We would like to give plants as gifts this winter and would like some advice for purchasing and transporting holiday plants.
— Jose Gonzalez, Libertyville
Flowering plants such as azalea, kalanchoe, cyclamen and amaryllis brighten long winter days and make great gifts. Select plants free from spots, bruising, wilting or browned leaf margins. Look for plants with flowers that are not completely open or with lots of buds so you will get a longer period of color. The flowers will also last longer in a cool room with temperatures in the low 60 degrees Fahrenheit range. Foliage plants such as pothos, peperomia, philodendron, spider plant and sansevieria also make great gifts, as they are easy to grow and adaptable to the typical home environment.
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It is important to protect the plants from cold winter temperatures when bringing them home. Most garden centers will wrap plants to protect them from cold temperatures. If they don’t, be sure to ask them to wrap the plants. Wrapping the plants also protects them against breakage. Place the plants in a stable location in your car on the way home. If you plan to transport multiple plants, it’s a good idea to use a box to carry them. When transporting plants home, the car should be warm, especially if outdoor temperatures are below freezing. Plants should never be transported in a cold trunk or allowed to sit in a cold car for any length of time.
Plants should remain wrapped for no more than 24 hours. Open the top to allow the plants to get air if they are going to be wrapped for an extended period. To unwrap a plant, it is best to set the plant on a stable surface and carefully tear or cut the wrapper from the bottom up. Do not attempt to pull the wrapper off the plant, as you risk breaking stems, flowers and leaves. Foil pot wrappers are attractive but should be removed whenever the plant is watered so that the plant does not sit in water.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.