Evening star., 1947-12-21
|CO1Orful Plants
May BeGrown
For Christmas
By w. n. Younomon

poinsettia, with its tiny yellow flow
ers surrounded by snowy red bracts.
In spite of its susceptibility to loss
of foliage due to over-watering or
to sudden changes OF temperature,
we all like it for its bright Christ
masy colors. (There are pink and
white fowered poinsettias, but they
are grown only to limited extent.)
Poinsettias require warm room,
above 60 degrees, and a situation
that is protected from drafts. A
few chilling drafts from an opened
door and the plants begin to lose
their leaves. Over-watering is an
other cause of defoliation, but this
is easily overcome with care.
It seldom pays to keep a plant
over from one season to the next
because of the difficulty in handling.
With a suitable situation-a sunny
window protected from sudden
changes in temperature-they may
be kept growing until the flower
bracts drop. Then dry them\of and
rest them in a warm place for three
or four months, but do not keep so
dry that the stems wither. When
they have rested the plants should
be cut back and brought into a
warm, sunny room and given water
and plant food. In May the pot,
may be set out of doors in warm,
sunny situation where it may make
strong growth. Even with this care
the plants do not always bloom the
second year. For most people q
new plant each year is preferred to
the work and possible disappoint-
ment of growing this Christmas
flower.
Cyclamen Also Pretty.
Besides the poinsettia there are
several other worth while flowers
for the Christmas season. some OF
them easier to grow. The cycla-
men is fully as snowy, with It's red
petals sharply reflexed and appear
ing above the green. heart-shaped
leaves, which have grayish cast
due to the white markings along
the veins. There are lovely pink.
white and combinations Of colored
flowers as we'll as varying forms OF
petals for those who wish to grow
something different. "
The cyclamen may be raised from
seed or corms, although the flow
ers of the latter do not compare
too favorably with those from seed.
For the home it is better to pur-
chase plants each season than to
grow your own since there are a
number of diseases and insect pests
that make this practice rather diff
cult for the inexperienced grower.
Cyclamen do best in a cooler sit
uation than that required by the
poinsettia. A night temperature
of near so degrees and not much
over 60 degrees in the daytime is
essential if they are to have the
long Towering period which is pos
sible with them. Watering is a
difficult problem that is best met
by placing the pot in pan of wa
ter so as to keep the foliage and
the surface soil almost dry.
A third plant that is fairly COM
mon in this area is the Jerusalem
or Christmas cherry. This snowy
little plant with its bright red or
orange fruits is attractive. How
ever, 1t has its problems, being very
susceptible to gas fumes and drafts.
Like the cyclamen, the Jerusalem
cherry does best in cool situation.
CLo,,Id Ne prv,rAd
The Jerusalem cherry may be
raised from seed (sown in Febru-
ary) and the plants may be held
over for a second or third year of
use. After the winter season Is past
the plants should be pruned, cut
ting the branches back to 2 or 3
inch stubs. AS soon as warm wealth
er is settled the potted plants may
be set out in the garden in a shell
tered spot, where they will grow
into large, snowy specimens. Addi-
tioral plants may be started rather
easily from the prunings.
Among the more unusual Christ
mas season plants are the Christ
mas CMeloir) begonia, the pepper
plant, and the Otaheite orange.
The Christmas begonia is lovely
plant that belongs to the tuberous-
rooted group which has received SO
much attention in recent years.
They begin Towering in November
and carry. on into January. They
are almost as snowy as the sum-
mer Towering types, and are avail
able in single, semidouble and dou-
BILE forms in several named varieties.
The corms are normally planted
in May for the winter Towering
season, although this lovely plant
may be raised from seed sown In
November or December of the pre-
vious year. The begonias do best
in partially shaded situation and
during the winter season prefer
cool night temperature and moist
atmosphere. The latter is the most
difncult condition to meet in the
average home. The corms will last
for several years ana new plants
may be raised from leaf cuttings.
Plant Has Bright Fruit.
The pepper plant can be used in
place of the Jerusalem cherry since
there is not g. great deal of differ
ence in appearance of the bushy
plants with their bright red fruit.