Date: December 1, 2022 | Photography: Rett Peek | Styling: Stephanie Maxwell Newton | Producer: Stephanie Maxwell Newton |
Holiday plants make for cheery Christmas gifts and beautiful additions to seasonal displays. Here, Chris Norwood from Tipton & Hurst helps us ensure these festive flora thrive
POINSETTIA
Euphorbia pulcherrima
While associated most with Christmas, poinsettias (and several other varieties here) are actually tropical plants—meaning they require lots of sunlight, a warmer setting (think 60-75ºF during the day), and not too much water. “The biggest issue is people always overwater them,” Chris says. “They have really small root systems, and they like to be kept arid and dry.”
Did You Know?
The poinsettia’s “blooms” are actually modified leaves called bracts.
AMARYLLIS
Hippeastrum
Amaryllis must go through a dormant phase in early fall to ensure blooming by the holidays. If you’re gifted an amaryllis bulb, place it in a cool spot with bright light; once a stem starts to emerge, move it to a sunny window and water once a week. Turn the pot to keep the stem growing straight. Once flowers open, move the plant out to direct sunlight to extend the life of the blooms.
Did You Know?
It might look like a lily, but the amaryllis is a closer cousin to the daffodil.
MINI CYPRESS TREE
Cupressus macrocarpa
Cypress trees need as much natural light as possible (at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight a day) and adequate water. “They dry out really fast, especially indoors in the winter when most of our homes are dryer,” Chris says. Try them on your patio or screened porch to bring the season outdoors, and be sure to give them proper drainage—their roots should never be in standing water.
CHRISTMAS CACTUS
Schlumbergera bridgesii
Many of us receive a Christmas cactus (or its relative, the Thanksgiving cactus, pictured here) with beautiful bright flowers, only to wonder why they don’t bloom again the following year. The answer is temperature and light. About 6-8 weeks before Christmas, alternate the plant’s position between complete darkness (in a cool closet or under a box) and light every 12 hours. Water only when the soil feels dry and you should have new blooms by Christmas morning.
All plants available through Tipton & Hurst in Little Rock.
