Holiday Gifts on DoLeaf

While it’s chilly outside and most gardens are in hibernation, it’s a great time to give the gift of green for the holidays. Instead of  giving traditional  holiday plants like poinsettias and amaryllis,  here are a some great options that will surprise and delight your friends and family.

Ruby Rubber Tree

Ruby Ficus has a deep, ruby red glow to the new foliage. The older leaves are a deeper green, splashed irregularly with cream variegation and sometimes still have a hint of red or pink. A striking houseplant that is easy to care for.

Budda Belly Plant

This is a delightful plant with very unusual appearance. The trunk develops its “belly” close to the ground than continues in an ever growing stem. The new leaves at the tip of the stem create a lush green crown where the flower stems develop.  It will bloom year-round and makes a great container plant.

Lenten Roses

Lenten or Christmas Roses  are one of the first plants to bloom in the spring — a welcome sign of warmer days to come after a long winter. They are very hardy and keep their green leaves all through the winter. Blooms can vary in color from a creamy white, to green, to pink, and in some varieties even a dark wine.

Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus is another foolproof house plant which will provide years of reliable annual color. We will choose the nicest available plant in colors ranging from shades of red, pink, white or yellow.

Madagascar Palm

Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamrei) is a stem succulent and comes from Madagascar. It has large thorns and long leaves that sprout mostly just at the top of the plant The plant bears large, fragrant flowers. They are friendly and gregarious and adapt well to captivity being relatively easy to propagate and grow.

Maki Buddhist Pine

Maki Buddhist Pine puts out vibrant chartreuse new growth that contrasts sharply with the deep, solid green of the older foliage. Older specimens can develop some character and have an interesting . They can also be trained as a bonsai specimen.