Holiday plants make homes more festive

The holiday season is upon us, and giving the gift of wonderful indoor plants is a popular theme. Better yet, use holiday plants to decorate your own home during this festive time of year. There are many excellent choices that make gift giving and decorating fun.

Of course, when we think of Christmas, we think poinsettias. Classic in traditional red, as well as pink, white and streaked colors, poinsettias have come a long way. Now, it is common to find poinsettias in all colors of the rainbow, thanks to dyes and glitter. Whether you like the classic colors or want to experiment with holiday orange, copper, bronze and glitter, there is a poinsettia out there for you. I’ve even seen poinsettias dyed green and yellow for fun Packer-themed décor.

Amaryllis bulbs are another classic holiday treasure. These fast-growing, winter-blooming bulbs are simple and fun, as well as elegant. Flowers can be as large as summer lilies, in a variety of shades of red, pink, white and maroon. Like poinsettias, growing amaryllis has come a long way. It is now common to see waxed amaryllis bulbs that come coated in a thick coat of wax that allows them to be placed anywhere in the home without need to water. Everything needed to sustain the bulbs is encased within its wax shell. Simply display on the stand that is normally included, and watch the magic happen.

Norfolk Island Pine is another old-fashioned holiday plant, featuring fern-like growth and the classic pine shape that adorns indoor rooms and settings. These can be displayed as they are or decorated like Christmas trees in whatever theme you enjoy.

It wouldn’t be the holidays without a holiday cactus. Available in a number of shades of pink, magenta, white, red, lavender and orange, holiday cactus traditionally bloom about the same time each year with little care required, making them a festive holiday tradition.

Many indoor plant lovers enjoy giving and receiving colorful, exotic orchids during the holiday season. Orchids come in just about any color, and make excellent specimen plants in holiday settings. The perfect easy-to-grow and stunning gift for any plant lover, the orchids of modern times are much easier to grow than earlier hybrids. You will also find orchids that are dyed in holiday colors.

There are many other indoor plants that make great gifts for the gardener on your list, or can be used to decorate your own home. Traditional blooms in red, such as anthurium, kalanchoe, begonia, miniature rose and others are great choices. White is also popular during the holidays, and just about every indoor blooming plant selection has a variety that blooms in white.

Assemble a collection of indoor plants in a dish garden or terrarium and make the holidays even more merry and bright.

Rob Zimmer is a nature and garden author, public speaker and radio show host on WHBY. Readers can find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RobZimmerOutdoors.