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 If you are gifting a plant this season, remember to
keep your gift recipient in mind. Do they have pets or small
children who will disturb the plants? Some plants may be toxic, too.
How much space and sunlight do they have? Would they prefer to
receive a plant to have for years, or will they most likely discard
it after the holidays? With all of this in mind, there is a perfect
plant for everyone.
Poinsettias are the traditional holiday plant, but new varieties
with interesting flower shapes, sizes, and colors are introduced
every year. They grow best in bright, indirect sunlight and away
from any draughts. Poinsettia roots easily rot if they are
oversaturated, so only water plants when the soil surface feels dry.
A native to Mexico, the Poinsettia does not tolerate cold
temperatures. Make sure to protect the plant if transporting it
outside to another location.
An amaryllis kit will transform into multiple showy, bell-shaped
blooms atop a 1-foot green stalk, and will include everything you
need to force these flowering bulbs inside. Forcing bulbs indoors is
a simple gardening technique that imitates the natural environmental
conditions and tricks the bulb into flowering inside instead of out
in the garden. Amaryllis flowers can be found in many colors
including red, white, peach, pink, and variegated.
Christmas cacti faithfully bloom every year in December, with frilly
flowers of white, pink, or red covering the flat, cactus-like
foliage.
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They are short-day plants,
meaning that flower development is initiated by long, dark, cool
nights that occur in winter. These plants are one of the easiest
to care for. They are also easy to propagate and make new
plants. A rosemary topiary
is a perfect gift for anyone who loves to cook with fresh
ingredients. The fragrant foliage of the rosemary plant can be
trimmed into different shapes and placed in a brightly lit area. The
potted plant can also be transplanted into the garden in the spring.
Don’t forget to bring it back inside in the fall though.
Other botanical gift ideas include unique houseplants or miniature
evergreens delightfully decorated with ornaments and ribbon for the
holiday season, fresh mistletoe adorned with a bow to tie above a
doorway, glossy green holly with bright red berries filling a vase,
or an air plant ornament to hang as decoration.
The gift of gardening is an experience that anyone can appreciate
this holiday season. Instead of more “stuff,” consider an
environmentally friendly gift this year. Give someone a green
holiday season.
[Brittnay Hagg, Horticulture Educator,
University of Illinois Extension] |
