Indoor plants make beautiful presents. Here’s how to pick perfect blooms or foliage for everyone from your mother to your lover

As Christmas fast approaches, we all start thinking about what kind of gifts to buy for our loved ones. And what better pressie to give than a good-looking houseplant? But where do you start when it’s time to choose the right plant for the right recipient? And if you’re lucky enough to receive a potted plant as a gift, how do you make sure your present isn’t short-lived?

FOR THE TRADITIONALIST
Nothing quite says Christmas houseplant like a poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). These plants have a reputation for being hard to maintain, and many are kept as you would a bunch of flowers and thrown away when they no longer look their best. However, with a little care and attention, you can prolong their beauty.
Poinsettias need bright filtered light and should not be kept in temperatures below 12-15C. And if you are giving one as a gift, make sure you cover the delicate bracts with paper or a bag as they will go into shock when taken outside into a cold temperature. Overwatering will easily kill a poinsettia, so water sparingly and only when the top of the compost is dry. And make sure you mist regularly. Feed monthly and use a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertiliser.
There are some lovely alternatives to the traditional red or white. For dusky pink and variegated leaves, try ‘Silver Star’; for yellow bracts try ‘Lemon Snow’. And it may be a bit harder to find, but it’s worth looking out for the fabulous deep-burgundy poinsettia ‘Cortez Burgundy’.

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