DATE:     11/25/99
WRITERS:  Dr. Al Pertuit, (864) 656-4968
          Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604         
EDITOR:   Giles Singleton, (864) 656-3876

Flowering Color at Christmas: Beyond Poinsettias 

     CLEMSON -- If you're looking for something besides the
traditional Christmas poinsettia to decorate your home for the
holidays, a number of alternative flowering plants are available
in florist shops, supermarkets, garden centers and greenhouses.
By carefully selecting and caring for these plants, you can
have color throughout the holidays. 
     * In addition to the many colors available, Kalanchoe
(Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is also the perfect gift for that
person who kills every plant in his or her care. It is difficult
to over or under water. It is so tough that you have to make an
effort to kill it.
     Rising above the tightly packed collection of thick, fleshy
leaves are clusters of red, pink, white, orange, or yellow
flowers. Kalanchoes should be kept in a bright, sunny window.
They tolerate dry air and occasional periods of drought. 
     * Florists' Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), a close relative
of the African violet, is a low-growing, spreading plant with
large, fuzzy leaves and bell-shaped flowers. Various colors are
available, including purple, red, pink, white and combinations of 
these colors. 
     Put this plant in bright, filtered light with temperatures
between 65 and 75 F. Flowers will last longer if kept on the
cooler side. Water periodically to keep the soil evenly moist.  
     If you pinch off the first two flower buds as soon as they
appear above the foliage, the remaining flower buds will develop
and open together. After flowering, gloxinia will go through a
rest period. If you wish to keep it after it blooms, reduce
watering until the top dies back.
     Remove dead leaves and store the plant in a cool spot--50 to
55 F. Barely moisten the soil every few weeks until new growth
emerges. 
     * Amaryllis hybrids (Hippeastrum Hybrida) produce
magnificent, funnel-shaped flowers that may be ten inches in
diameter. The flowers are white, pink, red, orange - even
yellow. Newly potted bulbs will generally flower in about six
weeks. "Apple Blossom" is the favorite American cultivar.
     This plant likes a sunny, warm location. Water it regularly,
but don't fertilize until after flowering. To extend the
flowering time, keep it in a room where the temperature stays
below 65 F. 
     For more information about amaryllis, call your county's
Clemson Extension office and ask for Horticulture Leaflet 63,
"Understanding and Producing Amaryllis," or download this 
document from the Web at:
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/psapublishing/Pages/Hort/HortLf63.pdf
     * Florists' cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is a classic,
winter-flowering potted plant that's prized for its white, pink
or rose flowers and silver and green marbled, heart-shaped
leaves. Select a plant with plenty of flower buds, and be sure to
avoid plants with yellow or dead leaves.
     At home, your cyclamen should receive bright, indirect
sunlight during the day. It also prefers cool daytime
temperatures, ideally no more than 65 degrees F. The nighttime
temperatures should be even cooler, between 40 and 50 degrees, if
possible. If cyclamen is kept too warm, its flower buds won't
develop.
     Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water when the potting
medium feels dry. Always water along the edge of the pot or from
below.
     After the cyclamen stops flowering, the leaves will turn
yellow, and it goes into rest, a natural, necessary dormant
period. Cut back on water, giving it only enough to keep the soil
from drying out completely. 
     Place the pot in a shady, out-of-the-way place until new
leaves emerge. You can then repot the tuber and move it to a
location receiving bright, indirect sunlight. Water it regularly
and fertilize it monthly with a liquid houseplant fertilizer.
     Hopefully you'll see it flower again next winter   Al
Pertuit, Clemson Extension floriculture specialist, Bob Polomski,
Clemson Extension consumer horticulturist.
                    ************************ 
     If you have questions or comments on gardening-related
issues, write to PSA Media Relations, A-101 Poole Ag Center,
Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634 -0129. You might also
want to check out other "Buds and Blooms" columns
under 1999 News Releases at: http://www.clemson.edu/psamedia.     
                         END