Answers about holiday blooms

Steve Kawaratani

“I hear that in many places something has happened to Christmas; that

it is changing from a time of merriment and carefree gaiety to a

holiday which is filled with obligation to give Christmas presents.”

-- Julia Peterkin

“A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like a

thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.”

-- Garrison Keillor

Now that we have enjoyed the fabulous autumnal skies and are well

into December, I guess it will be OK to write a bit about holiday

plants.

The most ubiquitous of all holiday plants is the poinsettia

(Euphorbia pulcherrima). A native from Mexico, the red flowers we’ve

come to prize are actually modified leaves called bracts. The

inconspicuous yellow portion in the center is the flower itself.

Through the efforts of Paul Ecke, the poinsettia is now available in

a number of different colors.

Poinsettias will probably grow too tall to stay indoors

permanently (they grow leggy to 10 feet and more). I consider them a

useful, albeit old-fashioned garden plant, planted either as a tall

bush or informal hedge.

Don’t expect them, however, to bloom nearly as well as their first

holiday, and grow them only in sunny, frostless areas of Laguna.

Showing that you are planting for the holidays, your questions for

the Plant Man included:

Q: Are Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti the same?

A: No. Thanksgiving cactus has flat joints, blooms reliably in

late November, and its flowers are less symmetrical than those of the

Christmas cactus (which often waits to bloom until the new year).

Q: How do I care for my Christmas cactus after it stops blooming?

A: Allow it to “rest” for 6 weeks by withholding water. When new

growth appears, keep the soil moist.

Q: Do I need to repot my holiday cactus?

A: Probably every two years or whenever its pot is filled

completely with roots. However, many plants thrive without ever being

repotted.

Q: Is Christmas pepper poisonous?

A: No, but the fruit is hot! The fruits of Jerusalem cherry, also

available around the holidays, are poisonous.

Q: My poinsettia from last year has grown but not blossomed? What

happened?

A: One possibility is light the poinsettia is a “short-day” plant,

and if grown in a room with several hours of night-light, it won’t

bloom.

Q: Are the pink and white poinsettias more difficult to grow than

the red ones?

A: The newer hybrids are as easy to grow as the originals!

Q: What type of Christmas tree would you recommend?

A: Only a living one!

Catharine and I decorated a redwood tree last holiday, and watched

it grow five feet over the ensuing year. This year, in a new home,

we’ll celebrate with a lady palm -- perhaps the start of a new

tradition. I couldn’t help but notice that our neighbor’s poinsettia

was in full bloom this week. Their red coloring is the final clincher

that the holidays are upon us. See you next time.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is the owner of Landscapes by Laguna Nursery,

1540 S. Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. He is married to local artist,

Catharine Cooper, and has three cats. He can be reached at (949) 497

2438, or e-mail to plantm@lagunanursery.com.