Alternative Holiday Plants

Mention the words "Christmas" and "plants" in one sentence and the image of a bright red poinsettia instantly comes to mind. Indeed, poinsettia is now the number one selling potted plant in the United States and has become a tradition at the holidays for decorating and gift-giving. Poinsettia is a relative "newcomer" to the world of potted flowering plants and before poinsettia’s rise to prominence other species of flowering plants were widely used during the Holiday Season. All have the added attraction of being relatively easy to re-bloom and can continue to give pleasure to their recipient for many years.

Amaryllis, or Barbados lily as it is sometimes called, is a very old plant from the standpoint of ornamental use. Indeed, the literature shows that this member of the Amaryllidaceae family has been in production for 300 years. Amaryllis comes from the Greek word meaning "sparkle", and today’s modern Dutch and African hybrids have been selected for their huge, showy (sparkling) flowers and forcing ease. These traits cause them to maintain a small but constant share of the potted plant market around the holidays. Most amaryllis species are natives to the subtropical and tropical Americas; their tender nature forces us to treat them as greenhouse or house plants here in the Midwest.

Amaryllis production for the hobbyist is relatively straight-forward. During the fall and early winter, bulbs are readily available from yard and garden stores as well as other retail outlets. One should choose a healthy bulb that has its original roots intact. Bulbs with all roots removed to the bulb plate will display inferior performance during their first year of growth, even though they may bloom. Bulbs should be planted in a well-drained potting mix that retains adequate moisture. A mixture of sphagnum peat, vermiculite and perlite is satisfactory. Maintaining this medium in a slightly acid state is desirable. Use a container that is at least two inches wider than the diameter of the bulb. Keep the growing medium uniformly moist but do not allow water to stand for extended periods of time except for severely root-bound plants. Amaryllis should be fed using a complete, watersoluble fertilizer every two to four weeks. Since amaryllis is tropical by nature, plants respond well to high temperatures (both day and night). A minimum of 70 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night is suggested during the growth cycle of the plants. Temperatures lower than 50 degrees can be injurious. The bulb one purchases will already have a scape formed. Exposure to proper temperatures will cause this scape to mature and flower.

If one wants to re-bloom their amaryllis the following year, the plant must be allowed to manufacture and store food. This is accomplished by exposing the plant to light as bright as possible during its growth period. Moving the plant out-of-doors after the danger of cool temperatures has passed with facilitate growth and improve subsequent blooming. Remember to feed the plant during its growth phase. In September, the plant should be brought in from out-of-doors and water withheld. This will force induce dormancy, which should be maintained for two to three months. During its dormant phase, an amaryllis should be kept on the cool side and should not receive water. The growth cycle (along with blooming) can be repeated by forcing the plant out of dormancy by watering and subjecting it to warm temperatures as described above.

Christmas cactus is the source of considerable confusion concerning its taxonomic identity. Formerly in the genus Zygocactus, Christmas cactus now carries the scientific name of Schlumbergera bridgesii. It normally blooms it mid-December but is often confused with its close relative, Schlumbergera truncata, which blooms in mid- to late- November and thus is known as the Thanksgiving cactus. The Thanksgiving cactus has pointed leaf margins ("claws"), whereas the Christmas cactus has smooth, rounded margins. Because of the confusion in name and identity, the term Holiday cactus is often used for both.

Christmas cactus should be grown under full sunlight through the fall, winter and spring in a well-drained, porous growing medium. As with amaryllis, a peat-lite, soilless medium is ideal and should be kept at a slightly acid pH . During vegetative periods of growth, night temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees F. are preferred. Flower bud initiation is brought about by either short days and/or low temperatures. Day lengths of 12 hours or less and temperatures of 59 to 68 degrees F. are optimal for flower bud initiation. Exposure to these conditions for three to four weeks is sufficient. It should be noted that plants will flower regardless of day length if they are kept between 55 to 59 degrees F. or, conversely, they will flower regardless of night temperature if given short day treatment.

The main problems that plague Christmas cactus are the root rots caused by Pythium and Phyththora. These diseases can be controlled though a combination of good sanitation, the use of a porous growing medium, judicious watering and the occasional use of a fungicide drench. A rule of thumb concerning watering Christmas cactus is: " when in doubt, don’t water". This plant is much more tolerant of dry conditions than of wet ones.

Cyclamen held the distinction of being the most popular holiday potted plant before poinsettia was introduced as a floricultural crop. Given proper care, cyclamen can flower for months and provide a colorful (and sometimes fragrant) array of unique flowers held just above the foliage canopy. The mottled, heart-shaped leaves also are attractive. Cyclamen species are corm-forming perennials native to the cooler regions of Europe, North Africa and Asia and detest hot weather. Place your cyclamen in a location that receives bright, indirect sun or filtered direct sun. Ideally, temperatures should be 60- 65 degrees F. during the day and 50 degrees at night. Since the latter is considerably cooler than most homes are kept during the winter there is an old adage that suggests to "put the cyclamen out when you put out the dog for the night".

Cyclamen prefer a moist root environment and should never be allowed to dry out. The preferred growing medium is one that is moisture retentive yet well-drained since root and corm rot can be a problem under overlywet conditions. Cyclamen should be feed about every 14 days with a water-soluble house plant food according to label directions.

Re-blooming cyclamen is relatively easy if several steps are followed. In late May move your cyclamen to a shady location in your outdoor garden and let it "rest". Water sparingly and do not feed the plant during this resting period. In late summer to early fall bring the plant back indoors into bright, indirect light and begin watering and feeding as described above. The result should be a plant that is soon budded and will continue to bloom throughout the winter.

David Trinklein
Associate Professor of Horticulture
573-882-9631