Winter Wisdom

Brought to you in cooperation with the Kansas State University Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners.   Each week we feature interesting topics for winter reading.

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Week of 12/9/02

If you have been outstandingly good this year, someone, maybe even a family member, may be thoughtful enough to brighten your home during the holidays with one of the plants which have been associated over the years with Christmastide.

In recent years, the Poinsettia, which had practically become synonymous with the winter holidays, has given ground to other favorites, namely Christmas Cactus and Amaryllis.

By now, I’m sure that everyone has heard that the Poinsettia was named for the first United States ambassador to Mexico, Joel R. Poinsette of South Carolina, who introduced the plant to his friends in Charleston in 1833.  Our family decided years ago to enjoy Poinsettias and not worry about carrying them over for another year.  This has simplified life considerably and removed the anxiety that used to surround receiving one as a gift!

Many prefer Christmas Cactus which offers a wide range of colors and exotic-shaped blooms.  Like many succulents, they usually grow and flourish as houseplants when their light and moisture requirements are met, and they are allowed a period of rest following their blooming.  (Incidentally, the Poinsettia is botanically a Euphorbia which is disclosed by its milky sap and the bract-flower form of its blooms.  It also hints at its need for high light and modest amounts of moisture.)

The name Christmas Cactus is applied to two quite different cacti genera, to both Zygocactus truncatus and Schlumbergera gaertneri.  The former, Zygocactus, take their name from the shape of their flattened stem joints.  Zygos is the Greek word for yoke, as in oxen.  Schlumbergera is named for Frederick Schlumberger, a 19th century French horticulturist. One visible difference between the two genera lies in the shape of the flower.  Zygocactus flowers are elongated, irregular and tubular, while Schlumbergera are more regular in shape, resembling a ray flower like a daisy.  Generally speaking, they tend to bloom later, prompting them to be called Easter Cactus.  They are somewhat more difficult to find commercially, and they are often mislabeled or displayed with Zygocactus.  The margins of the flat leaf-like segments are scalloped in Schlumbergera, whereas those of Zygocactus have pointed projections at the joints.

The flower we call Amaryllis, is another indoor plant gaining in popularity at this time of the year.  It is actually a Hippeastrum hybrid rather than an Amaryllis. True Amaryllis are seldom available commercially.  They have solid rather than hollow stalks, and in nature bloom early in the fall.  Their blossoms are significantly smaller than those of the Hippeastrum hybrids which they superficially resemble. The true Amaryllis is often known as the Belladonna Lily.  The Hippeastrum takes its name from Greek, hippos, horse. Someone with an active imagination thought that the silhouette of the sprouting bulb with its pair of long strap-shaped leaves looked like a horse’s head.  At one time, growers seem to have vied with one another to grow the tallest bloom stalk, some reaching three feet or more in height. Now it seems they are competing to see who can produce dwarf hybrids with two-foot stalks.  These are quite attractive, come in a wide range of colors, and are decidedly more stable in the pot than the top-heavy giants.

When looking for indoor color, don’t overlook the many attractive houseplants that are now available on the market.  We tend to think primarily of the tender bulbs that produce exotic lilies and fragrant tropicals.  The popularity of bulbous plants is based not only on the beauty of their flowers and foliage, but on the fact that, with appropriate care, particularly following their flowering period, they may be carried over from one year to the next.

For an even greater range of sizes and varieties, look for forced bulbs like crocus, narcissus or hyacinths, or better yet, start earlier next year and force your own.  Contact your County Extension or Outreach service for information and publications on forcing bulbs.

Articles submitted by Bill Latimer, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Assistant and Dennis Patton, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent.

2001 - 2002 Winter Wisdom Archive
2000 - 2001 Winter Wisdom Archive

* Winter Wisdom is an information service of the Kansas State Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners.  Research-based responses are provided by Extension Master Gardener volunteers weekdays from March 1 through October 31, from 9:00 am to 4:30pm .  To telephone, call (913) 764-6306 or visit the Extension Office at 13480 South Arapaho Drive, Olathe, Kansas.  Visit their website at www.oznet.ksu.edu/Johnson 

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