In Florida, with our temperatures still mild in December, we can enjoy the winter treats our gardens have to offer. We can even add to the display for some holiday interest. Below are some suggestions for plants with colorful foliage or fruits that can enhance your holiday garden.
Poinsettias
This is the traditional plant of the winter holiday season. The bright red bracts of this popular plant make it a perfect symbol of seasonal cheer. Poinsettias do especially well in south Florida as a year-round shrub. They enjoy the warm temperatures and humidity. Poinsettias will probably fare better in the northern and central parts of the state if they're kept in pots. A mass of poinsettias on your porch or deck sends a welcoming message to your family and friends.
Hollies
Hollies are members of the Ilex family of plants and shrubs. This plant thrives in all parts of Florida. Its connection to the holiday season goes back thousands of years. Ancient Romans and early Christians used the plant for ceremonies and celebrations. Christmas carols such as "The Holly and The Ivy" and "Deck the Halls" demonstrate the holly plant's significance as a holiday fixture. Floridians often see their holly bushes only as foundation plants or screens for their property. At this time of year hollies can play a major role in your holiday decorations. Clip a few branches for displays in your home or at work. The distinctive shape of the holly leaf can be a dramatic backdrop for its own berries or other fruits. The added benefit of this versatile shrub is its longevity: once the holiday season is over, your holly will continue to perform throughout the coming year. Below is a link from the University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences that lists many types of hollies, their requirements, and areas in Florida where they best perform.
Cotoneaster
I really like this shrub. It roots pretty easily and is drought tolerant. Plus the colors in the fall and winter are just glorious. The leaves are a deep, glossy green. In the spring cotoneaster displays white flowers along each branch. These flowers later become the deep red berries that weigh the branch almost to the ground. I first saw this shrub along a roadside in northern California right after a surprise late autumn snowfall. The white of the snow, the red of the berries and the green of the leaves took my breath away. Fortunately, cotoneasters can be grown in Florida, although the southernmost part of the state might have trouble getting them to thrive. My suggestion would be to keep them in containers in Zones 9-11. If you purchase and plant your cotoneaster now, by next Christmas you should have a wonderful accent shrub for your holiday garden. The berries attract birds and the flowers in spring attract beneficial insects.
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