8 Holiday Plants You Can Grow That Aren’t Poinsettias
’Tis the season … for plants! Poinsettias are known as the king of holiday plants, with their vibrant red flowers earning them a spot on many kitchen tables and countertops in December. However, there are a number of other plants vying for a spot in your home this winter. Check out the list below for some poinsettia alternatives you’ll want to grab this holiday season.
1. Amaryllis
It might be getting chilly and drab outside, but you can still turn up the heat indoors with colorful amaryllis. These holiday plants come in a variety of flashy hues, including the deep red Amaryllis ferrari, which pairs perfectly with seasonal decor.
How to Care for Amaryllis
Give your amaryllis bright, indirect light. A sunny window will do, but avoid direct sun, which can burn your plant’s leaves. Water your amaryllis when the top inch of soil feels dry. Avoid overwatering, which can lead to bulb rot. Fertilize every two weeks during the active growth phase.
See more: How to Care for Poinsettias and Keep Them Fresh Through the Holidays
2. Christmas Cactus
The Christmas cactus is a unique and stunning holiday houseplant native to Brazilian rainforests. Its stems, which delicately drape from any planter, are segmented with flattened, slightly serrated leaves. Bright tubular flowers in colors like red, white and pink make this plant pop from late November through early February.
How to Care for Christmas Cactus
Don’t let the name fool you – because this plant is native to the rainforest, it prefers a humid environment and needs more frequent watering than your average cactus. Water it when the top third of soil is dry to the touch. Keep your plant in bright, indirect light that mimics its natural habitat.
3. Kalanchoes
This head-turning succulent – with flowers that come in shades of yellow, orange, red, pink and magenta – will bring a burst of color to your home, even in the dead of winter. Kalanchoes are low-maintenance poinsettia alternatives, which make them a great gift for loved ones.
How to Care for Kalanchoes
Place your kalanchoe in bright light. Allow the soil to dry well before watering. Kalanchoes need 14 hours of darkness for about six weeks in order to bloom. They will begin to flower about four months after this dark period. These plants are pretty versatile when it comes to temperature and humidity.
4. Norfolk Island Pine
The Norfolk Island pine is not actually a pine tree – it’s a relative of the monkey puzzle tree, a wonky-looking evergreen native to South America. This popular indoor plant is often utilized as a small living Christmas tree during the holiday season, but it can be grown indoors year round. The tree can reach heights of 3 to 8 feet when grown inside.
How to Care for Norfolk Island Pine
Your tree needs a lot of light to thrive indoors, and full sun is ideal. Water your tree at least every two weeks and mist it daily. You can keep your potted plant indoors during the winter and move it to a sunny location outdoors in the summer. These holiday houseplants prefer acidic soil within the 4.5 to 5.5 pH range. Fertilize your Norfolk Island pine with a weak liquid fertilizer during the growing season.
5. Anthurium
These vibrant perennial plants, sometimes known as flamingo flowers, make the perfect holiday houseplants. Their brightly colored, spade-shaped flowers are actually leaves called spathes, which surround a cone-shaped spadix donning small, tightly clustered flowers. Spathes range in color, including Santa Claus red – perfect for the holiday season.
How to Care for Anthurium
Place your anthurium in bright, indirect light. Potted anthuriums do well in rich, well-draining potting soil. You can achieve this by using an orchid potting mix and adding a few handfuls of sand and peat moss. Keep the soil slightly moist – it should never dry out completely. However, take care not to overwater, as the plant is susceptible to root rot. Anthuriums prefer high humidity, so place yours in a bathroom or next to a humidifier. Use a phosphorus-rich fertilizer weekly during the growing period, but dilute it to about quarter strength.
See more: What Is Cold Frame Gardening? And How to Get Started
Photo credit: iStock/Konstantinos Livadas
6. Cyclamen
Cyclamens are lesser-known holiday plants, but that doesn’t make them any less worthy. These winter-blooming wonders come in pink, bright red, lavender and white. Well-cared-for indoor cyclamens will bloom around the holiday season and continue their show for about two or three months.
How to Care for Cyclamens
Place your cyclamen in an east-facing window or near a south window to give it bright, indirect light. Do not let temperatures exceed 70 degrees, as this will cause your cyclamen to go dormant. Daytime temperatures between 60 and 65 and nighttime temperatures between 50 and 55 are ideal. Water thoroughly when the surface soil is dry. Half-strength fertilizer is best.
7. Polka Dot Plant
Polka dot plants are a fun little addition to any home during the holiday season. As the name implies, the plant features polka dots on its leaves. Coloration varies, but generally includes combos of pink and green or white and green. Although polka dot plants do bloom, flowering causes them to go dormant, so most home gardeners prefer to clip the flower spike when it forms. Polka dot plants are great as a standalone or as part of a holiday arrangement.
How to Care for Polka Dot Plants
Polka dot plants prefer bright, indirect light and rich, well-draining soil. Water your plant when the top quarter- to half-inch of soil has dried. Polka dot plants require a high-quality houseplant fertilizer once a month. These cute little poinsettia alternatives also prefer warm and humid conditions. You can achieve this by placing your polka dot plant in a bathroom, near a humidifier or grouped with other plants. These plants get leggy quickly, so you’ll want to pinch yours back weekly.
See more: 10 Flowers That Bloom in Winter
8. Rosemary “Tree”
Rosemary is an aromatic herb that grows outdoors in warmer climates. During the holiday season, however, smaller rosemary plants are fashioned into seasonal “trees,” which you can buy at a local nursery or department store. An added benefit is that you can snip the rosemary off and cook with it. Plus, the plant acts as a natural air freshener. After the holidays are over, you can transplant the tree outside if you live in a warmer growing zone.
How to Care for Rosemary
After purchase, you’ll want to check the condition of your rosemary’s potting soil and roots and repot if necessary. This plant needs bright sun. When growing indoors, it does best under a grow light or in a south-facing window. Let your plant dry out slightly before watering. Feeding is generally unnecessary.