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Make the Holidays Merry & BriGHT
“Christmas Plants & Flowers to Make the Holidays Merry & Bright” Des Plaines Garden Club Horticulture Talk December 8, 2022 Presented By Karen Pacey
Our horticulture topic today is “Christmas Plants & Flowers to Make the Holidays Merry & Bright”.
Do you need some ideas for sprucing up your home this holiday season?
Are you looking for a unique holiday gift?
You may want to consider some of the seven (7) Christmas plants and flowers being shown today.
They have bold features, beautiful blooms and even wonderful scents to transform your home for the holidays.
American Holly Name: Ilex opaca
* Synonymous with Christmas! Deck the Halls!
* Recognized by its’ spiky, glossy evergreen leaves and
bright red fruits.
* It is a medium sized, broadleaved evergreen tree or shrub.
*Other cultivars produce yellow fruits.
Christmas Cactus Name: Schlumbergera x buckleyi
* Winter flowering plant that is easy to care for
* Propagates easily
* Exposure to light will give you more blooms
* Plant will adapt to low light environments
* Don’t place in direct light for long lengths of time because it will burn the leaves.
Poinsettia Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
Poinsettia Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
Poinsettia Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
* Comes in a variety of cheery holiday colors to match any décor.
* Thrives in bright, indirect light.
* Needs good drainage - consistently moist soil.
* Remove outer wrappers that can keep soil wet & cause root rot.
* Keep water off leaves - watering from below.
Amaryllis Name: Amaryllis belladonna
Poinsettia Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
Poinsettia Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
* It is a bulbous plant with hollow stems.
* It’s 4-6” blooms are huge flowers that sit on top of leafless stems.
* Easy to grow & comes in a variety of colors.
* It makes a striking centerpiece.
* It will sprout again next year if properly stored
American Mistletoe Name: Phoradendron leucarpum
American Mistletoe Name: Phoradendron leucarpum
American Mistletoe Name: Phoradendron leucarpum
* Associated with love and fertility.
* Typically hung above a doorway.
* Grows on trees, burrowing its’ root into the trunk to steal the nutrients it needs.
* Can be highly toxic if eaten, causing nausea, vomiting, hallucinations and heart problems.
* Only stand underneath it to steal a kiss!
Norfolk Pine Name: Araucaria heterophylla
American Mistletoe Name: Phoradendron leucarpum
American Mistletoe Name: Phoradendron leucarpum
* Popular as mini-Christmas trees.
* Mist weekly, bring out a humidifier or set in a pebble tray of water.
* It is a tropical plant, needing direct light and plenty of humidity.
* Given plenty of time and the right conditions, this pine can reach the ceiling of most rooms.
Christmas Tree
Christmas Tree
Christmas Tree
* Christmas tree aromas reign supreme.
* A Christmas Tree is simply a decorated tree.
* It originated in Germany and trees were decorated with apples, candy canes and pastries in the shape of stars, hearts and flowers.
* Add a prickly Balsam, Douglas or Fraser fir to your home.
It will be a treat for your senses.
Christmas Tree
Christmas Tree
Wishing all of you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year in 2023!
Our club members helped some of the residents create a “VALENTINE HEART”.
The hearts had cute net fabric on a wire frame which were decorated with flowers and ornaments.
When the hearts were done the residents enjoyed them in their rooms for Valentine’s Day.
It was a great success to share some LOVE!
Great Job Team!