As we celebrate the end of a year sharing holiday cheer, the greenest cheer to give is flowers with roots that will rebloom every year; which transfers to the thought, “With every bloom I am reminded of you!”
Gifting Green is about giving plants to people who are just as passionate and plants are always the best gift of all! Gifting Green creates a benchmark in time between 2 people and becomes a snapshot in time we relive each year with the repeat blooming. Some unique choices are citrus, winter blooming camellias or even plant your own “Christmas Tree” to honor a new beginning.
Some popular citrus choices are Meyer Lemon, Mexican Lime, or Meiwa and Changshou Kumquat bloom and fruit in November and December and are available to cure those nasty winter colds with fruits high Vitamin C. Citrus can be grown in a container or planted directly in the ground and the latter is the most successful, as the tree will root into the ground, grow a highly developed root system that will provide you with a higher yield and the plant will develop a greater resistance with pest and disease.
Winter blooming Camellia choices are wide ranging from Camellia sasanquas that bloom from Thanksgiving to Christmas to Camellia japonicas offering many different beautiful flower forms that flower from December to April. Camellias are slow growing evergreen plants that can grow into large shrubs or small trees, and prefer some filtered shade during the hot summer months.
One of our best Texas Christmas trees would be our eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana, which is an evergreen conifer and grows in full sun to part shade. Grown in full sun it can get 35 feet tall and 15 feet wide while growing in the shade the tree stretches for the light but is narrower. These evergreens want excellent drainage and don’t want to grow in drainage areas. Red Cedar makes a wonderful screening plant so give this beauty room to grow.
Last but not least is the beautiful Japanese Magnolia. It is a small understory tree that loses its leaves in winter, so when the spring bloom occurs it is one spectacular sight! Magnolia soulangeana comes in different forms and different colors and flowers in February or March. This is the perfect time to plant these beautiful spring beauties.
Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Arbor Gate Nursery!
