5 Most Popular Christmas Flowers and Greens
Christmas is coming!
In the Philippines, this is perhaps the merriest time of the year. People are busy celebrating, eating, and having a good bond with family and friends. And when we say merriest time, we mean a long time of celebration and fun!
As the BER months hit the calendar, we start decorating our houses with lights, parols, posters and different images of Christmas like Santa Claus, reindeer, gifts, Christmas trees, and of course different flowers and greens!
Speaking of flowers and greens, we would love to share with you these popular flowers we can’t (and won’t!) miss during Christmas season.
1. Poinsettia
Folks, our favorite Christmas plant, poinsettia. And “plant”, yes, because what we thought was poinsettia’s flower, the bright red parts, are actually colored bracts or modified leaves! Poinsettias are also called lobster flower due to its color. In addition to that, did you know there are about 100 varieties of poinsettias in white, pink, burgundy and traditional red color?
2. Mistletoe
Mistletoe comes from the Anglo- Saxon words mistle which means dung and tan which means twig, this makes dung twig referring to the plant’s seed dispersal through bird droppings. But just how sweet and romantic our association of mistletoe to Christmas is how surprising it is that it actually is a semi- parasitic plant. This means mistletoe gets its nutrients by penetrating into branches and roots of other plants! And to add to your surprise, did you know mistletoe branches were hanged in doors in the middle ages to ward off ghosts and witches? Now that is a trivia.
3. Amaryllis
There’s a bitter sweet story behind this flower that roots from the Greek Mythology. It tells the story of a maiden named Amaryllis who pierced her heart with a golden arrow as she visited the cottage of her love, Alteo. Along the way, Amaryllis shed blood where on the thirtieth day of visiting, stunning scarlet flowers bloomed. In Greek, Amaryllis means sparkle and we couldn’t think of a more deserving name for this story.
4. American Holly
Presenting one of the most popular ornamental winter displays. We see it in malls, houses, streets, restaurants whenever the season is coming. Why not? Its bright red fruits and rich green foliage have become a symbol of Christmas cheer. A bit of trivia, this plant is said to be late American President George Washington’s favorite.
5. Christmas Cactus
Not all cactus are for abundant heat- just like this one. Christmas cacti thrive in cool temperature and should be kept away from direct heat. But if you think uniqueness ends there, you’re missing it. As much as we humans do, Christmas cacti need beauty sleep too! According to Networx, this plant needs 14 hours of darkness a day for its flower buds to set. Isn’t that amazing?
With all that, do you think you’re going to see these flowers the same way again during Christmas?
