Holiday decorating is quick and easy when you use holiday plants. There are so many beautiful species associated with the winter holidays.

You can’t go wrong with Christmas bulbs. Amaryllis and paper whites are always top choices. Forced bulbs, such as tulips, can also play a role.

When it comes to Christmas cactus, I prefer the ones with pastel blossoms, preferably white or pale pink flowered ones.

Cyclamens are widely sold as pot plants during the holiday season. These add a punch of color to the holiday decor. The plants tend to last longer in cooler homes. The flowers come in a wide range of bright colors.

Poinsettias are still the number one flowering Christmas plant. New varieties for 2022 include Pink Champagne, which has lovely pastel bracts, Early Elegance White and Early Elegance Marble. Christmas Mouse Pink is a lovely new variety with the same unique shaped bracts as the original Christmas Mouse released in 2021.

My favorite new poinsettias for 2022 are the Tidings series. These feature two toned bracts. There is both a lighter colored and a darker toned version from which to choose.

Small potted evergreens are a familiar sight during the Christmas season. The dwarf Alberta spruce is often sold during the holidays. I have used them for tabletop Christmas trees.

Boxwoods, hollies, lavender, and rosemary are some other evergreens used during the holidays. These are often decorated with holiday motifs, such as stars, garlands, bows, and the like.

For best results, limit the amount of time these hardy plants spend indoors. My stepson usually brings these indoors when he arrives. Once Christmas is over, he sets the pots back outside for the winter.

The Norfolk Island pine is one evergreen that can stay in the house year-round since it is normally grown as a house plant. They are quick and easy to decorate for Christmas.

There is one other small evergreen that sometimes shows up for Christmas. Golden cypress or lemon cypress is often for sale in the floral department of supermarkets and in flower shops. Unlike the other hardy evergreens, this one can be grown as a house plant. So it makes a great addition to holiday décor.

This cypress is hardy to zone 7. It is the perfect shape and size for a tabletop tree. The plant is named for the yellow-green to gold foliage. For best results, keep the soil moist when it is grown as a house plant.

English ivy is another evergreen that is traditionally associated with the holiday season. There are some lovely variegated ivies that are available. These make good house plants. Most are hardy, and are suited to outdoor landscapes.

Select attractive, holiday themed flower pots for your Christmas plants. I like the ones shaped like snowmen and penguins for small plants. Select a style of pot that coordinates with the home’s holiday décor.