The holidays are upon us, and along with traditions with family and friends, you will likely be enjoying some kind of holiday plant. Many of them can be cared for long past the Christmas season. Here are some common plants associated with this time of year and how to care for them.

Holiday cacti

Many gardeners have posted beautiful photos to gardening Facebook pages of what they thought were Christmas cacti, but they reported them blooming as early as Halloween. There are many varieties of holiday cacti, but most common are Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. The Thanksgiving cactus is easily determined by the spikes on its leaves.

It is important to keep these outside in the summertime, then bring them back inside when lows get below 50 degrees at night. And as long as there is no patent pending on your variety of cactus, its leaves can be easily rooted in a pot of sand or soilless mix to make a whole new plant.

Rosemary

You know the scent and flavor of Rosemary. It is common for use in meat and vegetable dishes. Its branches can be used as skewers for kabobs, adding flavor to the meat! And its beautiful white and lavender flowers can also be used in prepared dishes.

This herb can stay containerized or can be planted in the ground once the chance of frost has passed in early spring. It demands well-drained soil and bright light. You may see Rosemary bushes pruned into a topiary. It is perennial and evergreen, so it always holds on to its leaves.

Poinsettia

This plant’s bright bracts (“flowers”) add such a nice pop of color to holiday décor. Poinsettias come in many different colors- from cream and pale pink, to red, speckled, and sometimes adorned with glitter! This is not a plant to put out as trash with the Christmas tree. It can be placed outdoors after the last chance of frost, and when happy, grows a few feet high. When kept inside during the holidays, keep Poinsettias away from vents and drafty windows, and make sure the soil doesn’t stay too wet. When you water them, be sure to empty the water settling at the bottom of that foil wrapper they’re often sold in.

Amaryllis

Breathtaking, big holiday-colored flowers atop a tall stalk, amaryllis are easy plants grown from bulbs. Just place them in front of a bright window, and they’ll show off their large flowers for weeks. They can be kept happy two ways- one is in a short container with marbles or pebbles and just enough water to touch the bottom of the bulb. The other, more traditional way, is potted shallowly in soil. Recently introduced to the consumer market are amaryllis bulbs covered in wax. They are marketed as easy gifts, even for the non-gardener, because of not needing water or to be potted.

Looking for cheap and easy ways to decorate in a hurry? Here are four ways to use some outside plants as décor this holiday season.

1. Obtain the evergreen leaves of Magnolia and holly to adorn centerpieces, swags and more

2. Grapevines or vines of Virginia Creeper make sturdy frames for wreaths

3. Use Rosemary plants as topiaries that could even be decorated

4. Frame windows, doors and mantles with fresh Cedar or Fir garlands. According to Pike Nursery, the key to keeping greenery fresh is maintaining moisture. When you get your garland and wreaths home, soak them in cold water over night. Completely submerge them in a large bucket or bathtub. Once the greenery has soaked overnight, let it dry, then spray it with all-natural preservative like Wilt Stop.

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