Christmas is fast approaching which means many people are hurriedly looking for thoughtful presents to give loved ones, and there are a huge variety of houseplants that look beautiful in the wintertime.
Indoor plants and flowers can make the perfect gift for the holidays no matter a person’s gardening experience.
Not only do they brighten and cheer up the home, but certain houseplants can help purify the air, help with condensation and just add a bit of natural colour to a home during the darkest time of year.
David Domoney, a celebrity gardener known as the plant expert on This Morning, has shared the best houseplants to buy to “celebrate Christmas.”
In a blog post, David wrote: “Christmas is a time for giving and plants that flower at this time of year make wonderful presents. So, why not consider giving a plant to a loved one or friend, or yourself?”
Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus, also known as schlumbergera, is a small plan with pink or red flowers that is popular at this time of year as it blooms from late November to late January, making it the perfect plant for Christmas.
This houseplant loves humidity and is perfect to display in a bathroom or kitchen to help avoid dampness and prevent mould which can be common at this time of the year.
To care for them properly, David explained that in the wild they tend to grow in tropical rainforests, so are best placed out of direct sunlight and sprayed with mist water regularly.
David added: “It’s easy to get them to flower yearly provided you give them two periods of rest in the new year. Once directly after flowering and the other in autumn. Simply move them to a cool room and water infrequently for a few weeks.
Give them this treatment and you should have many Christmases of flowering Christmas cacti.”
Poinsettia
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Poinsettia is known as the ultimate festive flower as its bright red leaves bloom when the light during the day decreases, which is usually in December.
David wrote: “Ask somebody what plant best represents Christmas and the answer will usually be ‘Poinsettia’. And for good reason! The leaves turn a cheerful shade of deep red during the winter, making the perfect choice to celebrate the season.”
They prefer a hot damp climate if possible, so are best kept away from cold windows or anywhere a draught can get in.
The most important caring tip for poinsettia is keeping them at a constant average temperature, which means keeping them away from direct sunlight but making sure they get plenty of water.
To make sure your poinsettia lasts after Christmas, David said to make sure not to buy any flower which has wilted leaves, as that usually means they have been stored in too-cold conditions which can damage them.
David wrote: “Mist the leaves regularly as Poinsettias love a humid environment, and this should keep the leaves red for longer.
“Come the New Year start to feed the plant once a month with a high potassium feed such as tomato food. In April trim the plant drastically to about 10cm tall and keep at temperatures around 15C out of direct sunlight.”
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Amaryllis
Amaryllis, also known as hippeastrum are the perfect holiday gift due to their vibrant pink or red colouring which usually have a beautiful white pattern on them. This flower is known to bloom between late December until the end of June for seven to ten weeks at a time.
To have them flowering before Christmas, amaryllis must be planted in a pot in October but if planted now will begin flowering in early spring.
David explained that this houseplant should be placed in a warm part of the home in indirect sunlight until a shoot appears, and then should be placed in a cooler room to be watered regularly.
He wrote: “It’s helpful to turn the pot regularly as this will help stop the flower spike from leaning towards the light.
“When the flower opens feed the plant weekly with a high-potassium feed. Continue to regularly water the bulb until the leaves start to die down. This is important if you want the bulb to flower again. At this stage, the bulb will be building up its food reserves for next year’s flowering.
“Stop feeding and watering when the leaves start to wilt and turn yellow. Then leave the bulb in its container in this dormant state. Place it in a cool, dry place until the autumn when you can start watering the bulb again.”
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