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They make the perfect green-fingered gift, too.
Christmas trees, holly and ivy wreaths and poinsettias might be the first plants we think of at Christmas, but they're not the only way to add colour and life to your home on chilly December days.
Some of the best plants and flowers for decorating homes throughout the festive season range from the traditional winter poinsettia, to big, blooming azaleas and the Christmas cactus, the experts at Gardening Express recommend. Most are not only easy to care for throughout the chillier months, but they really add to the spirit of Christmas and the festivities. These plants make fantastic presents too, so are worth bearing in mind when buying for green-fingered friends or family members.
Here are 12 plants to get you in the festive mood this Christmas...
Rosemary has been associated with the Christmas period long before poinsettia became the poster child, as the herb is believed to have been one of the plants in baby Jesus' manger.
Native to the Mediterranean region, rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is an evergreen plant of the mint family. Typically used to garnish and season to food, with a pungent, aromatic smell.
Rosemary can be used to create wreaths, swags and evergreen bouquets, or you can even buy tabletop rosemary Christmas trees.
The sight of holly leaves and berries is synonymous with Christmas and is often used to make wreaths.
Dark, glossy prickly leaves and white flowers that bloom between spring and summer, once pollinated, the flowers develop into scarlet berries, which remain throughout winter.
According to folklore, hanging the plant in the home was said to bring good luck and protection all year round. Holly is also symbolic in Christianity in two ways: its red berries represent the blood that Jesus shed on the cross, and the pointed leaves refer to the crown of thorns Jesus was wearing when he died.
Although it has a bit of a reputation for covering the floors and walls of gardens with its creeping vines, ivy is actually a very popular plant during the Christmas period.
Its distinctively-shaped, rich green leaves are often a key component of floral wreaths and other festive decorations, or you can just enjoy it all year-round as a hanging plant.
Despite its name, and the fact it flowers over the Christmas period, the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) actually has nothing to do with either the Christmas tradition or the story of Christ’s birth.
But, these succulents do make for a great Christmas gift. They’re affordable, long-lived, easy to maintain in the cooler months, and look visually striking, too.
Having long been a symbol of love, peace, and goodwill, the custom of using mistletoe to decorate houses at Christmas is a Druid tradition.
Yet, despite its pretty appearance and associated affectionate gesture, mistletoe berries are actually toxic to humans! As decorations, they're often hung over doorways.
Instantly recognisable due to its pointed red bracts and rich red and green leaves, the poinsettia has become a symbol of the festive season. The plant was popularised by Joel R. Poinsett (hence its name) while he was U.S minister to Mexico in the late 1820s.
While red is certainly the most popular colour, you can also buy a poinsettia plant in pink, orange, cream and white.
As the chrysanthemum symbolises optimism and joy, it comes as no surprise that it’s now synonymous with the most wonderful time of the year.
However, white chrysanthemums also have another sweet link to the festive season. German homes are filled with the flowers on Christmas Eve because of an old legend in which a peasant family ushers a beggar man in from the cold. Claiming to be the Christ Child, he then fled, leaving two of the flowers behind.
Known for its attractive white to pink to deep red flowers, cyclamen thrives in cooler temperatures, so its bright blooms and beautiful heart-shaped leaves are a great choice if you want to add some colour to your home over the winter.
Often overlooked in favour of other festive plants and flowers, azaleas' bright colours and big, showy blooms make them the perfect addition to indoor planting displays at Christmas. Azaleas are from the rhododendron family and you can often find these striking flowering shrubs in a multitude of colours including pink, red, purple, orange, yellow and white.
The Christmas Rose (Helleborus Niger) is revered during the festive season for the deep green foliage and delicate white flowers it brings to cold, dark winters.
But, despite the resemblance it bears to wild roses and the fact that it’s known as the Christmas Rose, this delicate evergreen perennial is actually quite deceptive – it is, in fact, a member of the buttercup family, Ranunculacea.
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