Easy Fragrant Flowers to Grow in a Small Apartment — 8 Special Varieties That Will Add Charm and Scent to Your Home

The scent of fresh flowers in the home is wonderful at any time of year, but it is usually associated with spring and summer. However, if you want it to become more of a year-round thing, there are plenty of options in the colder months as well that are also easy to grow in a small apartment.

Cut flowers in a small apartment can be an expensive option though, especially if you are buying them out of season. So choose the best-smelling indoor plants instead, which can offer so much more than simply looking pretty. Scented varieties of flowering plants are, in fact, one of the best ways to fragrance a room naturally. Plus, the flowers last much longer than a store-bought bouquet.

Of course, it's also worth mentioning the feel-good factor of a magical flower and scent combo that enhances daily living, especially if you love the idea of an indoor zen garden that brings a calming note to your space. So, if you're looking for easy, fragrant flowers to grow in a small apartment, take a look at these eight special varieties to add a touch of beauty to your home.

1. Stephanotis

The heady scent of stephanotis fast tracks this gorgeous plant to No 1 spot on our list of easy, fragrant flowers to grow in a small apartment. The dense clusters of buds open into the prettiest star-shaped flowers. Snip off small sections of vine and this lovely plant can be used as a cut flower in vases around the home.

Stephanotis is a vine plant. It is often sold trained rigidly round a wire hoop but the trick is to set it free and let it assume a natural shape. The unrestricted dark, glossy foliage will then climb up or over wherever you want it to go. It's best to do this while the flowers are still tightly budded to avoid damaging them.

Choose a spot in a warm, bright living room with lots of direct sunlight. Stephanotis is one of the best flowers you can easily grow on a windowsill. To promote flowering, feed it with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer during the growing season (spring and summer). We like Jack's Classic 20-20-20 All Purpose Water-Soluble Fertilizer from Amazon.

2. Hyacinth

Growing hyacinth bulbs indoors is a great way to add easy, fragrant flowers in winter and spring. Prepared hyacinths are bred to bloom much earlier than garden ones, and this variety is mainly grown as indoor plants. Flowering times will vary depending on growing conditions.

If you want to grow a mass of bulbs (rather than individual ones in the special glass bulb holders), place them on a thick layer of potting soil so they're close together but not touching. Pack extra soil around them, leaving the tops of the bulbs showing. Water lightly to moisten the soil, cover, and transfer to somewhere dark and cool. When shoots appear, move them to a bright spot to bring them into bloom.

You can also grow hyacinth bulbs outdoors and bring them inside to bloom so you can appreciate them up close. However, put them somewhere cool, or the stems will flop, and the flowers will fade quickly. After flowering, you can return them to the garden. Hyacinths are also one of the best flowers to plant in February.

3. Gardenia

Grown for their highly scented, creamy-white flowers, choose a gardenia plant for your home and it will add a touch of luxe as well as drenching the air with perfume. When not in bloom the attractive glossy dark green foliage is a big plus too.

Full disclosure: gardenia are not the easiest of plants to grow. In fact, they make it onto our list of high-maintenance houseplants. But put in the effort, and they are so worth it. Plus, there's no way we could leave them out of our list of easy, fragrant flowers to grow in a small appointment, as their perfume is up there with the very best.

Give these gorgeous houseplants the right amount of light, warmth, and moisture, and they will bloom for months. Gardenia thrives in cool temperatures, moderate humidity, and plenty of bright light.

Stand the container on a tray of gravel, with the water level slightly below the surface. Don’t let the compost dry out. Use rainwater where possible, but make sure it’s at room temperature so the plant doesn't get a shock if it is too cold. Mist the leaves frequently, but not when they’re in flower, as this can lead to discoloration. Over winter, feed with a balanced houseplant fertilizer.

For an easy tablescape idea, snip a single flower and float it in a small bowl of water. Alternatively, fill a vase with blooming gardenia stems and place it on a table next to your sofa to maximize the scent experience.

4. Lilies

Lilies are easy, fragrant flowers to grow in a small apartment. If you plant bulbs or buy a container, they last much longer than cut flowers. Potted lilies typically bloom for two to three weeks after the flowers open. To maximize this, keep them away from radiators.

The shapely blooms are the perfect choice if simplicity is the keynote for your interior aesthetic. These effortlessly elegant flowers have a strong, sweet scent that will fill a room.

There is a huge range of lily types and colors available, from cool, luminous white varieties to hot, vibrant red, orange, and pink ones that will really make an impact. The 'Trendy Las Palmas' lily shown here has stunning large golden-orange flowers with dark stripes in the center and grows to about 20 inches tall. It will create an impressive indoor flower display.

Caring for your lily plant is easy. Bulbs should be planted in rich, well-draining soil. You can actually keep the bulbs outside until they're ready to bloom, then bring them indoors for the big reveal. Keep them by a window that gets bright, indirect sunlight, and ensure the soil stays evenly moist. Remove any faded flowers by snipping them off with clean scissors.

If you love lilies (who doesn't?), find out how to care for calla lilies, to,o for another show-stopping fragrant houseplant idea.

5. Jasmine

Jasmine is a classic choice for easy flowers to grow in a small apartment and one of my favorites. The sweet floral aroma of pots of jasmine in full flower will enhance any interior. When this lovely variety comes into flower in my cool hallway the crisp scent is an intoxicating treat in midwinter, especially on returning home. By the way, Jasmine hates warm, centrally heated rooms.

Like stephanotis, it's another flowering houseplant commonly trained around a metal hoop, and you can free this one, too, if you prefer. I think it looks better grown up with a central pole to give it a more natural shape and plenty of room to fulfill its potential. Grow jasmine like this and it can reach heights of up to 10 feet tall. It makes it onto our list of best tropical flowers to grow indoors, too.

"Jasmine is definitely one of my go-to indoor plants," agrees houseplant expert Caleb Young of RareIndoorPlants.com. "The fragrance is amazing, sweet, and calming, especially in the evening. It’s perfect for anyone looking to create a relaxing atmosphere. Plus, it’s really easy to take care of, so you get a beautiful, fragrant plant with little hassle."

Keep the potting soil moist in spring and summer, but cut back on watering in winter unless your plant is in bud or flowering. It's a good idea to give jasmine plants feed with a liquid houseplant fertilizer every couple of weeks from spring to fall to promote flowering later in the season.

Caleb Young

Caleb studied interior design. He discovered a passion for flowers and plants while working with The Botanist for several years. After moving back to Florida during the pandemic, he opened a houseplant store, eventually transitioning to offer rare houseplants online at RareIndoorPlants.com to meet the growing demand among plant enthusiasts. In his free time, he enjoys curating his collection of houseplants and exploring creative interior design projects.

6. Hoya

Hoya is a superstar houseplant that appears on all the favorite lists, from the best small windowsill plants to the most popular houseplants. It's easy to see why. As well as looking good and having a lovely fragrance, hoya plant care is easy too.

"Hoya has this lovely vanilla-like fragrance that’s a real treat," says Caleb Young. "It’s also super low-maintenance, which makes it a great choice for anyone in an apartment or someone who wants a plant that doesn’t need a lot of attention. It also adapts well to different lighting, so it will do well almost anywhere."

Also known as wax flowers, hoyas do best in bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. They need to be watered only when the soil is completely dry. They can handle being left without water for a while, and due to their tropical origins, they love warmer temperatures.

7. Scented pelargonium

Scented pelargonium are highly fragrant plants with beautiful flowers. While they are often grown in the garden, they make excellent houseplants too. Their distinctive leaf shapes, clusters of bright flowers, and intense perfume make them one of the best easy, fragrant flowers to grow in a small apartment.

They have a long flowering period and will also flower for longer indoors than they do in the garden. In fact they are one of the best indoor plants that flower all year round if you're lucky. Some varieties of pelargonium have leaves that release a lemon, mint, or rose fragrance when the foliage is brushed against.

Plant them in a gritty potting soil mix and put them in a bright spot with good ventilation. Water them only when the soil has dried out, and be careful not to splash the leaves or flowers.

Line them up on a kitchen windowsill to add a cheery note all year round — it's a great way to turn your windowsill into an indoor garden.

8. Plumeria

Also known as frangipani, plumeria is a tropical flower that can grow indoors. It flowers in a wide range of colors, from cool white and cream to hot shades of yellow, red, and pink. The stunning jasmine-like scent will literally fill the room.

Plumeria prefers a bright indoor location that gets a few hours of sunlight each day, but it can also be grown outdoors in a shaded location during summer. The potting soil should be kept relatively moist when the plant is flowering, and it's a good idea to reduce watering in fall and winter, allowing the compost to dry out almost completely.

During the flowering season, fertilize your plant every couple of weeks using a potassium-based feed, then switch to an all-purpose fertilizer once a month for the rest of the time.

This beautifully scented Hawaii native will add a tropical, feel-good note to your small apartment living room that is hard to beat.

FAQs

What is the most fragrant indoor flower?

The most fragrant indoor flower depends very much on personal preference but there are a few favorite varieties that get nominated time and again.

"Jasmine probably takes the top spot for me," says Caleb Young. "It’s consistently considered one of the best indoor flowering plants for scent. Gardenia is also up there, though, with their rich, creamy fragrance that fills a room."

Personally, I love orchids and was amazed to find out recently that there are fragrant varieties to enjoy, too. Cattleya orchids have many layers of fragrance that range from citrus to floral. Oncidium orchids can be scented with chocolate and vanilla.

Meanwhile, one of my favorites, the popular moth orchid (Phalaenopsis), is now being bred for fragrance. It is definitely worth looking out for to add to your collection of easy-to-grow fragrant flowers.