As a gardener, I love the wide assortment of holiday plants available in November and December. They make thoughtful gifts and many can be kept as houseplants and enjoyed year-round. I like to use them in my indoor holiday decor as table centrepieces, arranged on coffee or side tables, or in any spot that could use a hint of festive colour.
Here are my five favourite holiday plants to give as gifts and how to care for them year-round.
Poinsettia
With over five million grown annually in Canadian greenhouses, poinsettias are the top holiday gift plant. They’re beloved for their large, decorative bracts in bright hues of red, pink, peach, white, as well as speckled combinations of red and white.
Holiday care: Poinsettias like bright, indirect light and average room temperatures. Keep the soil lightly moist but not wet.
Year-round care: Many people like to keep poinsettias as year-round indoor plants. They’re low-maintenance but note that they may not bloom again on schedule next Christmas. Poinsettias are light sensitive and to re-flower, need to be placed in a dark room for at least twelve to fourteen hours each night, beginning in September.
Rosemary
If you’re looking to give a plant that does double duty, consider rosemary. With its aromatic evergreen-like foliage, this popular culinary herb is often pruned in a Christmas tree shape for holiday gift giving.
Holiday care: Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb and grows best when given plenty of sun and modest moisture. Look for a south-facing window and make sure the container has a drainage hole. Remove any decorative foil wrapped around the pot that would prevent water from draining.
Year-round care: Rosemary makes a long-lived indoor plant if given proper conditions. Keep it in a sunny window and leave the soil on the dry side. Water deeply when a finger inserted into the soil is dry an inch down. Indoor air is usually very dry and in its native habitat, rosemary absorbs water from the air. To mimic this, you can mist the plant every day or so, or keep the pot on a tray of pebbles. Add a bit of water to the tray so that the evaporating water increases moisture in the air.
Christmas Cactus
Christmas cacti are tropical succulents that can easily live for decades with minimal care. They have unique spiky foliage and shimmery flowers which bloom around Christmas.
Holiday care: Place your cactus in a bright, well-lit room and water when the soil is dry to the touch.
Year-round care: Christmas cacti bloom annually but not always at Christmas. If you buy a plant to give as a gift, it will have flower buds or flowers. If you have an existing Christmas cactus and want it to bloom for the holidays, you’ll have to take a few steps to encourage flower bud formation. This is a short day plant that needs long nights and short days to initiate flowering. If you have it in a room that is lit at night, move it to a room, like a guest bedroom or bathroom that is dark at night, four to six weeks before the holidays. Once it forms flower buds, you can move it to a spot where the pretty flowers can be appreciated.
Cyclamen
Cyclamen are popular houseplants that light up the winter home with their bold and bright flowers. Bloom colours range from creamy white to bright pink to deep red with a variety of foliage colours and patterns for added interest.
Holiday care: When in full bloom, place cyclamen where it can be appreciated. Water when dry. Once the blooms fade, move the plant to a bright window, but not one with direct sun all day. A few hours of sun is plenty.
Year-round care: In their natural environment, cyclamen prefer woodland conditions or spots with dappled shade. Cyclamen are prone to rot so be sure to water the soil, not the plant. Every week or so place the pot in a shallow tray of water for an hour, or until the soil is saturated. Water again when the soil is dry to the touch, usually every seven to ten days. In summer, the pot can be moved outdoors to a shady spot on a deck or patio.
Norfolk Island Pine
Norfolk Island Pine is a tropical tree that adds natural greenery to indoor spaces during the holidays and beyond. Avoid buying a Norfolk Island Pine that has been sprayed with glitter, which can damage the plant.
Holiday care: Place your tree away from heat sources but where its attractive needled foliage and form can be appreciated.
Year-round care: To keep a Norfolk Island Pine happy, look for a permanent spot in your home with indirect light such as a north window. It will drop needles if placed in bright sun. Water when the soil is dry about an inch down and mist the foliage several times a week.
