Alternative Holiday Plants

Poinsettias aside, there are several other beautiful plants that can brighten your home (or a loved one's) during the holidays, such as Christmas cactus, amaryllis, even chili peppers!

Amaryllis will produce large, beautiful white, pink, or red flowers. These shades can also be found in Rieger begonia blooms. This begonia has dark-green leaves and incredibly vibrant flowers.

Gloxinia, a close relative of the African violet, has dark green fuzzy leaves, and large, bell-shaped blooms in reds, purples, and pinks.

For a foliage plant, try Stromanthe 'Triostar.' It has green and white leaves with bold red undersides.

Dress up these and other plants by placing them in festive containers.

UF/IFAS Sites

• An Aromatic Gift
• Hollies for the Holidays
• New Greens for Holiday Giving
• A Palm for Christmas
• Plants for the Holidays
• Showy Amaryllis Comes Inside for the Holidays
• Spread Holiday Cheer with Ivy
• Tropical Anthuriums for Holiday Color

UF/IFAS Publications

• Holiday Holly (PDF)
• Some Holiday Gifts Plants to Give and Receive (PDF)
• Your Miami-Dade Guide to Holiday Plants (PDF)
• Your Miami-Dade Landscape Can Be a Source of Holiday Color (PDF)

Also on Gardening in a Minute

• Amaryllis
• Anthuriums
• Buying Plants as Gifts
• Caring for Holiday Gift Plants
• Christmas Cactus
• Holly
• Mistletoe
• Ornamental Peppers
• Poinsettias
• Stromanthe 'Triostar'

Other Sites

• Amaryllis as an Alternative--University of Vermont Extension
• Beyond Poinsettias: Alternative Holiday Plants--University of Illinois Extension
• Clivia--Chicago Botanic Garden
• Hazardous Holiday Plants--University of Vermont Extension
• Holiday Plants--Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
• Kalanchoe--Clemson (SC) Cooperative Extension
• Ornamental Peppers a Holiday Favorite--Associated Press
• Paperwhite Narcissus--University of Illinois Extension
• Try Some Untraditional Holiday Plants--Houston (TX) Chronicle