break are suitable for this type of conservatory. In summer, on the other hand, the temperatures in the cold conservatory rise quickly, which is why you should ensure there are sufficient shade or ventilation options.
1. Lemon Tree
Delicious fruits and a touch of summer promise a lemon tree (Citrus x limon). The Mediterranean plant is not only popular because of its sour fruit, but also because of its pretty appearance: both its shiny, evergreen leaves and its bright white, fragrant flowers make the lemon a real treatreal jewel. Unfortunately, the lemon tree does not tolerate frost and is therefore only suitable for conservatories with a frost guard, the temperature of which is ideally at least 3 °C. In addition, the lemon should be lightly shaded - it can react to too much light during hibernation with massive loss of leaves.
Pure white flowers and a heavenly fragrance - the star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a pleasure for all the senses. The slow-growing climbing plant is a real eye-catcher with its flowers, but has the disadvantage that it can hardly overwinter outdoors in our country: the star jasmine can withstand temperatures of -10 °C for a short time, but the plant is damaged during longer periods of cold weather. If you still don't want to do without the evergreen beauty, you can keep it in a bucket in the unheated or slightly tempered conservatory, where it is protected from the weather. In summer, the plant can then move back into the garden or stay in the sunny conservatory.
3. Olive Tree
If you want Mediterranean flair for your conservatory, you can't get past the olive tree (Olea europaea): The robust trunk with the striking silvery-green leaves is a real eye-catcher and a delight a large number of enthusiasts - no wonder, after all, the olive tree can also be wonderfully cultivated here. While the plant can also thrive in the garden in summer, it should move to the conservatory by fall at the latest. Although the pretty little tree needs a hibernation in order to grow at full strength again next year, it cannot tolerate long-lasting frosts. Ideally, the olive tree overwinters in a conservatory with a frost guard, because temperatures just above freezing are ideal for it.
Cactuses (Cactaceae) are particularly welcome guests with their striking appearance and easy-care nature. But not only as a houseplant, but also in the garden and on the balcony, the plants are enjoying increasing popularity. The only problem here is winter: particularly high levels of precipitation can severely damage plants that are adapted to drought. On the other hand, many hardy cactus species cope well with the cold, which is why an unheated conservatoryis the perfect place for them - thanks to the protection from rain and moisture and the simultaneous high availability of light, the prickly plants get through the winter well and are also a real eye-catcher.
5. Camellia
If you don't want to miss out on the splendor of flowers in winter, you should reach for the camellia (Camellia japonica): The exotic beauty is not only known for its enchanting appearance, but also has plans Made a name mainly for its unusual flowering period, which runs from January to April. In order to develop their full splendor in winter, camellias need a place where they are protected from severe frosts and wind, but where the temperature does not rise above 15 °C - this makes the flowers perfect for the frost-free winter garden. If you also make sure that the camellia is placed brightly but not in full sun, you can enjoy its blooms all winter long.
Plants for the temperate conservatory
The temperature-controlled conservatory is right in the middle between the cold and warm conservatory - it is heated in winter, but only moderately, so that temperatures between 5 °C and 15 °C prevail. This means that the temperature-controlled conservatory can only be used as living space to a limited extent, but of all three types of conservatory it offers most plants suitable quarters. Especially exotic plants from South American and African regions, but also most indoor plants feel right at home here. To ensure that not only the temperature is right, but also the amount of light, it is advisable to lay out the temperature-controlled conservatory in a southerly direction.
1. Passion Flower
Hardly any climbing plant is as eye-catching as the passion flower (Passiflora caerulea): With its artistically playful blossoms in shades of white, red or blue, the plant is one optical sensation that has already found its way into many works of art. Unfortunately, the pretty flower is not frost hardy, which is why it cannot be cultivated in the garden. It is all the more gratifying that the passion flower can be cultivated very well in a temperate conservatory. Equipped with a trellis and in a bright location, the flower will quickly do well. In winter, the passion flower should also rest at around 10 °C so that it can bloom again in all its glory next year.
Who doesn't love the intense smell of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus gunnii)? With its unique smell and its decorative bluish to silvery-green leaves, the scented plant is an absolute must for every conservatory and can even be used as a medicinal plant. In order for the eucalyptus to feel comfortable, however, a few points must be observed: Firstly, it should be in the brightest possible location, as it is particularly sensitive to a lack of light. On the other hand, temperatures of 5 to 10 °C should prevail in winter. If you also give the eucalyptus a little care, it will soon enchant the whole room with its scent.
3. Bottlebrush
With its scarlet cylinders of flowers, the cylinder brush (Callistemon viminalis) is a real feast for the eyes - the extravagant plant also shows its flowers several times a year. Especially in the temperate conservatory, the colorful shrub attracts envious looks, because here it can be grown all year round. The shrub with the beautiful flowers feels particularly at home in a warm and full sun. The rest phase in winter, on the other hand, can sometimes be a bit colder with temperatures between 5 and 10 °C. Although the bottle brush can also be overwintered warm, the plant is often much lazier afterwards.
The name says it all - hardly any other plant for the conservatory is as extravagant as the bird of paradise flower (Strelitzia reginae). With its leathery leaves and impressive growth of up to one and a half meters, the pretty plant is a truly majestic sight. But only its fascinating orange flowers make the plant a real eye-catcher. The exotic flower is particularly suitable for the temperate winter garden, because it finds ideal conditions here: A bright and sunny location where the temperature never falls below 10 °C is ideal for the plant. In fact, the mild temperatures in the conservatory, in contrast to the apartment, even have a positive effect on the he alth of the bird of paradise flower.
5. palm trees
Palm trees are probably one of the most popular indoor plants because they providea cozy holiday atmosphere within your own four walls. The magnificent plants grow to their full beauty, especially in the bright conservatory, making them an impressive eye-catcher. The temperate conservatory is perfect for cultivating most types of palm trees, as it allows the plants to rest at around 12 °C in winter. Another advantage of palm trees in the temperate conservatory: there is something for every taste. The Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis), for example, is particularly suitable for beginners, while the Emperor Palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) impresses with its coral-red fruits. The Chinese umbrella palm (Livistona chinensis) is best known for reaching a stately age in conservatories. Even the well-known gold fruit palm (Dypsis lutescens) can be wonderfully cultivated in the conservatory.
Plants for the warm winter garden
The heated conservatory can be used all year round and is often used as living space, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a residential conservatory. Thanks to heating and careful insulation, the temperature in the warm conservatory does not fall below 18 °C even in winter, which is why tropical and subtropical exotic species in particular enjoy this place. But many popular indoor plants also feel right at home in a heated conservatory. Overall, the warm conservatory should have an even temperature of up to a maximum of 23 °C. So that the temperature does not rise too high in summer, it is advisable to lay out the conservatory in a northerly position or to think about additional shading measures.
1. Bougainvillea
Hardly any other plant is able to bring the Mediterranean flair to the conservatory as impressively as the bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra). The climbing plant, also known as triplet, is a real beauty with its purple bracts, which soon attracts everyone's attention. Unfortunately, the bougainvillea is not frost hardy, which is why it is often not cultivated at all - in the heated conservatory, however, the Mediterranean plant finds perfect conditions of at least 15 °C. Growing elegantly on a scaffolding, the bougainvillea soon becomes the secret highlight of the conservatory.
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)many only know it from cultivation outdoors or in a greenhouse. But did you know that a winter garden is also suitable for growing tomatoes? In fact, these are perennial plants, which in Germany are often only cultivated as annuals due to the frost in winter. A heated conservatory can help: At temperatures of 22 to 24 °C and a bright location, he althy tomato plants, especially cherry tomatoes and wild tomatoes, can survive the winter here in Germany. However, intensive care is necessary to keep the plants he althy. Alternatively, the heated conservatory can also be used wonderfully for growing new tomatoes - due to the warm temperatures and good lighting conditions, the new seedlings can be grown here much better and earlier than in the garden or on the windowsill.
3. Orchid
Hardly any flowering houseplant is as popular as the orchid (Orchidaceae). One of the plants with the delicate flowers can be found in almost every household, although the orchid is considered to be particularly demanding in terms of care. But the exotic beauties not only cut a fine figure as a houseplant - they can also be cultivated very well in the conservatory. Especially the bright but not too sunny location and the warm temperatures benefit the discreet houseplants and ensure that they show their full beauty.
The sweet and juicy fruits of the mango (Mangif.webpera indica) can be found in most kitchens. However, many do not dare to plant their own mango tree, as it usually cannot cope with the German weather. A heated conservatory can help: At temperatures above 15 °C, the mango feels extremely comfortable and is a real asset as a potted plant. So that the mango also bears juicy fruit in the winter garden, it is important to open the windows in summer as soon as the beautiful mango blossoms appear - this is the only way insects can pollinate the plant.
5. Clam Ginger
The mussel ginger (Alpinia zerumbet) is a real rarity among ornamental plants - in fact, this exotic plant is hard to find in Germany - wrongly, like usfind, after all, the mussel ginger is a real beauty: with its upright, slender growth and its decorative leaves, the plant enriches every room. A special eye-catcher are the pink, round-oval flowers of the mussel ginger, which hang in dense clusters on the plant and have an interesting yellow-red pattern inside. The mussel ginger can be wonderfully cultivated in a heated winter garden, as it is considered to be extremely robust and adaptable as long as it is kept at a temperature of at least 12 °C.
Tip: Potted plants need nutrients regularly, as these are quickly used up in the limited pot volume. The easiest way is to use a liquid fertilizer over the irrigation water. We therefore recommend our organic citrus and Mediterranean fertilizer for the citrus and Mediterranean plants that are popular in conservatories.