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5 Plants That Sing Fa-La-La All Year

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 15, 2007

There's something about the holiday season that makes even the most frugal among us (yup, that would be me) a little splurgy. I have all the decorations I need - nay, more - but still my shopping cart pulls toward the garden center. I want ho-ho red petals, fir-green leaves and snow-white blossoms for the front porch, the faux mantel, the patio.

It finally dawned on me this year that I can buy without guilt. These plants don't need to be tossed away with the wrapping paper after Christmas.

Some can go in the ground and become a part of the landscape for years. Others will thrive in pots almost as long. Even the comparatively short-lived annuals will keep blooming for three or four months.

So, go have yourself a merry little splurge - in the garden shop.

Poinsettia

That little potted poinsettia can grow into a large bush here in Florida. Pick a spot in the yard that gets sun and has room for a future good-sized shrub.

Avoid spots lit by street lights; your poinsettia will need about 12 hours of darkness a day beginning in October to produce its red bracts.

Cut the fading bracts in March. Fertilize regularly, and prune the branches a few inches any time they get longer than a foot or so to keep the plant bushy. DON'T prune after Sept. 10, or you may not get any color in December.

Christmas cactus

Plant Christmas cactus in soil that drains well and is enriched with compost. Most people keep their cactus in containers - summer rains can prove too much for them in the ground. That said, plenty of gardeners also have great success with their in-ground Christmas cactuses.

Indoor plants should be in a spot with bright light; outdoor plants, in filtered light. Allow the soil to dry between watering, and fertilize regularly.

Holly

American holly has the prickly leaves that reminded the Pilgrims of English holly, a European symbol of Christmas. Dahoon holly (shown), seen more widely in Florida landscapes, is an oval-leafed native. Only the females of both species produce the bright red berries loved by birds and holiday decorators.

Dahoon holly, Ilex cassine, does well in damp or dry, sandy soil and will grow to about 30 feet tall. It prefers partial shade but can take full sun.

Plant between November and March, and water well to establish. Fertilize in March and September.

For smaller spaces, try the yaupon holly, which can be grown as a shrub or small tree.

Southern red cedar

Grow your own Christmas tree! Southern red cedar grows in a variety of soils, is drought-resistant and can even take salt spray.

Give it plenty of room - it can grow to about 50 feet tall. It produces cones, and the wood has a delicious aroma that actually repels insects. Don't overwater or transplant once established.

When it gets big enough, forget buying a new tree every year. Just decorate your outdoor Christmas tree.

Geranium

Hardy, bright red geraniums are inexpensive and in all the nurseries. They're easy to grow in containers or in the ground and will continue to flower well into the summer if watered regularly and given some reprieve from the sun.

For the Santa effect, pair with fragrant white alyssum, a low-growing, spreading plant that produces tiny white blossoms in clusters. It's just as easy to grow as geraniums and will keep flowering almost as long.

Penny Carnathan

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