Tidewater Gardening - Holiday Herbs & Plants: K. Marc Teff eau

TIDEWATER GARDENING

by K. Marc Teffeau, Ph.D.

Holiday Herbs and Plants

With the majority of our outdoor gardening activities completed for the year, our interests turn to being inside and the plant “opportunities” that the gardener might have indoors. Have you considered an indoor herb garden? Several herbs that were in your outside herb garden can be kept indoors for use in the kitchen this winter.

For example, if you grew lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in the flower garden this past summer you may be enjoying the sweet scents of dried bouquets now. Fragrance is not the only nice feature

of this flower, however, as it is also used for color in potpourri. Some people occasionally use it sparingly to flavor teas and meats. Lavender is a perennial that traditionally will not bloom the first year from seed. There is one variety, however, Lady English Lavender, that can be grown from seed and will consistently flower the first year.

Tender lavender varieties do best in winter window gardens. They perform well in pots placed near sunny windows. Use a welldrained potting media, such as peat moss and perlite in equal amounts, with one tablespoon of lime added per 6-inch pot. Lavender cannot tolerate acidity below pH 6.5 or above pH 8.5.

Allow the soil to dry between waterings so the roots of the lavender will not rot. During the winter, fertilize monthly with a weak solution of a liquid houseplant fertilizer. Overcrowded roots can cause potted herbs to turn brown on the leaf tips. If you see these signs, replant in a pot one or two sizes larger.

Rosemary is another herb that can be grown indoors during the

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winter. This herb has a long holiday tradition in Europe, where it is used as a Christmas evergreen. Topiary rosemary in the form of a wreath or a tree is an excellent holiday plant to give or receive. The topiaries a little extra care to maintain their shape and health. Leave the supporting wires for the wreath or topiary in place. For a standard form with single, bare stems, you occasionally will have to loosen the ties that hold the stem to its support. The stem will not change in height but will increase in diameter. Both the head of the standard and the body of the wreath need to be shaped periodically, so clip new growth for cooking or drying. Clipping will enhance branching, and you’ll have a fuller topiary.

Rosemary does best in a sunny southern window. Allow this plant to dry between waterings, almost to the point of wilting. It is extremely sensitive to excess watering. If leaf tips or whole leaves turn brown and fall off, the plant has too much water. Rosemary does not require high humidity, either.

A discussion about holiday plants is missing a major player if we don’t talk about poinsettias. Today, the poinsettia is our most popular Christmas flower. Plant

breeders have developed a number of assorted colors to add to the traditional red. White, pinks, white/pink combination, salmon and even a yellow poinsettia are being grown and sold. The success and popularity of the poinsettia as a holiday flower wasn’t always the case, however.

The poinsettia isn’t, as some believe, a native of the Holy Land, but grows wild as a shrub in Central America up through Florida. Poinsettias were introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, our first ambassador to Mexico. The name “poinsettia” is in his honor. Poinsett sent plant home to his own conservatory in South Carolina, and he sent some to his daughter in Philadelphia.

The poinsettia was first propagated and sold in this country by Robert Buist, one of Philadelphia’s early nurserymen. By the late 1800s, the plants were being grown by florists for Christmas,

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but they were still a rarity at the turn of the century.

The early poinsettias were “contrary” plants and difficult to grow, dropping their leaves at any change in the environment. In fact, florists used to plant ferns with them so that when the leaves fell off the poinsettias their stems wouldn’t look so bare.

The first improvement in the florist’s poinsettia was the variety called “Oakleaf,” reported to have been developed in New Jersey in 1923. Development of this exotic plant has continued, and today’s poinsettias are a vast improvement over those of only a few years ago. They are vigorous growers, produce multiple blooms and hold their leaves, and their flowers last long after Christmas.

The flower of the poinsettia is an example of the great versatility of nature. The red “petals” are really leaves or bracts. They are green at first and then turn red as the real flowers develop. The true flowers are inside the knob-like bumps in the center. Each of these bumps ~ called a cyathium ~ contains a

single female flower surrounded by a cluster of male flowers. Each cyathium also has a prominent yellow gland that produces nectar. This combination of nectar and the surrounding brilliant red bracts is an irresistible attractant for insect pollinators in nature.

They are often included in lists of dangerous houseplants, but toxicity research done at Ohio State University a number of years ago determined that this is not the case. Christmas poinsettia, make sure that it doesn’t dry out. But, at the same time, don’t keep it sitting in water. Each day, test the soil for proper moisture content by inserting your finger in the soil an inch or two along the side of the pot. While the poinsettia is in flower, it requires a considerable amount of water. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet.

Poinsettias, like people, don’t like drafts. Keep them away from

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an outside door where they will receive a blast of chilly air each time the door is open. Also keep the plant away from hot air vents. Since the poinsettia is a warmweather plant, it is important that the room temperature be kept at 70 to 75 degrees. Keep the plant in bright, indirect sunlight, but don’t place it in a sunny window for more than a few hours a day.

Have you ever thought of poinsettias as cut flowers? They can be used in cut flower arrangement if they have been treated properly. As soon as one-half of the small yellow flowers in the center of the colorful bracts have opened, cut the stems to a desired length. After cutting the stem, you will notice white latex oozing from the latex tubes and quickly covering the end of the stems. To present further loss of the latter and to prolong the vase life of the flower, dip the cut ends of the stems into boiling water two inches deep.

The boiling water coagulates the latex in the tubes and forces out any that may have been pulled into the base of the water-conducting cells. When this treatment is not given, the latex plugs the water conducting tissues, causing the flowers to wilt soon after cutting. In addition to coagulating the latex, searing permits water to be absorbed through the sides of the stem, increasing its efficiency.

One final note on poinsettias:

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they are not poisonous. They are often included in lists of dangerous houseplants, but toxicity research done at Ohio State University a number of years ago determined that this is not the case.

Numerous other plants join poinsettias in the role of “holiday plants,” and many are available at florist shops, garden centers, supermarkets and greenhouses for the Christmas season. For example, consider the amaryllis. This flower can be bought in any stage of growth, from a single bulb all the way to the semi-opened or “puffy bud” stage. If you purchase one, be sure that one-third of the bulb is above the soil line in the pot. Place this bulb in a sunny, warm location and watch the leaves unfold and the flower stem stretch. Keep the growing medium that the bulb is in on the dry side ~ don’t overwater it.

Since the amaryllis is a tropical plant, keep the room temperatures above 60 degrees and in high intensity light. If the plant does not receive enough light, its leaves and flower stem will stretch or elongate too much and fall over. It takes an average of four weeks from the time the bulb is planted until it flowers. When you see the first flower bud begin to swell and turn color, it will only be another day or two until it opens completely. The larger the circumference of the bulb, the more flowers you will get. Larger bulb sizes (10 inches or more in circumference) will give you at least four flowers. Amaryllis flower colors range from white and pink to orange.

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The kalanchoe is another holiday plant that is tough and can endure in our homes for a couple of months during the winter. If you compare the leaves of the kalanchoe to the common jade plant, you will notice a resemblance. They both have thick, firm, fleshy leaves. However, the kalanchoe’s are more flattened and tightly packed than the jade plant’s.

The kalanchoe likes it hot and dry. If you need a plant that can take being in a hot room (like where the wood stove is located) or drafts from the nearby radiator or heat vent, this plant will do well. You can even forget to water it sometimes, though flowering will be reduced if you do.

When choosing your kalanchoe, look for a minimum of two to three flower clusters on a four-inch plant and four or five on a six-inch plant. Make sure that the plant has lots of color and few or no dead flowers.

If you or someone you know likes begonias, consider getting a Rieger begonia. They look remarkably like the garden tuberous begonias. Riegers are relatively tolerant of sun exposure and temperature. They do prefer a slightly moist, but not sopping wet media to grow in. Single and double flowers can be found on the same plant. The measure of a high-quality plant will be one that is at least half covered with flowers.

African violets are always popular as a holiday gift plant. Have you considered purchasing a close relative ~ the Gloxinia? They are large, low-growing and spreading plants with small, trumpet-shaped flowers. You can treat gloxinias like African violets. Avoid intense direct sunlight, and water them from the bottom of the pot with warm water. Never water African violets or gloxinias from the top of the pot, as this will encourage stem rot in the plant. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, and avoid cold and hot drafts Look for plants that have at least three to five open flowers and at least that many more buds growing in the center of the plant.

A six-inch gloxinia will have a dozen or more buds and will continue to flower for three to four weeks if properly cared for. If you allow the plant to dry out or keep it in a room that is too dark, the flower buds will fall off. Gloxinias come

in a wide range of flower colors, including whites, purples, pinks and bicolor.

Colorful fruiting plants are also popular holiday plants. Ornamental cherries and peppers display vivid yellows, reds and oranges as fruit colors. These plants prefer a sunny location and even soil moisture. They will flower and retain their fruit longer than many other holiday plants. Depending on the species, they can be potentially poisonous, so don’t garnish your Christmas or New Year’s salad with the fruit from these plants.

Whether you buy a flowering plant, a fruiting plant or an herb for a holiday present, buy the freshest plant possible. Avoid extremes in temperature and light when locating them in the house. If, when taking the plant home, the outside temperature is less than 45 degrees, have the plant sleeved to protect it. If possible, buy these plants last on your shopping trip. Do not leave them in a cold car while you continue to shop. Only an hour or so of exposure to cold temperatures can result in leaf and blossom drop. Happy Gardening and Happy Holidays!

Marc Teffeau retired as Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs at the American Nursery and Landscape Association in Washington, D.C. He now lives in Georgia with his wife, Linda.

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