Flowers are strongly associated with the celebration of Christmas. Flowers like Poinsettias, Christmas Cactus, Holly, Christmas Rose, Ivy, Amaryllis and Mistletoe symbolize the joy and spirit of christmas. Links to more articles in this section are at the bottom of this page. Poinsettia The ancient Aztecs valued the Poinsettia as a symbol of purity. Centuries later, Mexico's early Christians adopted the Poinsettia as their prized Christmas Eve flower.
The bright red Mexican Poinsettia, best known as the Christmas Flower in North America, but also called the Lobster Flower, Flower of the Holy Night, or Mexican Flame Leaf in some areas, is most often used in Christmas decorations, because its blooming season coincides with the Christmas holiday season, and the original red fits in with the Christmas color scheme. Today, poinsettias come in cream, white, lemon, peach, pink, blue, and variegated colors, and with white- and gold-splashed leaves, but the deep red remains by far the favorite.
Poinsettia's botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima, means "the most beautiful Euphorbia". Some say the Christmas Poinsettia flowers have become a symbol of Christmas and are used in Christmas holiday decorating because the star-shaped bracts symbolize the Star of Bethlehem.
A Mexican legend explains how Poinsettias came to be associated with Christmas. Apparently, a child who could not afford a gift to offer to Christ on Christmas Eve picked some weeds from the side of a road. The child was told that a humble gift, if given in love, would be acceptable in God's eyes.
When brought into the church, the weeds bloomed into red and green flowers and the congregation felt that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle. This is how the Poinsettia became the Christmas Flower.
Christmas Cactus Christmas Cactus, also known as the Orchid Cactus, makes a great Christmas gift idea. It's bright and cheerful when in full bloom, and low maintenance the rest of the year. The layered stems of the Christmas cactus make it a great choice for hanging baskets during the holiday season. The color of the Christmas cactus blooms are very flamboyant and will make a bright spot in any room. The Holiday CactiThere are three common flowering cactus plants that are sold during holiday seasons which look similar, but vary in their blooming seasons and are different species of cacti (the plural of cactus).
Christmas CactusThe Christmas cactus scientific name is Schlumbergera bridgessii. The Christmas Cactus has pointed lobed leaves and are given from Thanksgiving to Christmas. These are also called True Cacti.
Thanksgiving CactusThe Thanksgiving Cactus is Schlumbergera truncatus. These cacti are also called Crab or Yoke Cactus. They are available from early fall through christmas.
Easter CactusThe latin name for the easter cactus is Rhipsalidopsis gaertnerii. These cactus flowers have wider rounded leaves and may bloom from Christmas to Easter.
Christmas Rose The Christmas Rose is regarded as a true Christmas flower. Christmas Rose (Serissa) is also known as the Snow Rose or Winter Rose.
While a variety of plants over time have come to be called “Christmas Rose”, they all are steeped in a legend that dates back centuries. According to legends dating back to the 15th century, the Christmas flower is linked with the birth of Christ and a modest shepherd maiden named Madelon.
As Madelon tended her sheep one cold and wintry night, wise men and other shepherds passed by the snow-covered field with their gifts for the Christ Child. The wise men carried the rich gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense and the shepherds, fruits, honey and doves. Poor Madelon began to weep at the thought of having nothing to offer, not even a simple flower for the Newborn King, as she was very poor indeed. And as she stood there weeping, a passing angel saw her sorrow, and stooping down he brushed aside the snow at her feet revealing a most beautiful white flower tipped with pink - the Christmas Rose.
Deck the Halls with Holly We all know that Christmas Holly (Ilex aquifolium L.) brings yueltide cheer. Using holly as a Christmas decoration is said to be derived from a custom observed by the Romans of sending boughs, accompanied by other gifts, to their friends during the festival of the Saturnalia, a custom the early Christians adopted.
Christmas Holly is also called Hulver Bush, Holm, Hulm, Holme Chase, Holy Tree, and Christ's Thorn. An old legend declares that the Holly first sprang up under the footsteps of Christ, when He trod the earth, and its thorny leaves and scarlet berries, like drops of blood, have been thought symbolical of the Saviour's sufferings, for which reason the tree is called 'Christ's Thorn' in the languages of the northern countries of Europe.
Pliny describes Holly under the name of Aquifolius, which means needle leaf. Pliny tells us that planting Holly near a house repelled poison, and defended it from lightning and witchcraft, that the flowers cause water to freeze, and that the wood, if thrown at any animal, even without touching it, had the property of compelling the animal to return and lie down by it.
It is also well known to rabbit-breeders that a Holly-stick placed in a hutch for the rabbits to gnaw, will act as a tonic, and restore their appetite.
German legends said if families brought smooth, thornless holly indoors for Christmas, the wife would rule the household in the coming year. The husband would rule if the leaves were thorny.
Christmas Ivy Ivy is associated with Bacchus the Roman god (he of "Bacchanalian pleasures" - drinking mainly) and is therefore thought to bring good luck, fun and ecstatic happiness! Growing the plant on the outside walls of a house is believed to be a strong deterrent against misfortune, but if a house plant dies then financial strains may be approaching.
Ivy is generally considered to be bad luck if brought into the house or if given as a gift at any time of the year other than Christmas. Even then it must be brought in or given along with holly which is powerful enough to counter any negative influence that the ivy may have. Used together, holly and ivy are regarded as symbols of friendship.
If a man places one of ten leaves gathered on the 31st of October (Halloween) under his pillow it is thought he will dream of his future bride. Women are advised to recite the following once they have collected the leaves "Ivy, ivy, I love you, In my bosom I put you, The first young man who speaks to me, My future husband he shall be".
Ivy’s tradition as a Christmas plant is mainly in England and has not widely carried over to the United States, but the plant itself (Hedera helix) has become a common houseplant and garden groundcover, but is considered a noxious weed in many parts of the US because of it's rampant spreading ability.
Holly and ivy have been used together to create kissing balls to substitute for mistletoe when it was thought to be too evil for use as Christmas décor. It was considered to be bad luck if there was more ivy than holly in the ball, though. Later mistletoe was added back into the mix.
Mistletoe The mistletoe (Viscum album) is an evergreen parasitic plant found on trees that was once thought to be magical because it had no visible roots. The Druids worshipped mistletoe as a magical healer and harvested it with golden sickles.
Its use dates back to pre-Christianity in Europe where the Celts used it to decorate their homes to celebrate the coming of winter. It was regarded as bestowing future hope and peace to any who passed under it.
Early Christians condemned mistletoe as evil and pagan. But that didn't stop the custom of kissing under the mistletoe from becoming a Christmas ritual — a holy kiss of peace and pardon, passed by priests throughout the congregation. Later, this custom evolved into stealing a kiss from anyone found standing under the mistletoe. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe caught on in England long before it became popular in Puritan America. In those days, this was considered lurid behaviour, so there were rules to keep this custom to a minimum. A man could kiss a woman under the mistletoe if he picked a berry each time he puckered up. Once all of the berries were gone, the kissing stopped. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe didn't make it to the Americas until the beginning of the next century.
 The leaves and especially the berries, however, are toxic to humans and pets.
AmaryllisThe brilliantly-colored Christmas amaryllis, hardiest of all amaryllis, is cousin to the Century plant. It's also called the Christmas Star, Horse Star Lily, and St. Joseph's Lily. The bulbs marketed at Amaryllis are usually Hippeastrum, not a true Amaryllis.
Discovered growing wild in the summer heat of South Africa, the amaryllis was carried by early botanists to England. The next winter--when it was its normal blooming time in South Africa--the bulb burst into bloom in London on Christmas Day.
The flower stalk grows to about 18 inches in height in a 4 to 6 week period. Several flowers, each up to 8 inches across, can develop from each bulb. Best of all, the plant needs little care. The bulbs are planted when you purchase them. Just water and enjoy. There are more than 80 species and 165 cultivars of this plant.
Due to the number of flowers and scapes developing, the bloom time is extended often for up to 2 weeks. Combined with the ease with which you can force this bulb into flowering, it makes the perfect holiday plant.
A flower takes about 18 months from initiating until flowering. This means that in fall there are actually two sets of flowers inside the bulb. The flowers which will appear next have been produced 18 months earlier. Inside the bulb is also the most current flowers formed during its most current growing period, which will only grow and bloom next year. If for some reason, the plant should fail to flower one year, do not discard the bulb. Keep it for at least one more season.
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