While white pine roping, fir wreaths and boughs of holly celebrate the holidays with green color and outdoor fragrance, flowering houseplants have their rightful place in holiday decorations.

Grocery stores, nurseries and floral shops are awash in red, pink and white flowers from popular holiday houseplants such as poinsettias, Christmas cacti and cyclamen. These three plants require the same draft-free indoor conditions, including moist soil and bright, indirect light. Also, they are relatively disease-free and, with care and attention, last well beyond the holiday season.

Poinsettias (euphorbia pulcherrima) are commercially produced in the United States. Native to Mexico, poinsettias are grown for the Christmas holiday season. Each year, new varieties are hybridized, resulting in colors from vibrant to muted as well as unusual leaf shapes. The colored parts of the poinsettia are not technically the flowers but are bracts (modified leaves). The poinsettia flowers are the small, yellow cyanthia found in the center of the bracts.

Stroll through nurseries and stores that grow or sell poinsettias and take in the sheer volume of plants and colors.

Poinsettias are grown in 4-inch pots and larger, with anywhere from one to six plants per pot. Purchase poinsettias that are well-watered and cared for, with cyanthia that are tight and free of pollen.

Bracts sprayed with glitter or flocked material may not last as long as those that are natural. Avoid purchasing poinsettias whose leaves are dried, wilted or damaged, have signs of pests, are kept in plastic covers, and those which have not been watered or appear neglected.

After purchase, remove the plastic covering or foil pot cover (or punch drainage holes in it), and place a saucer under the plant. Keep the poinsettia away from drafts and heating vents.

While poinsettias are not poisonous, their leaves and sap can cause an allergic reaction in individuals with latex allergies. Wash your hands after handling broken stems or leaves. Place poinsettias out of reach of pets and children, as ingesting poinsettia leaves or bracts can cause an upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea.

Poinsettias should live through the winter months. Discard them if they show signs of disease or insects.

In early summer, repot your poinsettia into a slightly larger pot and place it outside in a location with part sun. Pinch the stems to encourage branching and fertilize regularly throughout the summer. You can try to force the poinsettia into bloom by keeping the plant in total darkness for at least 14 continuous hours a day, throughout October and November. Then place it in a bright sunny location.

Another holiday-themed houseplant is the Christmas cactus (schlumbergera X buckleyi).

Christmas cacti are epiphytes (organisms that grow on the surface of a plant) and are native to Brazil. They have flat, jointed, leafless stems. Each stem segment is about 2 inches long with rounded teeth on the edges. Tubular blooms of pink, red, scarlet, orange, gold, cream or white are borne on the tips of the stems. Individual blooms may have different shades of the same color.

Purchase Christmas cacti that have buds and open blooms, are in moist soil, and are free of pests. Skip plants whose buds are dropping off without opening, have pests, or appear neglected or underwatered.

Bring your cactus home, remove the foil, and place a saucer under the pot. Christmas cacti prefer well-drained soil and bright, indirect light. An ambient temperature of 70 degrees during the day and 60 to 65 degrees during the evening are best. Remove spent blooms by pinching or snipping them from the leaves.

After the holiday, keep Christmas cactus in bright light and water regularly.

In early summer, place plants outside in partial sun or on a covered porch. Fertilize monthly from summer through fall.

To set buds, Christmas cactus must be exposed to cooler temperatures (between 55 and 65 degrees) and long nights (13 hours of uninterrupted darkness) for six to eight weeks. Once buds develop, keep plants in a cool and bright location and await their showy blooms.

Cyclamen (cyclamen persicum) are another holiday-inspired flowering plant, but they are available for purchase throughout the year.

Cyclamen tubers are native to the Mediterranean region. Cyclamen have brilliantly colored red, white, pink or purple blooms with green and silver mottled leaves.

Like Christmas cacti, they prefer cool ambient temperatures (between 55 and 68 degrees). Temperatures above 68 degrees cause the leaves to yellow and the flowers to fade.

Select cyclamen that have blooms as well as buds and whose soil is moist. Look for leaves and stems with turgor (firmness due to fluid absorption) and a healthy color. Stay away from purchasing cyclamen that have faded blooms, no buds, yellow leaves, pests or appear neglected or underwatered.

Once home, remove the foil, cover and place a saucer under the pot. When watering, avoid wetting the leaves and stems to prevent rot, and drain away excess water. Remove faded flowers and leaves. New leaves and blooms may appear during the blooming cycle. Fertilize every other month.

After flowering, the leaves eventually die back, and the cyclamen tuber will go dormant. Place the pot in a cool, dark location, such as a basement or garage, for about two months. Water the soil periodically, keeping it rather dry. After two months, soak the soil with water and place the plant outdoors or in a bright indoor location. Once growth begins, water and fertilize regularly.

With some care, 2022 holiday houseplants may become your 2023 holiday decorations! Penn State Extension offers additional information about poinsettias extension.psu.edu.

If you have questions about holiday houseplants and other gardening practices, call the Master Gardeners of Butler County Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.

Lisa Marie Bernardo is a Penn State Extension Butler County Master Gardener.