Caring for plants given as gifts during
the Christmas Season.
'Tis
the Season
December,
1994 was the first time I published this article in my
newsletter. It was to be an outline of plants traditionally used
at this time of year and where these traditions came from. I also
decided to explain how to care for plants that are often given as
gifts. This year I have added more plants (mostly houseplants) in
the same spirit.
.
CHRISTMAS
CACTUS
Spineless
succulents, Christmas Cactus originally came from the Brazilian
Rainforest. Schlumbergera russelliana blooms at Christmas. S.
truncata (or Crab Cactus) blooms near Thanksgiving. The newly
discovered ' Queen Cactus' or S. orssichiana can bloom several
times a year but is still hard to find. Christmas Cactus want
bright indirect light and evenly moist soil like that of their
home where they grow high up in the crotches of trees where
rotting leaves have accumulated. Growers manipulate heat and
light to get the plants to bloom at the time they want. It will
be some time before you know when the plant will bloom as a
houseplant. 70-degree temperatures are fine and slightly cooler
nights. Withhold all fertilizer when in bloom. After they drop
their flowers cut back on watering, temps above 40 degrees and
bright indirect light. In spring add a 1/2 strength soluble
fertilizer to water at each watering. Hang plants in a tree
outside when temps are reliably above 40 degrees. 80 % shade.
Soil mix 6 parts peat, 4 parts perlite and plastic pot. Renew
soil every 3 years.
WINTER
GREEN = GAULTHERIA PROCUMBENS
Likes
sandy soil, 4.5-6 ph.
Hardy
from zone 3 (-40 F) to zone 8 (10 F) Wintergreen or Gaultheria
procumbens is a vigorous, shade tolerant evergreen woodland
groundcover with pink tinged white flowers in May followed in
fall by a wintergreen flavored red berry. In winter the evergreen
leaves (used for making wintergreen tea) turn red. The prostrate
stems easily root in an acid, moist soil and will grow to 6
inches in height.
POINSETTIA
Euphorbia
pulcherria or poinsettia is a native of wet wooded ravines and on
rocky hillsides in Mexico and is available in a range of colors.
Blue red 'freedom', orange red 'success', 'nut cracker pink',
'top white', 'lemon drop', coral 'nobelstar', pink and white
'peppermint', mix of peach, pink and wine 'Monet'. Mid September
on give them 8 hours of sun per day. Needs at least 14 hours of
darkness for 8 weeks for best bracts to form. Don't let temps
fall below 62 at night 70's during day in a location free of
drafts. Let soil dry out between thorough watering and don't
fertilize Put in closet from noon on (total dark).. After
flowering keep it almost dry and prune plant stem back to a stump
until May when rewatering will produce new leaves and flowers.
This period after flowering corresponds to the dry season. If
planted outside after May plant in part shade.
LINGONBERRY
Vaccinium
Vitis-idaea minus or Mountain Cranberry
MISTLETOE
In
the 1700's Mistletoe was carried to the high alter of the
Cathedral in York and amnesty proclaimed. Visum Album is the
original European Mistletoe. In the US Phoradendron serotinum is
used for decoration (Dictionary of Horticulture)
Mistletoe
robs its host of water and minerals
is
propagated in nature by the mistle thrush (Turdus miscivorus)
which wipes its beak, in March or April, of the clinging remains
of its meal of mistletoe berries onto the branch of a tree, the
crevices of its bark from which the mistletoe will sprout in
spring.
old
apple trees are the favorite host
Druids
who found mistletoe growing in Oak trees would cut it from the
tree with a golden knife, it would be held on a white cloth by a
virgin and transported in a cart drawn by white bulls that were
later sacrificed
was
supposed to heal many diseases, keep witches away and burned in
the proper way would provide a good crop.
HAWTHORN
The
Blackthorn and Mistletoe that has been hung in kitchens
(wreathe?) since preceding New Year is burned on Jan 1st. It is
thought that without this ceremony there would be no new crop.
HEATH
Erica
carnea zone 4 or -25 degrees. Native to mountains of eastern
Europe. Most are 6-9 inches tall with a spread of maybe 2
feet.(Foxhollow fairy, King George, Pink Spangles, Porters red, )
Erica darleyensis is maybe 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide.(Darley
Dale, Furzey). Erica erigena or Irish Heath can be up to 12 feet.
Grow best in well drained acid soils like Rhododendrons prefer
but in full sun. Prune immediately after flowering. Use straw,
evergreen branches or whatever to protect from drying winds in
the absence of snow. Acid fertilizer in spring.
CYCLAMEN
days
60-65, nights 45-50, high humidity, bright indirect light, water
only from bottom to avoid rot, after it stops blooming withhold
water and wait for foliage to desiccate, remove corms from soil
and store in dried peat moss in cool dry place, repot corms in
july so top of corm is visible, place outside in shade, when new
growth is visible keep soil evenly moist and use a water soluble
plant food, to induce flowering place in window with morning sun
and cool temps in 50's.
GARDENIA
days
65-70, nights 60-65, induce flowering with high humidity, no
drafts and 4-6 hours direct light each day, in spring fertilize
with miracid and pinch prune to shape, water only after soil
becomes dry, in summer place outdoors in shade and water when
dry, in fall bring indoors.
KALANCHOE
days
70-75, nights 50-60, half day of bright sun, let soil dry between
waterings, low humidity, in spring repot, pinch prune and
fertilize with a water soluble plant food, after there is no risk
of frost put outside in part shade, in fall bring inside before
frost, September and October provide 50 degree temps and 14 hours
total darkness each night.
AFRICAN
VIOLET
Discovered 1892 in Northern Tanzania by Baron Walter von St. PaulIllaire the Governor of Usambara District. The new Genus was named Saintpaulia after its discoveror. The seeds of the few plants collected in the wild were bred by a Los Angeles based Nursery all seedlings finally being culled except the finest 10. Almost all of todays thousands of cultivars have been bred from those 10 but the plant in its native habitat faces extinction due to logging and tea plantations.
Days 80-85, nights 60, lightly shaded morning sun, evenly moist soil, high humidity, no drafts, small leaves show too much sun, long leaf stalks and dark green leaves along with poor flowering show not enough sun, special African violet fertilizer.