5. Thanksgiving Cactus

These are sold during the Thanksgiving holiday as well as during the Christmas season, when they are then referred to as Christmas cacti. The leaves are long, flat, and succulent. Pink or magenta flowers are produced at the tip of these thick leaves and they last for a very long time.

4. Oxalis

Seen in stores during St. Patrick’s Day, this plant looks very similar to a bunch of shamrocks. This is also known as False Shamrock. The leaves respond to the amount of light in the room; they close as the light levels begin to drop. Small white flowers appear among the purple leaves during the summertime.

3. Poinsettias

Christmas décor just isn’t complete without one or two Poinsettias placed around the house. The white, pink, or red leaves are often thought to be flowers on these plants. Actually, the flower is placed at the center of this cluster of leaves. They are very small and usually yellow.

2. Easter Lily

This name is usually used for the small white calla lilies sold around the Easter holiday. These can also be found in pink, orange, red, burgundy, and yellow. Full-sun and lots of humidity usually makes these plants happy.

1. Amaryllis

I’ve received quite a few of these for Christmas, but have yet to keep one longer than a couple of years. These are sold during the winter for blooming indoors. They are called Amaryllis, but are actually a Hippeastrum, not an Amaryllis. However, these two are in the same family. These Christmas bulbs produce giant red blooms before going into dormancy.

Do you find yourself buying plants just for the holidays? I think they might last a little longer if I was able to plant them outside. For some reason, I’m very good at killing houseplants, but am perfectly capable of getting yard plants to grow successfully. What are your secrets to keeping these plants alive after the holidays?

Top Photo Credit: Mats W Lundberg