Houseplants for the Festive SeasonHouseplants are a great way of bringing colour into the home, especially at Christmas time with some stunning festive colours. An ideal gift that is longer lasting than a bouquet of flowers and costs less too!
The most popular Christmas plant that first springs to mind is the Poinsettia. Originating from Mexico the Poinsettia comes in a variety of colours from bright reds through to soft pinks and creamy whites.
Some people find it hard to keep Poinsettias and once the bracts (the coloured leaves) fade and drop off, people tend to throw them away but with the right conditions they can be kept all year round and colour up for the following Christmas.
Keep them in a bright area but not in direct sunlight or near any draughts, as they do not like extreme drops in temperature and will die. A minimum of 16°c should be sufficient. Also allow the compost to dry out slightly between watering. Once the Poinsettia has finished flowering, cut back the plant to about 10cm (4″), re-pot and place in a light, cool area over the summer months. From November onwards the plant should be placed in a dark room after 12 hours of daylight and protected from artificial ligth sources, this should hopefully bring back colour to the bracts for the Christmas season.
Another popular houseplant at Christmas is the Cyclamen. Again this comes in a range of colours from reds, pinks, purples and whites. A cool bright position is best of about 10-16°c and avoid placing near radiators as the heat from this will dry out the foliage. When watering always water from below, but do not let it stand in water for too long. Again allow to dry out between waterings. Remove any faded or dead blooms from the plant to encourage new growth.
Azalea's originate from China and are available in a range of pinks, reds and whites and are another ideal plant for brightening up a room or as a Christmas gift. Keep in a light, cool room and again avoid placing near radiators. An Azalea should never be left to dry out. Water plentifully, keeping the compost moist at all times. Dead-heading these plants on a regular basis should keep them flowering for about six weeks.
Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera) is a Christmas flowering succulent that is low maintenance and generally inexpensive. They produce pink flowers and prefer good light conditions and thorough watering.
Hyacinths are guaranteed to fill the home with their strong fragrance and beautiful colours. Available in a wide range of colours from blues, purples, pinks, reds, yellows and whites, they can be bought in bulb form to grow yourself or around the festive period can be in flower on their own or as part of an arrangement.
If you just don't know what to choose, then why not opt for a planted arrangement. These generally contain a selection of plants which will grow happily together. The seasonal plants can easily be removed once they are past their best and replaced with something else. The most important thing to remember is that the bowls have no drainage, so the compost needs to be dried out between waterings.
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