![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.reading.ac.uk\/crg\/files\/2017\/12\/Rhododendron_Christmas_Cheer-150x150.jpg\" "\\"By")
<\/a>And it only just dawned on me; there\u2019s actually something similar happening in the cupboards of our herbarium. Plants from all different families and genera are cheering and celebrating Christmas through their names and appearances! After all, why should just the ivies<\/a> (click here for the magnificent monograph<\/a>), hollies<\/a> and poinsettias<\/a> have all the fun? Here\u2019s a list of some of our dried and pressed cultivated plants that celebrate Christmas (or shall we say \u2018CULTIVATING CHRISTMASES\u2019!)<\/p>\n So we start our adventure with three \u2018White Christmas\u2019 cultivars, are they all trying to think about the joy of a snow covered Christmas day? Or are they thinking of the popular Christmas song written by Irving Berlin in 1942? There have been many versions of the song but Bing Crosby\u2019s is the classic one<\/a> we all know.<\/p>\n Known as Christmas rose<\/a>, this member of Ranunculaceae family is an early flowering herbaceous perennial. H. niger<\/em> \u2018White Christmas\u2019 has bright white flowers against deep green, leathery foliage. Seems to be a popular choice for flower arranging.<\/p>\n\n A white-flowered form of Christmas cactus<\/a>. The \u2018Christmas cactus\u2019 is also known as a \u2018holiday cactus\u2019 as it is known by some as a \u2018Thanksgiving cactus\u2019 (or crab or a yoke cactus\u2026 I am sure with others too). It flowers with red, purple, pink, white or cream blooms from about Thanksgiving (at the end of November) through to Christmas, hence the name!! Another strong contender to brighten up your Christmas alongside those shiny baubles.<\/p>\n A tropical South American member of the Araceae. Caladium<\/em> includes many shade-loving hybrids with greens, reds, pinks and in their white leaves with many patterns. C.<\/em> \u2018White Christmas\u2019 has leaves with a pure snow white centre leaf with a deep green margin and veins.<\/p>\n And what if Bing meant to sing\u2026.<\/p>\n Begonias are popular houseplants due to the exciting and colourful range of foliage they can bring all year round into a home. Begoniaceae<\/em> contains two genera Begonia<\/em> and Hillebrandia<\/em> \u2013 the latter containing only one species H. sandwicensis<\/em>. A common characteristic of Begoniaceae<\/em> is the asymmetrical leaf, turning into a spiral in some.<\/p>\n\n Smaller leaves than B<\/em>. \u2019Merry Christmas\u2019 but strongly asymmetrical.<\/p>\n Muscari armeniacum<\/em> ‘Christmas Pearl’<\/strong><\/a> AGM<\/p>\n Now a member of Asparagaceae<\/em>; this bulb produces fragrant racemes of dazzling blue, bell-shaped flowers that turn white at the tips of the older flowers.<\/p>\n Nematanthus<\/em> ‘Christmas Holly’ <\/strong><\/p>\n Not a holly at all\u2026 known as the goldfish plant, due to the shape of the flowers. This tender Gesneriaceae<\/em>, with glossy, ovate, green leaves and bright orange flowers can bring bright colour in to any home at Christmas.<\/p>\n Ocimum basilicum<\/em> ‘Christmas’<\/strong><\/p>\n Although normally sage would be one of the first culinary herbs you think of at Christmas this basil has got there first. This specimen was grown at RHS Wisley for a trial we held in 2012. Not just for eating though, it has green shiny leaves and purple flowers in summer that would spread Christmas cheer all year. Described by Nicky\u2019s nursery as \u2018Christmas with a hint of pine\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0And finally 3 cheers for Christmas\u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n Early spring flowering, this medium\/large shrub has pale pink flowers of about 4.5cm long, coming from darker pink buds. It was given an AM (Award of Merit) in 1990 and an AGM (Award of Garden Merit) by the RHS in 2012.<\/p>\n This evergreen shrub, with glossy dark green leaves, lighter in young growth, has an abundance of white urn-shaped flowers which are pink at the tip. Pieris japonica<\/em> \u2018Christmas Cheer\u2019 will start flowering earlier in the season.<\/p>\nHelleborus niger<\/em> ‘White Christmas’<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Schlumbergera truncata<\/em> ‘White Christmas’<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Caladium <\/em>‘White Christmas’<\/strong><\/h3>\n
May your days<\/span> Begonias<\/u> be Merry and Bright\u2026.<\/h2>\n
Begonia<\/em> ‘Merry Christmas’<\/strong>
\nA large, slightly asymmetric leaf with dark green centre, changing to white and then green at the margin with some speckled with white, all flushed from the centre with a pale pink.<\/h3>\nBegonia rex<\/em> ‘Bright Christmas’<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Miscellaneous Christmases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Rhododendron<\/em> ‘Christmas Cheer’<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Pieris japonica<\/em> ‘Christmas Cheer’<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
\u00a0Hamamelis vernalis<\/em> ‘Christmas Cheer’<\/strong><\/h3>\n