Flowers Blog

The poinsettia is nearly a cliche symbol for Christmas, it is a strange and beautiful plant that was first discovered by the Aztecs in southern Mexico. It has been a standard Christmas plant for the last 150 years.

The poinsettia is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was the first to ship this flower to his South Carolina plantation. He did not see much positive feedback in terms of the scrubby little plant he had brought, and would be quite surprised by its popularity today.

Today, this plant comes in a plethora of colours from white to blue and there is a variety of shapes and sizes. This flower has even earned a day of its own - National Poinsettia Day.

There are many holiday plants available, but this bloom remains the number one favourite in the United States, even though it is traditionally only sold for six weeks of the year.

No matter what kind of poinsettia you get, it is important to keep it warm, never letting the temperature around it drop below 72 degrees. It is especially important to remember to keep the plant warm while you are delivering it.

[Via: mlive.com]

People usually use poinsettias or garlands for holiday decorating. Although winter is not the season for gardening there are several flowers which can be "forced" to bloom indoors, like tulips and amaryllis. This can add a new twist of colour to your holiday decorations and gifts, with a small reminder of spring.

Arlene Reid and her husband Glenn own Glenhaven Greenhouses in Broadway. Arlene says, "both are a lovely gift. I think they are really fun." Reid thinks that bulbs are truly a thoughtful gift, especially for people like her mother-in-law, who like to spend time indoors and at home.

Reid says, "It changes every day a bit and she can watch it growing as well as enjoy it as it starts to bud and goes into bloom, and then when it fades, she can actually save the bulbs and plant them in her garden."

The large, colourful amaryllis, available in red, white and pink, is the best gift for those who are not at home in world of gardening.

"It's rally fun and it gives me, someone who loves plants, a wonderful feeling of, they too can feel what I feel every day. All gardeners feel that. It's wonderful accomplishment to be able to say, 'I grew my own little plant in my house,'" Reid added.

[Via: DNRonline.com]

It is time to forget the modern blue and gold versions of poinsettias as the classic rosy shades are making a comeback. This year reds and whites will be filling garden centers.

Over the past few years, poinsettias have been, colourful, spray-painted and decorated with glitter. Trendy and young buyers were especially interested in these versions of this Christmas flower. Blue, orange, fuchsia, lilac, yellow, turquoise, gold and silver were in high demand.

Krystal Keistler, the annuals/indoor plant area manager at Echter's Greenhouse and Garden, in suburban Denver says, "these are not you grandma's poinsettias, funky and fun these fantastic colours will liven your surroundings for months to come."

However market experts say that people are more sentimental this year and would prefer to purchase things that are more customary. The most popular varieties are Dark Red, Silent Night, Crimson Red, Lipstick Pink and Polly's Pink.

There are nearly 100 varieties of this plant available, and growers are constantly coming up with new and unique colours.

If you care for your poinsettias properly you can probably keep them blooming until Valentine's day.

[Via: modbee.com]

The Christmas Cactus is not a plant that likes cold temperatures and snow, it just tends to bloom during the Christmas season.

It is an epiphyte or what is otherwise known as an air plant. In the wild, this plant will usually grow among the decaying and fallen leaves of trees, or from windblown nutrients.

This plant is native to Brazil and South American jungles, a Belgian explorer discovered it in the 18th century.

In the North American climate, it can live a long time if it is properly cared for. If it has warmth and indirect light, course soil, and moisture needs to be constantly drained from the soil.

This is truly a holiday plant as other varieties bloom at Thanksgiving or Easter. The flowers of this plant have a huge variety of colour - white, red, yellow, orange, pink, red, lavender and even multi-coloured flowers.

[Via: news-press.com]

The first holiday flower to come to mind is usually the Poinsetta, it is the best-selling holiday plant, but there are some other winter-blooming flowers that you can use as an alternative.

Amaryllis is a bulbous plant that has one flower on a single stem and it looks a lot like the lily. There are many different sizes and colours to choose from. They make a wonderful holiday bouquet, and they last for a long time with little maintenance.

Christmas cactus loves sun and makes a good plant when it is not flowering. This flower also requires minimal care. The blooms of this cactus are pink, violet, red and white, and they look great in hanging baskets or containers.

Christmas topiaries are usually used as tabletop displays, they usually include English ivy, rosemary, juniper and a mini conifers. The conifers are trimmed into holiday shapes, reindeer, ornamental balls and Christmas trees. They are then draped with ribbons and Christmas lights.

[Via: IndyStar.com]