A surprising number of different plants have long been involved with making the festive season merry and bright, while others have been embraced in more recent times. Read on to discover our team’s top suggestions for greening up your favourite holiday of the year.
Christmas Trees
In the Northern hemisphere, Fir and Spruce varieties typically reign supreme when it comes to choosing a living Christmas tree. However, in our sunny Southern climates there are other alternatives readily available which also make great feature plants in the garden come January.
Adenanthos sericea Select (Wooly Bush) – A silver, velvet-like shrub with fine, furry-like foliage and small orange flowers from early Summer to Autumn. Originating from the south coast of Western Australia it is also a food source for native birds.
Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) – A formal, pyramid shaped tree with dense foliage. Easily recognisable given it is often planted along Australia’s beaches and coastal parkland.
Cupressus Lemon Scent (Conifer) – A natural cone shaped evergreen with attractive soft lemon-scented foliage which is gold when grown in full sun and lime green when grown in the shade.
Pinus Christmas Star (Pine) – A hardy, fast growing variety with compact form and dark green aromatic leaves.
Thuja occidentalis Smaragd (Green Cedar) – An attractive cone-shaped evergreen with dense bright green glossy foliage which is often used in the making of Christmas wreaths and garlands for its long-lasting fragrance.
Décor and Gifts
The gift of greenlife is a unique holiday present, as it has a dual purpose of both brightening the home or garden of your loved one whilst also giving them something to care for throughout the year that will reward them with displays of colourful flowers or foliage.
Petunia Candy Cane – A unique bi-coloured flowering variety, with large bright red and prominent white striped blooms with a compact mounding habit.
Petunia Kris Kringle – A festive mix between Petunia dreams red and Petunia dreams white. A low growing annual with large bright red and white flowers through Spring and Summer.
Aloe Christmas Carol – A small, slow-growing succulent, with long deep green leaves that have vibrant raised dark red markings and reddish pink flowers from late Spring to early Summer.
Contemporary Alternatives
Metrosideros excelsa (or in Māori pōhutukawa) – A hardy spreading plant, known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree for its brilliant display of red pompom-like flowers against leathery green foliage.
Pear Tree – Speaks for itself as a gift! Give your friends and loved ones “a partridge in a pear tree” without the partridge but year upon year of delicious fruit. Deciduous varieties bear delicate spring blossoms and pears which can be eaten, cooked or preserved.
Rosemary – An edible plant with fresh piney fragrance that can be sheared into a topiary or pyramidal shape to mimic a Christmas Tree. It’s foliage then serves another purpose by flavouring your Christmas roast!