Growing Green

By Robin Trott, Extension Educator

If you’re like me, you are starting to think about your holiday plans. How will I decorate? What gifts will I get for my family and friends? Plants make perfect gifts and add a nice touch to your holiday décor. Here are six plants that are perfect for decoration and gifts this holiday season.

• Amaryllis: This bulb plant is a holiday favorite with large, vibrant blooms in colors like pink, salmon, white, orange and red. Planting bulbs? Amaryllis is the easiest to bring into bloom. Keep the blooming plant in a cool area for longer flower life.

• Paperwhite Narcissus: For a delicate, upright flower with a pleasant fragrance, choose paperwhite narcissus. Keep them in your house during the day and in a cool spot like an unheated garage or porch at night, ensuring the temperature doesn’t drop below freezing.

• Ornamental Peppers: Add a nontraditional touch with ornamental pepper plants, producing peppers in various sizes, shapes and colors. They work well as houseplants or in your landscape, and yes, you can eat the peppers if no pesticides are used!

• Phalaenopsis Orchid: These beautiful orchids come in different colors, making them perfect for any holiday color scheme. Place them in indirect, bright light to enjoy flowering blooms for up to four months.

• Poinsettia: No holiday plant guide is complete without the classic poinsettia. From traditional red to white or pink, they bring festive cheer. Remember, poinsettias love bright locations and dislike drastic temperature changes.

• Thanksgiving and Christmas Cactus: These aren’t your typical cacti! Holiday cacti add color from Thanksgiving to Christmas or Christmas through March. Easy to care for, keep them in a cool spot, provide adequate drainage and keep the soil moist.

Tips for Maximum Cheer

Start with Healthy Plants:

• Choose poinsettias with dark green foliage, and for Christmas cactus, pick plants with a healthy green color and unopened flowers.

• Larger amaryllis bulbs mean bigger flowers, so choose large, firm bulbs without cuts or bruises.

Care: Watering is Key:

• Keep indoor plants in a brightly lit, warm area away from drafts.

• Water them evenly but avoid overwatering. Check soil dryness before watering.

Care After the Holidays:

• For poinsettias, compost might be the best option when they start looking worn.

• Christmas cactus are easier to care for. After blooming, pinch a few leaf segments off each branch to keep them bushy.

• Move plants outdoors in spring, add fertilizer, and bring them back indoors in October.

With these tips, your holiday plants will bring joy from Thanksgiving to Christmas and beyond! Happy Holidays!

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“There will be people who say that you buy too many plants, those are not your people.”