The Festive Plant Facts

It was an ordinary day.  Picked up my morning newspaper and began looking through it.  One section today was titled "Home & Garden and featured a half-page of "Festive Plant Facts".  Interesting...so I thought I would post a photo of each plant they wrote about along with a sentence or two about each one.  Hey!  It's the most wonderful time of the year! as the song goes, so why not share with you some of the festive ingredients that we find this time of the year.  And...from our house to yours, my wife Carol and I wish you a Happy New Year!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

Cyclamen - When a cyclamen's leaves turn yellow, that's not a sign of thirst, but a red flag that this houseplant is ready for a rest.  Native to the Mediterranean, cyclamen's dormant period is not winter, but the summer to protect it from heat.

Norfolk Island Pines - The pine looks like tiny Christmas trees, but they're not actually pine trees.  They don't come from Norfolk, Virginia, but from Norfolk Island near Australia.  While they don't like our winters, they can thrive indoors. 

Mistletoe - Mistletoe is a merry moocher, a semi-parasitic plant.  Birds drop mistletoe seeds onto tree branches.  Once the seeds germinate, the plant grows root-like structures, called haustorium, which grow into the tree tissue, borrowing water and food.  Because these tree thieves can photoynthesize, they're not complete freeloaders. 

                                      

Hellebore - Hellebores often are one of the first flowers to bloom outdoors in spring leading to the nickname Lenten rose.  Hellebores, called Christmas rose, aren't mislabeled or a climate change victim.  These bloom earlier and usually have flowers facing out, not down.

Paperwhite Narcisus - Keep paper white narcissus from getting too leggy by adding booze to the water.  Researchers with Cornell University's Flower Bulb Research Program found the plants respond well when the water is 5% alcohol.  To get a 5% solution from 40% liquor, mix 1 part booze to 7 parts water.  A clear spirit like vodka works best.  Avoid beer and wine because ingredients like sugar can cause the plant problems.

Christmas Cactus - Most holiday cacti are called Christmas Cactus, but they're actually something else.  Here are a few identification tips.  Look at the shape of the leaves to identify a cactus.  Thanksgiving cactus has pointy projections on the sides of the leaves, like crab claws.  Christmas cactus has scalloped or teardrop shaped projections on the leaves.  Easter cactus has leaves with round edges.

Poinsettia - A poinsettia's colorful "bloom" actually is a group of leaves, asa bracts. The flowers, also known as cyathia, are yellow and at the center of the bright cluster of leaves.

Amaryllis -  The name comes from the Greek word amarysso, which means "to sparkle."  It's also the name of a shepherdess who shed bloom to prove her love.  As the tale goes, the blood drops created red flowers along the path to her love's home.  Many amaryllis flowers are red, and others are white, pink and yellow.

Holly - There ar nearly 600 species of holly, including red, yellow and winterberry holly.  The berries are poisonous to people and pets.  The leaves of one South American holly species have caffeine and are used to make the popular drink Yerba maté.