Give your poinsettias and Christmas tree some company because they aren’t the only plants and trees worthy of coinciding with Christmas. Bring more beauty to your holiday scene, beyond the usual red and green.
Even if you are smitten with tradition and have your heart set on poinsettias, there are plenty of other flower and plant possibilities that are worthy of consideration this holiday season. Channel the beauty of winter in its many forms. Whether your style is cozy and charming or edgy and eclectic, we have the flowers, plants and trees to let you channel the holiday spirit in gorgeous and unexpected ways.
Berry Christmas
Beautiful and versatile, berries add a wintery feel to a room. With a range of colors, shapes and sizes, berries are a charming way to add a rustic or even eclectic look to your holiday decorations.
Cedar berries have a woodsy aroma, and the blue-grey color of these berries gives them a wintery appearance. Hypericum berries come in a wide array of colors, have a pleasant oval shape and seamlessly mesh with a variety of styles.
Dark-hued berries look like winter without fading into the surrounding white typical of winter. Viburnum berries add a deep, vibrant color to arrangements and winter decorations. They are available in bold colors including red, green and indigo. Elderberries are another dark-hued berry. They add enough interest to catapult your holiday greenery into picture-worthy displays by lending noticeable texture and color to any scene.
For a beautifully breathtaking winter scene, tallow berries know no bounds. Their subtle size and long branches make them a definitive addition to winter decorations in a way that manages to be festive and free-spirited.
Privet berries have a dark blue color that is almost black in appearance. These berries can create brilliant contrast with the white scenery of winter.
Easy Being Green with Evergreens, Ferns, Moss and Firs
There are many ways to bring an earthy texture and winter atmosphere to your home. Ferns add green and cleanse the air. Frosty ferns have grown in popularity during the holidays because their white-tipped leaves look like they are covered in frost. Interesting fact, the frosty fern is not a fern. The frosty fern is a type of spike moss, and the tips of the leaves get brighter in the winter.
Ferns are a great alternative to some of the other holiday greenery because they are easy to keep and won’t dry out before the holidays. A couple of ferns to consider are the compact Boston fern and the holly fern.
The compact Boston fern grows in a draping pattern and tolerates low light indoors better than other varieties. It will brighten your home long after the holiday ends. The holly fern is another long-lasting fern that has a definite holiday appeal. It’s dark green fronds and holly-shaped leaflets make it a beautiful addition to holiday decorations.
From centerpieces and Christmas trees to wreaths and garlands, evergreens and their cuttings create beautiful greenery for the holidays. For some interesting contrast, consider juniper. Some varieties of this evergreen have clusters of blueberries, which are mini pinecones.
Juniper bushes are long-lived and can flourish indoors. Colors come in a wide range including intense green, blue-gray and light yellow.
The most common Christmas tree varieties are firs, pines, cedar and spruce trees, but trees can decorate the indoors, even when they aren’t the large, Christmas tree variety. Dwarf Alberta spruce trees handle life in containers indoors well.
Jolly Hydrangea
Hydrangea flowers bloom all year and grow in a big, round cluster. These flowerheads look like a puffy snowball and are gorgeous when placed among the greenery of winter. From stark white to cream, hydrangeas are easy to incorporate into holiday decorations. Just one stem has the appearance of a beautiful bouquet.
Christmas Cactus
Just in time to brighten up the holiday, the Christmas cactus is appropriately named. This plant features hanging branches that can grow up to three feet, and the flowers appear at the tips in colors of red, white, yellow, pink or purple.
Like the poinsettia, this plant requires special care including prolonged darkness of at least 12 hours each day for months before it gives its light by blooming. Unexpected and beautiful, the unique appearance and of course, the name of the Christmas cactus makes it a beautiful addition to holiday décor and a wonderful gift.
Gifts Like Rosemary and the Christmas Rose
Although not as well-known as some plants for the holidays, rosemary has a fresh, pine scent. It is an herb that is very fragrant. Rosemary is a great way to season dishes, improve digestion and increase circulation. Along with those fine qualities, the herb repels a variety of unwelcome insects like mosquitos and flies.
Rosemary can grow in containers, and some are sold shaped like mini Christmas trees. With its winter holiday plant appearance and worthwhile attributes, rosemary is another one of the new favorite plants for the holiday season and can sometimes even be found in the form of a wreath.
If you are not concerned with a holiday plant’s usefulness but want a gift with a charming background story, consider the Christmas rose. One of the best holiday flowers that doesn’t have the fame of the poinsettia yet shares a similar story, the Christmas rose isn’t a rose at all.
The Christmas rose is an evergreen flowering plant in the buttercup family. The legend states that a young shepherdess was tending her sheep when the wise men passed by with gifts for the baby Jesus. Feeling upset that she had no gift, she wept. An angel appeared, brushed aside some snow to reveal a gift for the newly born baby Jesus, the beautiful Christmas rose.
The story is charming and captures the meaning of the holiday spirit, so why not give this plant a place in your home or give it to someone as a gift?
Toe the Line with Mistletoe
Mistletoe is a classic plant that is typically hung at the top of doorways to entice people to kiss. This practice has been going on for centuries, and legend states that to refuse a smooch will lead to bad luck.
If you aren’t in the habit of getting people to lock lips, mistletoe can still create lovely holiday decorations and bulk up arrangements, garlands and wreaths.
White Christmas Chrysanthemums
White chrysanthemums are a beautiful accent for the holidays. They can be paired with any of the other flowers and plants on this list to create a stunning arrangement.
Pretty Paperwhites
For a bright white flower that grows easily and brightens without detracting from a winter theme, seasonal paperwhites are a great option. Part of the daffodil family, these flowers don’t even need soil to grow.
These flowers can be placed with your moss and other greenery decorations or a tray of rocks and water to be part of your interior through the holidays and beyond.
Let it Grow! Let it Grow! Let it Grow!
Depending on where you live, winter is experienced differently from one location to the next. By bringing winter into your home, you can capture the holiday spirit no matter where you live. These plants and flowers are just a few options. The world of plants and flowers is vast, so you can always expand on these ideas.
If you like these holiday suggestions or if you have some ideas of your own, our florists at Flowerama of Springfield in Springfield, MO would be delighted to discuss flowers and plants with you. We want to help make your home a holiday haven.
Flowerama of Springfield 