It's not always about the tree

Get festive with long-lasting flowers and plants; extend the season's greetings to visitors for months to come

By Bev Bennett
CTW Features

Image courtesy istockphoto

Poinsettia, Christmas cactus, azalea and cyclamen are some of the festive plants that bring cheer to your home. You may buy a plant instead of a floral arrangement in a centerpiece with the intention of discarding it after the holidays and that's OK.

"Don't feel guilty," says Sydney Park Brown, extension specialist, consumer horticulture, University of Florida, Plant City, Fla.

"These are longer lasting than cut flowers so the enjoyment is prolonged," she says. But if you select a healthy plant suitable for your environment and care for it, you may have a long-lived addition to your home greenery.

First pick a plant that will stand up to the rigors of home life - it should have firm, full stems.

"If the stems look spindly that means the plants were grown too close together in the greenhouse," says Rob Berghage, associate professor of horticulture at Pennsylvania State University, University Park. Leaves should be full and green, not brown at the bottom of the stem.

Although it's tempting to buy a flowering plant in full bloom, each plant has an optimal purchase time for the best blooming period.

For example, buy poinsettias when the buds are tight but showing a bit of color so the recipient can tell what's being given, says Brown.

With azaleas, buy a plant with some open flowers. "You also want some buds for the plant to continue to bloom in the home," Berghage says. Cyclamen should also feature half the plant in bloom.

Next, find an optimal spot for the plant in your home. Keep plants away from drafts or hot air from heating vents that dry them out. After the holidays, move plants to spots in your home that get bright, indoor light, says Brown.

Having plants in blossom this holiday season is only half the reward - you may be able to keep your cyclamen, poinsettia, Christmas cactus or azalea for months, even years.

Poinsettias, which prefer fairly high light levels and warm temperatures, can be transplanted outdoors in Florida and California, according to Berghage. Cyclamen have just the opposite preference.

"They don't fare well in Florida because it's too hot," says Brown. Instead, you can keep the plant in a sun porch or cooler room with nighttime temperatures of 50 degrees. If the outdoor temperatures are also mild, but cool, put the plant in the garden.

Azaleas also do better with an indoor temperature of 50 to 60 degrees and plenty of moisture. Transplant to a sunny spot outdoors in the spring.

During the winter months, place the Christmas cactus in a bright, sunny window and avoid frequent watering. During the summer, place the plant outside in high, indirect light, Berghage says.

Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"

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