If you’re like millions of Americans, there’s a flowering houseplant in your holiday future. Poinsettia heads the “Big Three” list of holiday plants, with over $250 million in annual sales, followed by Christmas cactus and amaryllis. All are relatively carefree, but unless you know what to shop for, you could end with a disappointing poinsettia, a fractious cactus, or the dreaded amaryllis “unfulfill-us.”
Poinsettia Pointers
By late November you can’t swing a giant plastic candy cane in any retail store without hitting a poinsettia display. To pick a lasting, healthy plant:
Check overall shape and size: plants should be no more than 2 1/2 times taller than their containers.
Avoid plants that have been spray-painted or sprinkled with suffocating glitter.
Look for a firm, stout stem and dark green foliage almost to the soil line.
Inspect the flower petals (actually modified leaves called bracts). They should be fully colored (no green around the edges) and larger than the lower leaves.
Inspect the small yellowish-green buttons (cyathia) in the middle of each group of petals; they should be tightly clustered, showing little or no pollen. Once pollen is released, the plant will drop its bracts!
Cover with plastic to keep your plant warm and head home. Choose a well-lit location: cool at night and away from heat sources and drafts. Water when the top of the soil is dry, mist occasionally, and don’t fertilize.
Remember, poinsettias are dangerous for pets if ingested, so keep them out of reach.
“Christmas” Cactus Checklist
Most of the Christmas cacti sold are actually Thanksgiving cacti, which bloom earlier. So, if you want abundant blooms on Dec. 25, delay your purchase until closer to the holiday (Retailers will re-stock through mid-December).
Choose a plant with both buds and blossoms. Plants can flower for 4-6 weeks, but individual blooms last only 7-9 days.
Avoid plants that are lopsided or have damaged stems or signs of bruising.
As with poinsettias, loosely wrap the cactus for the journey home.
Temperature, light and watering requirements are generally similar to poinsettias, except water from the bottom, and add a pebble tray for humidity.
Amaryllis Advice
From bulb to bloom, amaryllis takes about 6-8 weeks. If your heart’s set on flowers by December 25, run — don’t walk — to your nearest garden center. Bulbs are available loose or in kits including a container and soil. Here’s what to look for:
Avoid sealed, opaque boxes. You should be able to see (and preferably handle) the bulb.
Size matters: Bulbs can range from 2″ to 7″ across. The larger the bulb, the larger and more abundant the stems/flowers. Softball size should be relatively easy to find.
Bulbs should be firm, plump, and unbruised, with whitish, fleshy roots and some green starting to show at the top.
Planting the bulb:
Snip off withered roots and sit the bulb in a tray of tepid water for a few hours.
Amaryllises need to be pot-bound to bloom. Choose a heavy container with drainage holes, at least 6″ deep and only 2-3″ wider than the bulb.
Fill the bottom with potting soil. Fan the roots, and place the bulb on top. Fill around the bulb, making sure at least 1/2 of it remains above ground.
Water thoroughly (moist, not wet), keeping the top of the bulb dry.
Place in a cool, bright location; rotate pot 90 degrees daily so stalks grow straight.
Once stalks emerge, move to a warm, sunny location and feed with half-strength water-soluble fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.
Once blooming starts, you should have a succession of flowers for 4-5 weeks. To prolong further, move the plant to a cooler, darker location.
As with poinsettias, amaryllis bulbs can be dangerous for pets, so keep them out of reach.
As if brilliant holiday flowers aren’t enough reward, remember: Poinsettias, Christmas cacti and amaryllises are all perennials. Come summer, you can move them to your garden. And — with a little TLC — they will re-bloom next holiday season. Check the Internet for “how-to” info.
Have fun with your new plants … and best wishes for the best bloomin’ holidays ever.
About the Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury
website: http://gcfm.org/eveninggcwestroxbury/Home.aspx
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EveGardenClubOfWestRox
Founded in 1996, The Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury is a member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts. A 501(c)(3) charity organization, the club maintains four community beautification sites. Club meetings – which are open to the public – are held the 2nd Wednesday of each month and feature presentations by experienced horticulturists.
Ann Morgan is vice president of The Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury and associate editor of Mayflower, the official publication of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc.
