Container Corner

Holiday Indoor Plants for Your Home (Top 6)

By Darren Sherriff

#5 Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgessii)

Number 5 is probably one of my most favorite of all of the holiday plants usually available at Christmas time. They are native to Brazil and are available in such a wide variety of colors (including red, rose, purple, lavender, peach, orange, cream, and white) that it is hard to choose only one.

They grow best in light shade, which make them ideal for houseplants. Full sunlight is beneficial during fall and winter, but bright sun during the summer will make the plants look a little pale and yellowish. Being that they call the tropical rain forest home, they need watering when the top inch of soil in the container feels dry to the touch. They really should not be allowed to stress for water, it will affect the quality of flowers. They also prefer humid conditions, unlike what most homes are like, so keep a tray of damp pebbles underneath to give it a little extra humidity. You will want to fertilize them about every 4-5 weeks during the active growing season, usually about February to September. Use a half rate solution of your favorite fertilizer.

There are many sites on the Internet that detail the need for total darkness for a certain amount of time for plants to rebloom. I have found that, if I leave mine out all summer, hanging in a tree with dabbled sunshine, that when the nights get cooler, they will bud just fine. I then bring them into my greenhouse before the frost gets them. If you enjoy getting a Christmas cactus for the holidays, imagine the joy you will get by giving one.

They are very easy to propagate by cuttings, which are taken in May or June. Pinch off sections of stems with 3 to 5 segments on each. Allow the cut ends of the sections to callus for a day or two. Place the cuttings about one inch deep into some potting soil. Water the soil well, and cover the plants with a clear plastic bag around the container. Place in bright, indirect light until roots have formed in about three to eight weeks. You now have a gift that will keep on giving.

 

#6 Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

I saved the most commonly given holiday plant for last. I honestly cannot remember a single Christmas season where there was not at least one poinsettia somewhere in the house. It is the epitome of the holiday season. With hybridizers creating many new colors, such as the burgundy, speckled, marbled and pink versions, there are plenty of variations you can achieve with your decorating. To keep them looking great, give poinsettias a sunny windowsill, preferable on the south side or bright filtered light.

You can bring them to the table for entertainment purposes; just remember to put them back in the window when you are finished. Don’t shove them to close to a cold window however it can damage the leaves. Keep them at about 68 degrees during the day, and cooler at night, to prolong the display. Poinsettias should be watered regularly and kept evenly moist, again the wrung out dish sponge example. Never let plants sit in water; they will develop root rot faster than you can sing Jingle Bells.

With proper care after Christmas, you can get your plant to flower again for years. Keeping it in the house, water it until about mid-spring, then let it dry out, allowing the stems to shrivel up. When summer is almost upon you, cut all of the growth to a couple of inches above the soil and repot it. Water it well and keep it warm, feeding it with houseplant fertilizer when you see new growth appear. Then, move the plant outside to a shady location, pinching out the growing tips until midsummer to force it to branch out, before returning it indoors. Give it a sunny spot, watering and feeding regularly. Then from about mid-autumn, keep the plant in total darkness between 4 pm until 8 am, it will then re-flower and give you another holiday season of joy.

Hopefully you will receive at least one, if not many of the above plants. Take care of them and you will be rewarded for years to come!

Happy Holiday Growing!

Darren Sheriff

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