Christmas Classics: Top Picks for Popular Christmas Flowers and Plants
Want fresh flowers and plants in your home this holiday season? Here’s a list of Cedarhouse favorites to help celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, The Winter Solstice, the New Year, or any reason you may have to throw a party and sip glogg.
Seasonal Wreaths and Greens for Christmas
Cedarhouse specializes in locally grown, harvested, and crafted seasonal greens and wreaths. Local crafters and farmers are busy pruning their fir, eucalyptus, red ilex, and cedar trees to create gorgeous, lush wreaths and swags. Make your home cozy and guest-ready or gorgeous for a quiet winter night in front of the fire (insert sound of crackling embers and your partners smoldering good looks). Cedarhouse curates the happiest holidays! Stop by, pick out a perfect wreath for your door or swag for your mantel and we would love to dress it in a gorgeous bow!
Cyclamen
Back in the 90’s when I was first introduced to cyclamen, I liked them – I mean they were all right. This year – we’re just crazy about them, what can I say, tastes change! The perfect gift, cyclamen love a cool spot and need to be kept moist. They are a fabulous gift here in the Pacific Northwest and would love a spot on the front porch or back patio. They come in the brightest whites, pinks, fushia and reds. We love them in a simple white ceramic pot, but you can choose something special from our wide selection of pots and planters.
Amaryllis
Amaryllis is a gorgeous holiday tradition. They are bold and bright and great entertainment. This large brown bulb is a real show-off in a matter of weeks it will produce a very tall (ok I’ll say it, phallic) stem that produces a very large, very bright bloom (insert Bonnie Raitte’s “Lets Given Something To Talk About”). They are the perfect gift and wonderous to experience as they seem to grow inches by the day. Gift or bring your amaryllis home in early December and delight on Christmas when it bursts into full bloom and glory! Pro-tip: After the holidays and after your bulb has done the job, store it in a paper bag- place it in a cool, dark, and dry spot and repot it next year. Here is the guide on how you can repot Amaryllis.
Cymbidium Orchids
At Cedarhouse Flowers we love cymbidium orchids all year round. But during the holidays they are an absolute favorite! Beloved for their simplicity and sophistication, cymbidiums are also admired for the feeling of extravagance they inspire. We love a tall simple vase, a bow of evergreen and red birch to compliment a hearty, chunky and exotic stem of cymbidium orchids. The simplicity cannot be exaggerated- neither can the impact a vase of cymbidium has on a room. At Cedarhouse we also use the blooms individually in arrangements as they are long-lasting and add gorgeous texture and detail to our lush designs. While cymbidium orchids can be pricey their value is undeniable- with just a little attention a cymbidium stem will last a month. Give it a fresh cut every couple of days, change the water and your cymbidium will last and last and last.
Red Roses, White Roses and Deep Pink Roses for the Christmas
At Cedarhouse Flowers, we love tradition, and we love all the orders we receive for a dozen red roses. But the little elf on our shoulder will always ask, how do we make a dozen red contemporary? Different? How can we bend the rules??? Before every arrangement leaves the shop we have a second designer take another look at it – their job is to make sure it has that something special, that sparkle, the element that makes it hum and vibrate (ok- bout to get high falootin…) the element that makes it sing! A predictable arrangement is a failed arrangement. “A dozen red roses” has such a strong history and symbology that we insist on challenging the image in our head and keep it new and innovative by using unexpected details like maidenhair fern, green hydrangea, queen Anne’s lace (instead of babies breath), local blue boy eucalyptus and weird pods. Hot Pink Queen Berry roses can be a fun alternative for the holidays – in a warmly lit, candlelit room you’ll swear you’re looking at red roses but the simple choice to swap a deep pink for red rose is unexpected and a fresh, sexy twist.
Christmas Cactus
My mother LOVES her Christmas Cactus and swears by its calendar. Like clockwork every November, little pink buds begin to form. By the time I arrive on December 24th, tired and fingers callused from de-thorning thousands of roses and wiring Christmas wreath bows, it is bursting with color and cheer. A Christmas cactus is a fabulous gift that keeps giving, year after year. Their blooms are long-lasting and come in gorgeous reds, oranges, lilac, and white. They are relatively easy to care for and with proper attention will have no problem surviving until next year. Offer them bright indirect light and let them dry out a little between watering – not like a true cactus – but do let them dry out a little bit. A Christmas Cactus would love an east-facing window. Plan to water it every 2-3 weeks depending on how warm you keep your home. Christmas Cacti are a fabulous, traditional gift to bring your host.
Poinsettia
Tips on caring for your Poinsettia:
Check the soil before you purchase your poinsettia, the soil should not be dry or soaking wet. Make sure it’s moist to the touch.
Poinsettia are sensitive to temperature. Make sure it’s wrapped up in paper before you leave the shop, they do NOT appreciate the exposure to cold temps as you make your way home to your cozy abode.
Poinsettia prefers room temperature water (who knew!?!)
Poinsettia prefers humidity, if you’ve got central heating blasting in the room you may want to mist yours.
They enjoy bright indirect light and I know many folks get them to last year-round!