Here’s how to use these easy-care beauties in your seasonal decor orfor gifting.
Red ‘Stargazer’ flowers have snowy-white stars on their petals.
With alittle TLC, the big bulbs can even rebloomafter a dormant period.
Credit: Michael Partenio
Note: Be careful withthese plants around petsbecause they are toxic.
Classic Poinsettias
If ever a houseplantrepresented the Christmas season, it’s the poinsettia.
Potted poinsettias areshowy enough to stand aloneor anywhere they’ll get bright, indirect light.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
They like moist soil, buttake care not to overwater them.
And contrary to popular belief,poinsettias aren’t dangerous to petsor small children.
Charming Kalanchoes
With their plump, green leaves and vibrant flowers,kalanchoesare another holiday favorite.
Credit: Jay Wilde
Blooming for weeks, varieties with white, pink, or red flowers work nicely with seasonal colors.
you’re able to find them in bright orange and yellow, too.
They like bright light, but not direct sun.
Credit: Doug Hetherington
Try one in your kitchen, bath, or home office for winter cheer.
Water when the soil feels dry and let the excess drain away to prevent roots from rotting.
Theselow-maintenance perennialsare tricky to coax into reblooming.
Credit: Nadezhda_Nesterova/Getty Images
However, they still make lovely evergreen houseplants even without their flowers.
Add a ribbon and voila!
Foil-wrapped cyclamen is a welcome gift for teachers, co-workers, and neighbors.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
They’ll bloom into spring if kept in a cool place.
These houseplants go dormant after blooming but will usually revive after a rest period.
Colorful Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactusis an obvious holiday plantit’s in the name!
Credit:Michael Partenio
It usually blooms around the holidays, too.
Theseshow-stopping succulentshave distinctive flowers in magenta, red, pink, coral, white, and other colors.
They also have long lifespans and can live up to 100 years.
In fact, some lucky gardeners own plants their great-grandparents grew.
For a meaningful gift, especially if you have a family heirloom plant,propagate a piecefor someone special.
Water lightly until you see new growth.
Then transplant them into regular potting soil.
Christmas cactus needs cool, bright light and infrequent waterings.
If you live in Zones 9-11, you might grow them outside on a porch or deck year-round.
Indoors, use them as accent plants and enjoy them aseasy-care houseplantsafter the long-lasting flowers are finished.
it’s possible for you to even decorate your tiny tree with small ornaments ortwinkling lightsfor extra festivity.
One popular potted tree is theNorfolk island pine(shown).
In an indoor pot, however, it tops out at just a couple feet.
It likes as much bright, indirect light as possible.
Or try a dwarf lemon cypress, which has a chartreuse color and lovely lemon fragrance.
It can be left to grow naturally or trimmed into a topiary.
Place it in a spot with bright, indirect light.
Hardy in zones 7 and above, itcan also take a summer vacation outdoorsin colder climates.
Michael Partenio
7.
Dreamy Paperwhites
Snowy-whitepaperwhitesbring wintery elegance wherever they’re placed.
If you want your paperwhites to bloom by Christmas, you better plant them no later than Thanksgiving.
ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants.
