Christmas Plants
Monthly Theme: These are a few of my favorite things -- Christmas Plants
As we prepare for and embrace (or brace ourselves) another holiday season, I thought it would be interesting to briefly highlight four favorite Christmas plants. The four traditional plants I choose are the Christmas Cactus (genus Schlumbergera), Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), Norfolk pine (Araucaria heterophylla), and Christmas Holly (Ilex).
Before we jump into this month’s featured plants, let me wish you and your family a happy and heathy holiday season. A special thanks to my customers who have hired me to teach yoga classes at their homes, offices, clubs, retreats, and other organizations. My business, Yoga Judith LLC (aka Meet Yoga Judith), has struggled to make a comeback since losing most of my business due to Covid lockdowns. I’d love to see it flourish again like the flowers in our yards, but so far that hasn’t transpired. Here’s to brighter days in 2023!
Back to the business at hand. Little Drummer Boy drum roll please, “da-dum-da-dum!” First up is the Christmas Cactus (genus Schlumbergera). The Christmas Cactus is a lovely blooming succulent that is easy to care for and can live for 100 years (no joke!). Year after year, it will faithfully bloom over the holidays. As a bonus, they make an inexpensive gift. Buy a unique pot to present it in and the recipient will love and enjoy the plant for years to come.
Christmas Cactus plants come in white, various shades of pink, red, and salmon. They are easy to care for, but watch for root rot. They like bright, but indirect light. They are indoor houseplants and can only go outside in USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11. They originated in the forests of Brazil where they grew on trees right where the branches meet the tree. They like to be pot bound.
I have a Thanksgiving Cactus that was my brothers who passed away in 1978. Afterward, my mom took care of it until she passed in 2015. Today, it’s in my sunroom and just presented with pale pink flowers over Thanksgiving week.
First on most people’s Christmas plant list, but second on mine, the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), which is probably the most recognizable plant in the US. They are everywhere during the holiday season (even long before December) from garden centers to gas stations. Did you know the Poinsettia is actually a scrub or a small tree? These radiant plants originated in Mexico and Central America. They were introduced into the states in the 1820’s.
There are seemingly endless articles about how to make your Poinsettia rebloom next year. So, I won’t go into that topic. However, if you are looking for a lovely Christmas plant that will look great for approximately three months for a reasonable cost, buy yourself or a friend a Poinsettia. Don’t leave the plant in a cold car or uncovered. If it is exposed to cold temperatures, it will lose its leaves. Remove the plastic wrap or you will end up with drooping leaves. Give it lots of natural sunlight and lots of water. The color will remain more vibrant if the house temperature is less than 75°F during the daytime and 60°- 65°F at night. Also, keep them away from drafts.
For my third selection, consider purchasing a Norfolk pine (Araucaria heterophylla). Maybe you don’t want to put up a big Christmas tree this year, you can spruce up your room (pun intended!) with a miniature pine tree.
For the first several years of my marriage, we didn’t have much money. So, instead of buying a tree every year, we decorated my Norfolk pine. If you like that evergreen pine smell in your house, you’ll love owning one of these plants. It’s another low-maintenance houseplant.
They thrive on six or more hours of indirect sunlight, generous humidity and moist but not soggy soil. Don’t forget to offer it an all-purpose fertilizer to keep it happy and healthy indoors. When selecting a plant, make sure it wasn’t spray painted. Some shady stores sell spray painted plants to ill-informed customers.
Last up, the Christmas Holly (Ilex) from the Aquifoliaceae family. These plants originated from tropical areas of Africa, Europe, and Asia. Like the first three plants, this plant is frequently used as a Christmas decoration. They are slow-growers, but can reach 6’ indoors (outdoors they can reach 82’ in ideal climates). Holly needs diffused bright light and enjoy a misting of water.
Holly has attractive glossy leaves and produce berries, which actually contain one single seed. The berries are mildly poisonous and if ingested can cause diarrhea. Outdoors, those same berries provide a great source of food of birds and other critters.
If you don’t want to keep it indoors as a houseplant, plant it outside in the spring. If you decide to keep it indoors, don’t be afraid to prune the plant to avoid it growing long and scraggy.
Honestly, if you introduce any of these four traditional Christmas plants into your house or as a gift, I think you will be pleased with your decision. I tried to keep the blog short this month, since I’m aware everyone is extremely busy during this time of the year. Again, Happy Holidays and Happy Gardening from Yoga Judith!