There are few things so at-home during the holidays as poinsettias. These bright red (or white!) flowers with rich green foliage are popular during the holiday season and you can find them just about anywhere. They add visual interest to people’s environments, are easy to find, and generally affordable too, lending to their popularity.
However, as popular and pretty as these plants are, they are also toxic to pets and small children. If you have either at home, you may worry about them ingesting these plants and might be looking for non-toxic alternatives.
Keep reading for our recommendations!
1. Christmas Cactus. True to their name, Christmas cacti only bloom at or around Christmas time. Each year they produce beautiful and unique blooms so that you can add some festive color to your home for the holidays. They are low maintenance and only require repotting once a year after they bloom, in order to keep the blooms coming back.
2. Thanksgiving Cactus. Just as Christmas Cacti do, Thanksgiving cacti only bloom around Thanksgiving time. This is not a true cactus, but don’t let that deter you from bringing one home to add some color to your environment! They are attractive plants, often given as gifts around the holidays, but they are also easy to propagate from stem cuttings. Their blooms last from 2-4 months and have an easy-going nature that makes them forgiving to care discrepancies, and easy to maintain. For them to bloom, they require cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours. Contrary to other cacti, these plants are tropical and they need more regular watering than other cactuses. Don’t let them dry out!
3. Phalaenopsis Orchid. Who doesn’t love orchids? These beautiful exotic flowers are popular for many reasons- they are easy to care for, come in a stunning variety of colors, and you can find them just about anywhere. If your orchid drops its blooms, and looks dead, DON’T throw it out or compost it, as they have different phases of their growth and bloom cycle where they may go dormant for a time before blooming again. All they need to thrive is bright sunlight, well-draining, loose soil, coconut coir and bark, to be watered once a week and fertilized periodically to encourage new growth and blooms.
4. Bromeliad. These flowers resemble almost a firework shape for a bright pop of color in your home during the winter months. These unique flowers are considered air plants, as they tend to grow on top of other things such as rocks or trees in the wild. They come in a variety of colors and tend to be spiky and have a unique way to grow. They are indoor plants in our growing zone (7a-7b) and require bright light to thrive. They do not need deep pots or thick potting soils, but prefer shallow pots and low soil mediums such as orchid mix or a blend of sphagnum moss, bark and organic amendments. They also need high humidity which can be achieved through misting and setting the plant atop of a gravel-lined tray.
5. Polka-Dot Plant. The plant gets its name from the fact that its leaves appear to have polka dots on them. They come in a few different colors, such as white, red or pink, and are pretty low maintenance. They are not a flowering plant, but offer vibrant green and speckled foliage to add some simple visual interest to your home. They need well-draining soil and require deep watering to avoid too much or too little moisture.