The 7 Christmas plants to decorate your home this holidays

Also called poinsettia, poinsettia or christmas flower, its name already carries its seasonal character. “It is the plant with the highest production at this time, with 8 million units in Spain. Around 110 million are produced in the EU, so the proportion in Spain is very relevant,” he explains. Olga Zarzuela, director of the Spanish Association of Florists. Moreover, despite having a sales period of between only four and six weeks during the winter, in most European countries it tops the list of the total market for indoor plants, according to data provided by StarsforEurope. If we place it inside the home, it must be placed in an area where it can receive sunlight and away from radiators or direct sources of heating that can damage its foliage. Its watering must be moderate and directly to the pot, avoiding wetting its bracts and flowers. We must remove the excess water from the plate or container that we place under the pot to avoid its flooding. A good formula to water it is to place it in the kitchen sink or on the sink and let it drain before putting it in place. Rain or tap water soaked for 24 hours is also preferable, so that chlorine evaporates that is applied for its purification.

It is another of the best known plants of these Christmas dates due, above all, to its tradition of kissing under her. The ‘Viscum album’ is a semi-parasitic plant, that is, it lives and germinates on other plants, in this case trees. It cannot grow in a pot or in the ground, but instead sinks its roots into the trunk of a tree, and from there it feeds. With its white and sticky fruit, mistletoe is often confused with holly, a shrub or small tree that has its branches full of green, red or yellowish leaves and fruits, and that can grow in a pot, although it needs to have natural light – but not direct sun- and it is a markedly outdoor plant, which needs a natural cold breeze to develop properly.

Also known as acebillo, brusco or galzerán, it is quite similar to holly but, unlike that one, in this plant it is the female part that bears the fruits: the red berry, which is not as toxic as holly, although it has the same deep red color. Its leaves are smaller and darker than those of holly. It is used in medicine for its vasoconstrictive and anti-inflammatory properties. As with holly, it requires shade or semi-shade to grow and hardly needs to be watered, it should only be done when the ground is almost dry. As it is a typically winter plant, it does not withstand the heat inside the home.

Known as Santa Teresita o schlumbergera and native to the most tropical areas of Brazil, it grows on the branches of trees and always blooms during the Christmas season. Its branches end in flowers that make it a very showy plant, and more so with its varied range of colors, but the ones that are sold the most at this time are those that bloom in maroon and red. Although it is from the cactus family and, therefore, a succulent plant, it needs water to survive, so it is convenient to always have the soil moist, although without flooding. When the flowers have dried, it is better to reduce the frequency of watering to prevent them from getting sick.

Native to Turkey and Central Europe, it begins to bloom in white, but its color range includes pink, purple or even green. Although it blooms between January and April, flower and plant producers advance the process so that it sprouts on these dates. Evergreen, it is ideal for semi-shady spaces and comes to flower in the middle of the snow. Of course, you need a very fertile soil and have moist -but not flooded- soil to get many very long flowers.

It is more of a bush than a plant. Although it is little known, its leaves are of great beauty by the color they have: from the red to orange and ocre, going through yellow. It is this spectacular chromatic that makes it so appreciated for making centerpieces. Like many of its companions, such as the Christmas rose or the butcher’s broom, it requires semi-shade to grow. It does not need great care -just a fertile and well-drained soil, not dry-, it is resistant to frost and on land it can reach up to two meters in height, with leaves up to 50 centimeters in length. In pot, its leaves will reach more modest registers, about 25 centimeters in diameter. Its fruits sprout in a cluster and only in winter, and are bright red. You have to be careful if you choose this plant to decorate the table, since both its berries as their leaves are toxic to animals. It is also a good idea to make sure there are no pets around if they are planted in an outside garden.

It is surely, along with the poinsettia, the great protagonist of Christmas in every home in the world. It requires minimal care so that it does not stay dry and can be replanted at the end of the festivities in a park or area enabled for it in the city. Many Spanish city councils set up collection points and recycle them, either by replanting them -as makes the Madrid City Council– The making compost with them. If you have your own garden, it can also be replanted and reused for years to come, since it only grows about 30 centimeters a year. During the holidays, it is important to place the tree in a well-lit, ventilated place away from heat sources, such as radiators or stoves. The earth must always be humid and it is advisable to vaporize the leaves daily to compensate for the lack of humidity in the environment. You have to water it abundantly so that the water reaches all the roots, and every two or three days. A formula to do it correctly is to add a little water, wait for the soil to absorb it and repeat the operation until it is very wet. It is advisable to put a plate for the excess water and empty it after each watering, since the accumulation of liquid at the base can damage the roots.