Trying to decide what to get that one person on your holiday list who has everything? Why not give something that will last long after the holiday is past. Holiday plants can liven up your home and last all the way through Easter.
How long your holiday plant will last depends on how well you care for it. The most important element being water. Be especially mindful of large plants in small containers, as they dry out quickly. To avoid overwatering, potted plants generally need to be watered only when the soil is dry to the touch.
Three excellent holiday gift plants are amaryllis, Christmas cactus and poinsettia.
The amaryllis flowers four to six weeks after the bulbs are planted. One stalk usually produces three to four large, trumpet-shaped blooms that last three to four days. To get the plant to reflower, place it in bright light, even outdoors on a warm day.
Holiday cactus come in three related varieties that bloom at different times of the year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. All three require bright sunlight and moderate moisture levels, and they really like windows on the south side of your home.
Holiday cactus usually bloom for about six weeks. Once the blooms fade, remove the spent flowers and apply a houseplant fertilizer. The plants can be grown outdoors in semi-shady places. Keep them healthy and they should bloom about the same time every year.
And, of course, the holidays wouldn't be complete without at least one poinsettia. Just as surely as poinsettias will grace churches and hearths across the country, many people still commonly believe they are poisonous.
In truth, poinsettias are not poisonous. They do taste bad. And, they may make you sick if you eat one. But why would you. My best advice is keep them away from small children who tend to put things in their mouths
Monday
August 4th, 2025
5:21PM
