8 Plants that will make your interiors look more Christmassy

What decorative plants will give the interior a festive atmosphere?

Each of the plants can be a beautiful decoration for our interiors. However, some are characteristic of the festive period and give the rooms a unique atmosphere of that time.

The Monterey Cypress

The Greater Cypress is a coniferous evergreen tree endemic to sunny California. Despite its origin, it works well as a replacement for a Christmas tree. It is gaining popularity primarily among people who are looking for compact solutions. Cypress trees are smaller than a traditional Christmas tree. Its characteristic feature is the color – it has needles with a golden shade, which blend well with Christmas decorations. The needles of the plant give off a slightly citrus aroma that brings to mind the holiday. It is one of the few conifers that can be grown indoors in a pot. However, remember that growing cypress requires some attention. The plant doesn’t like high temperatures. Placing it in a warm room may lead to excessive loss of needles, which we don’t want. Moreover, cypress tolerates excess water better than water shortage. The soil in the pot should always be slightly moist. Once in a while, remember to sprinkle it with water.

Hellebores

Hellebores are also called Christmas roses. They are frost and snow resistant. They were grown only in gardens until recently, but currently, they are often put on window sills. They can also be an element of Christmas bouquets placed on our dinner tables. In Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands, they have been used as Christmas decorations for a long time, while in other countries, they have become popular only recently. This plant often flowers around Christmas, so the British started to call it “Christmas rose”. The most popular variety is the white hellebore with white flowers. Hellebores like low temperatures. If we put them in a hot place (e.g., next to a radiator), they will fade shortly afterward. If you want your Hellebores to look beautiful for a longer time, it is best to give this flower a temperature of around 15 ° C. When the Christmas season is over, or we no longer enjoy their view, we can take them out on a terrace or to a garden.

Star of Bethlehem

The star of Bethlehem, which is also called Poisen, is a plant that comes from Mexico. It’s gaining more and more popularity worldwide as it looks phenomenal, blooms in winter, and you can buy it at an affordable price. Without any doubt, the star of Bethlehem is a plant that will give our interiors a festive atmosphere because of the characteristic red flowers and the leaves that form a star shape. If we want to enjoy it, we must keep the pot constantly moist. It is worth placing it near the window, but away from heat sources (e.g., radiators, fireplaces).

Festive plants that are not only decoration

Some plants – fruit or herbs land on our tables especially (but not only) during Christmas. Not all of them can be grown at home, but each of them is certainly associated with Christmas.

Citrus

The smell of citrus fruits, like tangerines and oranges, is generally associated with Christmas. Juice, rinds, and pulp are an ingredient of many dishes characteristic of this period. Reach for them outside the holiday season because they are a valuable source of vitamin C, strengthening our immunity system in winter.

Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg

Cinnamon is the bark of the cinnamon tree, cloves – buds of clove flowers, nutmeg is the seed of the nutmeg fruit. These spices are commonly used during Chritsmas preparations: cinnamon is mainly used for cakes, desserts, and hot winter drinks (coffee, tea, hot chocolate). Cloves are an inherent element of Christmas compote, mulled wine, or Christmas Eve fruit soup. Nutmeg, in turn, goes well with bean soup and dishes with cheese or eggs.

Photo by Roman Trofimiuk on Unsplash