A hothouse flower is flower that isn'
t hardy enough to grow under natural conditions. It has to be pampered and grown in a greenhouse or hothouse.
In regard to
people it'
s used to describe someone who needs pampering or special conditions.
It doesn'
t exclusively mean high maintenance, but, needing special circumstances on some level to flourish, grow, be happy, or stable.
"She's the kinda girl you have to give space. A real hothouse flower. Turn the heat on her too much and she's outta there."
"He's kind of a hothouse plant. If he doesn'
t draw everyday he just wilts into
depression."
(Nicholas Nickleby, 1838)"Mrs. Witterly is of a very excitable nature, very delicate, very fragile, a hothouse plant."
On an episode of "Frazier," Frazier was complaining about various things that bothered him. His father
said, "Aren'
t you the little hothouse orchid."