Some Special Plants for Christmas
Most of us make an effort to decorate our houses for that special time that is Christmas.
We are all too familiar with the obligatory Christmas tree, the holly and the ivy, but here are some varieties of these popular Christmas plants you might like to try for a change as well as some other plants you might consider bringing indoors for the festive season.
Some of the best Christmas trees No home is complete at Christmas without a Christmas tree.
In recent years ethical considerations as well as the ease of less mess has seen a revival of artificial trees.
Don't get me wrong, there are some very attractive and imaginative alternatives to the real thing on the market, but for me you just can't beat the real thing.
The irresistible smell of pine and for me, twinkly lights just don't have the same effect as when they glint off the shiny dark green needles of a live tree.
So let's deal with the issue of mess first.
There are some varieties of tree you can buy whose needles are very slow to shed.
Probably the best tree to buy is the Nordman Fir Christmas tree.
With their lush green needles give off the most intoxicating scent of pine and are soft to the touch, so won't prick your fingers when you decorate it.
They are well known for the excellent needle retention and are affordable because they are quick growing.
Another variety which is relatively new on the market and known for its good needle retention ability is the Fraser Fir Christmas tree.
They tend to be a blueish-green in colour and are not quite as bushy as the Nordman.
Finally, the Pine tree is also one to consider.
Again, these trees have good needle retention and in addition, have a very sweet smell.
A far as the ethics of cutting down perfectly healthy trees only to discard them a few weeks later is concerned, why not buy a potted tree and after the festive season place in your garden in a suitable outdoor planter to keep until next year.
There are also some companies which will provide you with a container tree and then take it back from you so that it can be used again the following year.
Another popular plant at Christmas time is the poinsettia.
Often mistaken for flowers, the brightly coloured bracts come is shades which vary from a pale yellow to plum red.
They are often discarded once Christmas is over, but with a little care can be kept all year round till their bracts colour again the next year.
Poinsettias come from warm climbs so be careful to keep in a warm temperature and place in a sunny spot if you can.
If your plant wilts once you get it home it is often due to a change in temperature from a cooler shop to your warmer home and there is often not much you can do about this.
They do not need much water.
So as a rule don't water until the surface of the compost feels dry and then water enough so that some drains out of the bottom of the pot.
Ivy has been a popular plant for decorating the home since ancient times.
It is often thought that it was brought into the home at this time of year to ward off evil spirits and creatures such as goblins.
If the common ivy from your garden is not decorative enough, why not try and get hold of varieties such as Sulphur Heart which has large leaves with irregular central splashes of pale yellow or lighter green.
Or Sweetheart ivy, so named because of its heart-shaped leaves.
It is said that the early pagans brought holly into the house to provide the fairies with a warm place to sleep.
Christmas wouldn't be the same without holly.
Its uses at Christmas are essential, in table decorations, swags and door wreaths.
A rather beautiful variety is Ilex Argentea which has a bright cream edge to its leaves.
Mistletoe is another iconic Christmas plant.
This attractive evergreen was widely known in ancient times for its medicinal as well as magical properties.
Nowadays we associate it more with a stolen kiss from a particularly attractive festive guest! But beware mistletoe can be poisonous if eaten.
Other festive indoor plants you might like to give as gifts include Solanum capsicastrum or Winter Cherry.
A ready decorated gift, this plant has berries change colour from green through the oranges and finally into a bright red.
The Christmas cactus is another favourite and very easy to keep.
We are all too familiar with the obligatory Christmas tree, the holly and the ivy, but here are some varieties of these popular Christmas plants you might like to try for a change as well as some other plants you might consider bringing indoors for the festive season.
Some of the best Christmas trees No home is complete at Christmas without a Christmas tree.
In recent years ethical considerations as well as the ease of less mess has seen a revival of artificial trees.
Don't get me wrong, there are some very attractive and imaginative alternatives to the real thing on the market, but for me you just can't beat the real thing.
The irresistible smell of pine and for me, twinkly lights just don't have the same effect as when they glint off the shiny dark green needles of a live tree.
So let's deal with the issue of mess first.
There are some varieties of tree you can buy whose needles are very slow to shed.
Probably the best tree to buy is the Nordman Fir Christmas tree.
With their lush green needles give off the most intoxicating scent of pine and are soft to the touch, so won't prick your fingers when you decorate it.
They are well known for the excellent needle retention and are affordable because they are quick growing.
Another variety which is relatively new on the market and known for its good needle retention ability is the Fraser Fir Christmas tree.
They tend to be a blueish-green in colour and are not quite as bushy as the Nordman.
Finally, the Pine tree is also one to consider.
Again, these trees have good needle retention and in addition, have a very sweet smell.
A far as the ethics of cutting down perfectly healthy trees only to discard them a few weeks later is concerned, why not buy a potted tree and after the festive season place in your garden in a suitable outdoor planter to keep until next year.
There are also some companies which will provide you with a container tree and then take it back from you so that it can be used again the following year.
Another popular plant at Christmas time is the poinsettia.
Often mistaken for flowers, the brightly coloured bracts come is shades which vary from a pale yellow to plum red.
They are often discarded once Christmas is over, but with a little care can be kept all year round till their bracts colour again the next year.
Poinsettias come from warm climbs so be careful to keep in a warm temperature and place in a sunny spot if you can.
If your plant wilts once you get it home it is often due to a change in temperature from a cooler shop to your warmer home and there is often not much you can do about this.
They do not need much water.
So as a rule don't water until the surface of the compost feels dry and then water enough so that some drains out of the bottom of the pot.
Ivy has been a popular plant for decorating the home since ancient times.
It is often thought that it was brought into the home at this time of year to ward off evil spirits and creatures such as goblins.
If the common ivy from your garden is not decorative enough, why not try and get hold of varieties such as Sulphur Heart which has large leaves with irregular central splashes of pale yellow or lighter green.
Or Sweetheart ivy, so named because of its heart-shaped leaves.
It is said that the early pagans brought holly into the house to provide the fairies with a warm place to sleep.
Christmas wouldn't be the same without holly.
Its uses at Christmas are essential, in table decorations, swags and door wreaths.
A rather beautiful variety is Ilex Argentea which has a bright cream edge to its leaves.
Mistletoe is another iconic Christmas plant.
This attractive evergreen was widely known in ancient times for its medicinal as well as magical properties.
Nowadays we associate it more with a stolen kiss from a particularly attractive festive guest! But beware mistletoe can be poisonous if eaten.
Other festive indoor plants you might like to give as gifts include Solanum capsicastrum or Winter Cherry.
A ready decorated gift, this plant has berries change colour from green through the oranges and finally into a bright red.
The Christmas cactus is another favourite and very easy to keep.
Source...