Are you wild about plants and flowers like me? I must exercise extreme self-control when passing by the local markets’ holiday flora. This time of year, I am tempted by the vibrance and beauty of poinsettias and the gorgeous flowers of the Christmas cacti. I anticipate the promise of the amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs. The scent of the rosemary and the green energy of potted evergreens invite my senses to indulge. I wish I could have them all, but any of these plants will adorn and bring cheer to any decor during the holiday. But what will you do with these beauties after–keep or compost them? This post intends to inform you to make the best guilt-free decision and build your plant trivia knowledge for those of you who are budding horticulture enthusiasts.
Poinsettia
Fun Facts
The plant is called cuetlaxóchitl (pronounced kwet-la-xho-shel) by the Nahuatl Aztec people from Central Mexico during pre-Columbian times. The name means a mortal flower that perishes and withers like all that is pure. In the 17th century, Spanish friars named this plant flor de nochebuena. In other parts of Latin America, the plant was called pastora and flor de pascuas. These names may stem from the plant blooming around Christmas. The Franciscan monks used the plant to decorate altars and nativity scenes. However, it was not until the 1830s that the name poinsettia was adopted from the surname of the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett. He brought the plant home from Taxco, Mexico, to the U.S. and subsequently shared a plant specimen with Robert Buist, a well-known Philadelphia botanist. Buist later exhibited the plant in horticultural shows in the U.S. and Europe and introduced it as Euphorbia Poinsettia to honor Poinsett. Interestingly, it was not until the 1960s that the poinsettia became a Christmas marketing tool. The Ecke family, poinsettia farmers from Los Angeles, began sending the poinsettia to Hollywood shows to promote it. Since its commercialization, red, pink, white, light green, and bright orange poinsettia have become a traditional part of Christmas decorations in the U.S. and worldwide.
Safety
The National Poison Center confirms that these plants are not poisonous to humans and animals; however, the sap can cause dermatitis, and if eaten, it may upset the stomach. For this reason, keep the plants in hard-to-reach areas to protect pets and children.
Keep or Compost?
After the holidays, you could keep this plant, but most experts say not to. The poinsettia requires patience and special attention if you hope to rebloom this plant to its original vibrance. And there is no guarantee that it will yield the same lush blooms. So, don’t feel guilty and toss it in the compost bin to benefit the earth. Besides, by purchasing this beautiful plant that adorned your festivities, you helped support farm workers and farm-related businesses.
Amaryllis
Fun Facts
The amaryllis blooms are classic flowers during Christmas time. The genus amaryllis is derived from the Greek word amarysso, which means to sparkle. In Greek mythology, the flower symbolizes pride, confidence, and determination.
These perennial plants come in glorious colors such as red, pink, orange, white, yellow, and purple. The bulbs can live up to 75 years when properly tended.
Safety
The ASPCA states that amaryllis is toxic to cats, dogs, and humans when ingested. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased salivation.
Keep or Compost
This plant is worth keeping. Remove the spent flower keeping the stalk and leaves in place; the stalk undergoes photosynthesis and will generate energy to recharge the bulb. Keep the plant indoors in a sunny south or west window that provides at least four hours of direct sunlight. Water when the topsoil is dry and fertilize every 2-4 weeks. Once the frost has passed, you may plant the bulbs outdoors in well-draining soil. To force them to bloom for the following Christmas, bring the bulbs back indoors in August, place them in a cool, dark location, and do not water or fertilize them. Bring the plant out from darkness to a sunny window in November, water once, and wait for the foliage to appear before watering again. The bulbs will likely bloom within a month.
Christmas Cactus
Fun Facts
The first Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) was developed by French botanist Charles Lemaire and named after a horticulture collector Frederic Schlumberger in the 1800s. However, the plant originated in Brazil. The Christmas cactus is a hybrid of the Schlumbergera truncata (flowers in October and November) and the Schlumbergera russelliana (flowers from February to April). These two varieties are now called Thanksgiving cactus and Easter cactus, respectively. However, most of the Christmas cacti in the market that we buy today are Thanksgiving cacti varieties.
They have gorgeous colors: pink, red, orange, cream, white, and bicolor. According to the Almanac, the schlumbergera is an epiphytic succulent. It thrives on tree branches soaking up the moisture and nutrients from the humidity, shaded sunlight, and air. The plant does not like hot environments like other cacti; however, they meet the definition of cacti since they have photosynthetic stems.
Safety
It is not toxic to cats and dogs according to the ASPCA.
Keep or Compost
This plant is a keeper because it can live more than 50 years when properly cared for and passed down to the next generation. Follow the plant care recommendations from the Almanac, and this plant will reward you with bright blooms for many years to come. Here are some key factors to follow. You may repot only after it blooms and use a succulent or cactus mix in a pot with good drainage holes. This plant prefers its roots to be slightly crowded. After repotting, place in a shaded area for a couple of days, then place in a room with bright indirect light, water once a week, and provide humidity. To rebloom to its full glory, there must be at least 8 days of 16 hours of dark. Once you see the flower buds, place the plant in its previous spot.
Paperwhites
Fun Facts
Paperwhites (Narcissus) blooms perfume the indoor air beautifully during the winter holidays and are December birth flowers. They symbolize purity, unconditional love, faithfulness, and respect, according to the farmer’s Almanac. The name is derived from the very delicate paper-thin petals. These bulbs originated in the Mediterranean and were traded throughout Asia and China by Arab traders about a century ago.
The bulbs are suited for indoor growing and can be planted in soil, water, or pebbles. Bear in mind that only the bottom of the bulb and the roots should make contact with water to prevent the bulb from rotting. The fragrant flowers can last up to two weeks. After that, you might remove the spent blossoms but don’t cut the leaves until they dry up or turn yellow because these are capable of photosynthesis, providing energy to the bulbs.
Safety
According to the ASPCA, keep these plants away from cats and dogs because they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and cardiac arrhythmia. The bulb is the most toxic part.
Keep or Compost
Compost paperwhites grown in gravel and water. They are not likely to flower again because the blooming process requires a great deal of energy, and the bulb is depleted. However, paperwhites grown in potting soil can be kept and planted outdoors after flowering. They will be ready to produce new leaves in the spring. However, the old bulbs need to establish in the garden soil, and it may take at least a year to provide sufficient energy to the bulbs to flower. Patience is a virtue, indeed.
Rosemary Christmas Tree
Fun Facts
In the Middle Ages, rosemary was strewn on the floor to add fragrance to the air as people walked on them. Smelling the rosemary on Christmas Eve was believed to promote health and happiness for the upcoming year. Since then, rosemary has been appreciated as a quintessential Christmas herb for decor and seasoning the holiday feast.
Safety
This plant is non-toxic to pets.
Keep or Compost
The Rosemary Christmas topiary has been pruned by growers to its conical shape just in time for the holiday season, and the extensive root system is squeezed into a little pot. Unfortunately, this is not ideal for the plant to live through New Year’s Day. It must be repotted into a pot twice as large with drainage holes using loose potting soil. A terracotta pot is ideal because it regulates the temperature and moisture of the root. The plant can be kept indoors in a window with sufficient light and be transferred outdoors when the temperature gets warmer.
Norfolk Island Pine
Fun Facts
The Norfolk Island Pine was the inspiration behind Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. Its nickname is the living Christmas tree because of its triangular shape and symmetrical branches. This plant (Araucaria heterophylla) is native to Norfolk Island between Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Captain James Cook was the first European to sight the island’s pine trees and brought samples back to the United Kingdom. In their natural habitat, this conifer (cone producing) can grow up to 200 feet tall with a 10 feet trunk. However, when grown indoors, the Norfolk pine Christmas tree may reach up to 5 feet tall, growing at a rate of 2-3 inches per year.
Safety
Experts state that the Norfolk Island pine needles are toxic to cats and dogs, causing gastrointestinal upset and depression.
Keep or Compost
Select a tree that is free from glitter because this material can interfere with the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Throw this plant in the compost bin if it starts to lose branches because these will never grow back, and it’ll look scraggly. However, this plant is happy to live indoors for many years with proper care. Ideally, it requires bright indirect light from a south- or west-facing window placed four feet away. Turn the plant to allow the other side to get light from the window, and to ensure that color will be symmetrical. Give it humidity by misting, place the pot on a tray of pebbles and water, or give it a cool shower. Fertilize monthly in spring and summer, and it may be taken outdoors in a shady spot, if available. This is an ideal houseplant if you don’t have pets.
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Fun Facts
Another popular miniature Christmas tree is the dwarf Alberta spruce. Two American botanists waiting for their train in Alberta, Canada, back to Boston spotted the unique seedling on the road, dug it up, and secretly brought it home as contraband in 1904. The spruce was later propagated in Boston and sold in nurseries a couple of years later. This slow-growing tree reaches its height of 10-12 feet in 30 years.
Safety
Experts say it is not toxic to household pets. However, suppose your pet consumes a large amount of needles that have fallen on the floor. In that case, your pet may have stomach upset or oral irritation, but this is not deadly.
Keep or Compost
The dwarf Alberta spruce is not ideal indoors. Expert gardeners recommend keeping it indoors for no longer than one week during the holidays because it cannot tolerate heat well. An option is placing the potted plant on the porch. Water the plant to keep the roots moist at all times, and to keep it alive after the holidays, you must move the potted plant outdoors where it can receive sun in the shade. You may repot the spruce after 2 years and wait longer after that because they cannot tolerate their roots being manipulated or cut. Outdoors, this plant is also sensitive to harsh winds and susceptible to spider mites. If the tree turns brown, compost it.
Lemon Cypress
Fun Facts
This alternative live Christmas tree originated from Monterey, California and goes by other names: lemon cedar, Monterey cypress, goldcrest, or lemon pine. The bright green chartreuse color and the lemony scent of the miniature lemon cypress are uplifting and invigorating. The plant’s bright green color is because the tree is in its juvenile growth stage and has grown inside a bright greenhouse instead of the full sun. However, once the tree is planted outside in the full sun, it will reach its mature state and reach 6-10 feet tall. The color will change to a khaki hue with varying shades of yellow and dark green. The plant can grow about a foot yearly if well-tended. Indoors, the lemon cypress needs bright indirect sunlight for at least 6-8 hours, thrives in cool temperatures (’60s), and requires moist but not soggy soil.
Safety
The California Poison Control states that the lemon cypress is non-toxic to pets.
Keep or Compost
This beauty is a keeper. The plant care guide recommends that after 2 weeks of gracing your home for the holidays, the young plant needs an outside vacation on the porch or patio with indirect sunlight. Protect it from freezing temperatures, too, but ensure it is watered faithfully. Then, do an inside-outside rotation as needed until the spring when it is safe for replanting in soil.
GFL: Where to Buy?
I often get good deals on holiday plants from the places listed below. Whether I go shopping in person or online, buying and welcoming a new plant to my space is always delightful.
1. Home Depot
2. Lowe’s
3. Trader Joe’s
4. Whole Foods
5. Farmer’s Markets