Yahoo News The 13 Best Christmas Plants to Decorate Your Home
Whether you live in a tiny apartment or rambling house in the country, there’s always room for one more houseplant. Fact. Christmas plants have the advantage of providing seasonal color and beauty without a whole lot of effort on your part. You’ll find them everywhere from the big box retailer to the grocery store this time of year. And if you don’t have the time or space to put up a tree—or if you just want to bring a little holiday cheer to any room of the house—these Christmas plants will allow you to deck the halls with minimal fuss. Plus, many of these are hardy houseplants that can live for decades (yes, decades) with the right care. Here are our favorite Christmas plants for any room of the house:
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1. Norfolk Island Pine
These charming little trees have soft needles and a delicate shape. They come in tabletop or floor-sized versions, too. Their limbs won’t take heavy ornaments, so stick with fairy lights or mini baubles if you want to decorate them. Give them bright light, and keep them lightly moist (and never let them sit in water!), and they’ll last for years.
2. Poinsettia
You’ll find these plants in amazing colors ranging from the classic Christmas red to cream, pink, spotted and everything in between. Choose poinsettias that have lots of bright yellow cyathia (those little yellow things in the center), which indicates how fresh the plant is. Water when the top feels dry, and don’t worry about light levels: Place it anywhere in the house to enjoy, then compost after the holidays (Trust us: It’s not worth trying to get it to rebloom next year). Also, contrary to what you’ve heard, it’s not poisonous to pets—but do keep it out of your fur baby’s reach, because ingesting it can cause vomiting and GI distress.
3. Frosty Fern
These adorable little plants actually are a type of moss, not a fern at all. But their delicate lacey foliage, lightly frosted with white, makes them a natural fit for holiday decorating. They’re a bit fussy though, so don’t expect them to last long indoors. Give them bright, indirect light and keep slightly moist (not soaking wet). And whatever you do, do not let them dry out or it’s buh-bye, frosty fern.
4. Christmas Cactus
Often mistaken for its relatives Thanksgiving cactus and Easter cactus (named for the holidays closest to their bloom times), Christmas cacti have tear-dropped or rounded stems with purplish-brown, pollen-bearing anthers on the flowers. It’s a long-lived plant that can endure for decades if treated right. Give it bright indirect light, and water when the soil surface feels dry. To get it to rebloom next year, give it total darkness (no night lights or streetlights) from September onward.
5. Amaryllis
This exotic-looking flower often come as part of a gift set with the bulb, pot and planting medium. That’s probably because caring for it is so straightforward: Water it, set it in a bright window and wait 6 to 8 weeks to enjoy the tall, gorgeous blooms. (Pro tip: Rotate the pot daily so your plant won’t lean one way.) You can save the bulb for next year, though it takes effort to get it to rebloom. Keep this one away from pets because all parts of amaryllis are toxic.
6. Cyclamen
Cyclamen has delicate heart-shaped leaves and flowers that are pure white, pink or red. It’s grown as a groundcover in warm climates but makes a lovely, long-blooming houseplant in winter. Give it bright light and water when dry. You can compost this or hang onto it for next year, though it will go dormant and die back over the summer. Cyclamen is toxic to pets, so keep it out of your cat or dog’s reach.
7. Rosemary
This practical herb is often sheared into a Christmas tree shape for the holidays. Enjoy its pine-like fragrance all winter long, and snip off bits for soups, stews and sauces. Give rosemary plenty of bright light, and let it dry out a bit between watering. Plant it outdoors in spring if you live in a warm climate, or keep it as a houseplant for years.
8. Dwarf Alberta Spruce
This dwarf evergreen makes the perfect tiny Christmas tree. Flank your front door with these decked out in tiny white lights, or enjoy it indoors if you don’t have room for a big tree. It’s very cold hardy and can be planted outdoors in the spring. Water occasionally when dry, and keep it away from heating vents indoors.
9. Paperwhite Narcissus
These bulbs—usually found in a gift set with the pot and planting medium, like amaryllis—have a very strong scent (that some people love and others hate). Put them in bright light, water them and wait for the blooms to appear in four to six weeks. Bulbs that are “forced” for winter blooms usually won’t bloom again, so put these in the compost bin when the flowers fade. They’re also toxic to pets.
10. Leyland Cypress
These are another evergreen that make a charming Christmas tree when small. Their natural pyramidal shape looks amazing on either side of your front door, and it can be planted in the spring when the ground thaws. Evergreens are dormant in winter, but water when slightly dry when indoors or if it’s under the eaves and not receiving occasional precipitation outdoors.
11. Lavender
Lavender may not seem very Christmas-y, but its soothing scent and lovely grey-green foliage adds a soothing accent to any room all winter long. Give it very bright light, water when it feels dry to the touch, and enjoy it for years indoors or out once spring arrives.
12. Phalaenopsis Orchid
Orchids look delicate, but they will live for years and bloom reliably with the right care. Give them very bright indirect light, water well, then let them dry out in between waterings. Poke your finger into the planting medium (which usually is some sort of bark mixture) and check to see if it feels damp; if so, wait a few days and check again. Orchids can live for years, so once you find a spot where it’s happy in your house, leave it be.
13. Anthurium
It’s not traditionally associated with Christmas, but its bright red blooms offer plenty of long-lasting color. Anthurium likes bright light (it will tolerate low light but not bloom). Keep the soil lightly moist, and put it where curious fur babies can’t take a nibble, because anthurium is toxic to pets.
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