Flowers are popular all year through. They happen to be great witnesses to the special occasions in our lives. They spark that lovey-dovey feeling during Valentine's and get a first hand view of blossoming love. Flowers manage to light up any mother's face whether they may be in a bouquet, be a few posies or may just be one freshly picked rose from the garden given by a six year old on mom's special day. Our petal friends are commonly used not only to express love and care but all other sentiments as well like empathy for a friend who has lost a loved one; a get-well-soon greeting to a sick buddy; a gesture to say "you are sorry and did not mean to cause any hurt" or simply an act of appreciation. Flower stands are constantly buzzing with activity all through the 365 days of the year. More often than not, flowers are part of our festivities and celebrations and this does not leave out the most joyous occasion of the year, Christmas!



Even if some parts of the world are covered mostly in white and there is a definite coolness in the air, flowers still manage to bloom during the cold season of Christmas. There are a few favorite varieties of floras during the holidays. Let us look into some of them.

Poinsettias

Poinsettias top the list of Christmas flowers and so they are sometimes referred to as the Christmas plant. Native to the pacific regions of Mexico, these plants are perennial flowering bushes that can actually grow and reach ten feet. Known to be the flame leaf flower, poinsettias take pride in their bright red colorful bracts. People often mistake these bracts as the petals of the poinsettia when they are in fact merely modified leaves. The flower is in the center of the poinsettia and takes the color yellow. The poinsettia is at its bloom during the Christmas season which makes it in perfect timing with the holidays. With this, there is even a National Poinsettia Day established on the 12th of December.

Christmas cactus

We may know cactus only from desert stories, but Christmas cactus are a whole different matter. This plant is a well known indoor winter plant that yields orchid like flowers that come in different colors such as orange, purple, pink, red, fuchsia and cream. These cacti are usually presented as presents as early as Thanksgiving and throughout the Christmas season to friends and loved ones.

Christmas rose

When we think of roses, the first word that comes to mind for most people is love. And what holiday speaks of more love than Christmas time. Surely, Christmas would not be complete without the Christmas rose. This flower specie is known as the Hellebores nigger and considers the cold winter months of the year as the most opportune time to bloom coincidentally at the same time as the holidays. This rose is also more popularly named as the Snow rose.

Mistletoe

Almost everyone loves the mistletoe. Who wouldn't especially if you are just standing right under one giving you the excuse to kiss that special someone. Typically hanged on doors and hallways, these white-berried flowers are commonly grown in the tropics.