Christmas cheer is alive

FLOWER POWER: GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON

- Alice Spenser-Higgs

There's no need to get tangled up in tinsel or sticky with stars this year. All you need to get into the spirit of the season are some festive indoor plants that are bold, colourful and cheerful.

Who can resist poinsettia with their huge red flowers (actually modified leaves) that fill a room with their presence? Originally from Mexico, the plant has become the traditional Christmas flower worldwide, used for décor and as gifts.

Select the best

With minimal care, healthy poinsettia plants can flower for two to three months or more.

Choose a plant with dark green foliage down to the soil line. The plant should look full, balanced and attractive from all sides. The true flowers are located at the base of the coloured bracts and if they are green or red-tipped and fresh looking the bloom will “hold” longer than if yellow pollen is covering the flowers.