Fun Indoor Plants for the Holidays and Beyond

Cooler temperatures mark the end of the gardening season for many, but for people who love plants, winter is just an excuse to move our favorite hobby indoors. Your home can become a showcase of what can be grown indoors, and holiday seasonal plants can be a fun place to start. Let’s talk about some of the best holiday plants that can be enjoyed year-round if cared for properly.

One of my favorite indoor plants is the Norfolk Island pine, sometimes called the Star Pine. Araucaria heterophylla. This beautiful, coniferous tree grows slowly indoors and needs plenty of light. It may start as a tabletop Christmas Tree but, if correctly cared for over the years, this plant will grow into a small tree. It does best in a bright window and thrives with average water and humidity.

The most common winter Holiday plant, the Euphorbia pulcherrima, or Poinsettia, is a classic and is sold in various sizes in December. Care for your plant and it will reward you year after year. The bracts are what change color to form the traditional Christmas plant. Colors range from burgundy, purple, white, red, and pink with variations of solids, mottling, and variegation. 

This Poinsettia is native to Mexico and the legend of the plant goes something like this:

There was once a poor Mexican girl called Pepita who had no present to give the baby Jesus at the Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked sadly to the chapel her cousin Pedro tried to cheer her up. 'Pepita', he said, "I'm sure that even the smallest gift, given by someone who loves him, will make Jesus happy." Pepita didn't know what she could give, so she picked a small handful of weeds from the roadside and made them into a small bouquet. She felt embarrassed because she could only give this small present to Jesus. As she walked through the chapel to the altar, she remembered what Pedro had said. She began to feel better, knelt, and put the bouquet at the bottom of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into bright red flowers, and everyone who saw them was sure they had seen a miracle. From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the 'Flores de Noche Buena', or 'Flowers of the Holy Night'. The shape of the poinsettia flower and leaves are sometimes thought of as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem which led the Wise Men to Jesus. The red-colored leaves symbolize the blood of Christ. The white leaves represent his purity.

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly referred to as Rosemary, grows well as a Christmas-tree-shaped house plant and makes a nice tabletop or kitchen plant. Some people love the smell of Rosemary and having a fresh sprig to use for your holiday recipes is a bonus. Although not as vigorous as a Norfolk Island pine, it can be planted outside in the spring. This plant just needs a little water, and a happy window to look out if grown indoors.

A more traditional plant to grow indoors is the Schlumbergera spp, or Christmas cactus. With flowers that range from orange to pink to red and even purple, these plants do not require a lot of water, and are a good choice for plant owners who travel a lot. Here are some tips that will help initiate flowers in Christmas cactus.

Narcissus papyraceus or Paperwhites are closely related to Daffodils and are grown indoors. They are fragrant and easy to grow. Just pot them and place them in a window away from drafts and enjoy! A fun craft idea for kids is to buy a simple pot from any craft store and have them decorate and plant it for the holidays.

Another one of my favorites, which happens to be a bulb, is the Amaryllis. From the genus Hippeastrum, these bulbs are also native to South America. What I love about these bulbs is that they are so ridiculously easy to grow. Grab a shallow glass vase or pot, fill it with gravel, stick the bulb on top, give it some water, and watch it start growing. It takes about 6 weeks for it to bloom once it is planted. The colors are deep red to white with all types of variations in between. Because they can tolerate a lot of abuse, Amaryllis are a great indoor plant for college kids and people who have pets.

A relatively new one to the scene is Cupressus macrocarpa, or Lemon Cypress. This dwarf shrub, with chartreuse green foliage, can be grown in a pot and is a wonderful bright addition to your home. Potted cypresses need sunlight and are used to bright, sunny locations outdoors. Their soil should be kept moist but not wet and should not be allowed to dry out. A good test is to insert your finger into the pot down to the first knuckle and then remove it. If soil particles adhere to your fingertip, the plant does not need water at that time. Lemon Cypress can go outdoors and live as a containerized plant or be planted in the ground in USDA zones 7 to 10. 

So, while gardening outdoors may have been placed on pause for the winter, above are several plants that I hope will inspire you to keep growing through the Holiday Season and long afterward.