4 Houseplants You'll Find in Martha's Home During the Holidays—Plus, Tips for Displaying and Caring for Them

When choosing houseplants for the holiday season, the options go far beyond the traditional poinsettia. In Martha’s home, you’ll find everything from blooming paperwhites to small evergreens cut into beautiful topiaries. These plants, which we typically start early then bring indoors, make an appearance everywhere from her front porch to her dining room table during Christmas. 

Here are my tips for growing and caring for holiday houseplants, along with my and Martha’s tips for displaying them throughout your home during the season.

Paperwhites

Paperwhites are a favorite holiday houseplant for a few reasons—they’re fragrant, produce seasonally appropriate white flowers, and their bloom time can be controlled. Martha and I plant paperwhites in bowls and keep them in the greenhouse while the foliage grows, then bring them in the house when the blooms begin to open. 

The bulbs of paperwhites can be planted in soil, but they’re more commonly displayed in bowls or pots of gravel that are filled with water to the base of the bulb.

They require medium sunlight and need to be rotated or the plant will start to lean towards the light source. While paperwhites aren’t difficult to care for, they do need to be tied or staked as they are very prone to falling over. 

After the holidays, it is possible to plant the spent bulbs out in the yard during spring, but they are generally used as a one-and-done plant for the holidays. Most people just throw their paperwhites away after they’ve bloomed.

Amaryllis

Amaryllis is a holiday houseplant that is currently making a comeback. In the past, they used to only be available in red, and sometimes in a white-and-pink bicolor. Now there are dozens of colors and color combinations, flower sizes, and flower shapes to choose from, so you can match any holiday theme.

Martha and I start amaryllis in various decorative, heavyweight containers (they must be heavyweight as amaryllis is very top-heavy). We often plant them in groups of three bulbs in the same pot for a full look. Then, we move the plants to Martha’s servery or the kitchen as those areas are warmer and provide the best light from above, meaning the plants stay upright. 

To start amaryllis yourself, plant the lower third of the bulb in soil, then water and let it grow. You can also buy them already sprouted, but it’s best you don’t buy them if they’re blooming. They prefer bright light and a warmer indoor temperature. The soil should be well-draining and you can amend it with a diluted fertilizer if necessary. 

Amaryllis leans heavily towards the light, so rotation is necessary. Additionally, this plant often requires some sort of stake to keep it upright—Martha likes to use apple twigs and raffia for a natural look. 

When cared for properly, amaryllis can live for years, but they usually go through a period of dormancy for a couple of months where they die to the ground. However, they do not survive outside in freezing climates, so people often toss them after they finish blooming.

Christmas Cactus

Christmas cactus is a nice choice if you’re looking for something that’s a bit different than the standard holiday houseplant. Unlike paperwhites and amaryllis, which are started early to get them to bloom during the holiday season, Christmas cactus blooms on its own during this time. 

Keep in mind that there are different types of holiday cacti—Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, and Easter cactus. While they all look similar in appearance, each of them bloom nearest to the holiday they’re named after. Also, many of the holiday cacti in stores labeled Christmas cactus are actually Thanksgiving cactus and bloom somewhere between the two holidays.

At Martha’s, we bring Christmas cactus inside anywhere between when the buds first start showing color to when the plant is in full bloom. We tend to keep them on the patio, as the dropped flowers can stain the carpet if stepped on.

The beginner-friendly plant prefers medium-bright light, well draining soil, and a bit of fertilizer every week or two (especially when it’s budding and blooming). Although they’re a type of cactus, they need more water than you would think. The soil should be damp but not soggy, as this will cause root rot. 

Christmas cactus can survive for decades (families have been known to pass them down) and they can easily be started or refreshed from cuttings. 

Small Evergreens

A catchall group for different greenery plants—cypress, junipers, rosemary, etc.—small evergreens give you that indoor Christmas tree look but in miniature form. Martha likes to plant these in nice Guy Wolff pots and place them all over the house for pops of greenery. You can find them on the porch, in her servery and brown room, and even on the dinner table. 

The care will vary depending on what type of evergreen you’re growing, but most need average watering and light. They also benefit from a slow-release fertilizer in the soil, as well as occasional water soluble feedings. Small evergreens cut into topiary type shapes require a bit more water since they have less leaves.

A great low-maintenance option, these evergreens last well after Christmas, though most will eventually need to be planted outdoors as they grow.