Hi Sharon,

Definitely poinsettia, and usually the "classic red" ones (though any color is pretty). I usually keep my plant around, put it outside in summer, then forget to water it and just chuck it(even though usually it can be revived and sprout new leaves).

My Christmas cactus doesn't bloom because it's in the computer room where there is alot of artificial light.

One year, when I was living in an apartment (and had a great windowsill for plants) I did an experiment. If I put my Christmas cactus in the middle of the room where it got some natural light and lots of artificial light, it didn't bloom.

If I put my Christmas Cactus on the windowsill where it got some natural sunlight during the day, it would bloom even though at night it got some artificial light. I think the natural sunlight it got during the day helped it determine that day lengths were getting shorter.

I really have to "revive" one of my cactus, however. It's from a cutting from a plant that my grandma had (sort of passed down through the family through the years) but very rootbound and never blooms.

Glen

I love amaryllis, though i never seem to be able to get the darn things to rebloom, no matter what advice i try to follow. Well, except for the one that decided to bloom over the summer! So i usually end up buying at least one more each year (two this year, another white one and Lemon Lime).

Glen, i remember you saying that Christmas cactus do best where there is little artificial light. Both of mine are in the living room - lots of natural light but seldom any artificial. The red one has two flowers now and a promise of more - yay! - and the white one looks like buds are forming.

I like poinsettias too, and the one i had last year actually lasted until the end of the summer when it suddenly dried up and died. Oh well. :)

So, i guess my favourite would be any one that blooms!

My fave is my Christmas Cactus. It's got buds on it right now, looks like it's going to get its timing right this year. It's in a curtain-filtered south window. To get them to bloom, (besides less light) you should slow down the watering in the fall. They also respond to cooler nighttime temperatures... which is ideal in my case because my den is off the main part of the house and a little chilly. And don't move it once the buds set or they might fall off. I just have a hot pink C.C., must find some other colours too.

Nobody mentioned Hyacinths - they are usually for Easter but my Grandma used to always start a hyacinth for each of her friends for Christmas.

I like Amaryllis but never save them. I think I bought a dud this year, though - it's been potted up for about a month and just sitting there on my kitchen counter, not rotting but not growing either.

I really like Amaryllis, but rarely grow them because I feel guilty tossing out the bulbs. My mom keeps hers year after year, she has a real talent for that. One year I managed to keep a bulb healthy until spring and planted it out in the garden. The darn thing actually bloomed in the garden and had 4 flowers on it!

Good observations about the Christmas/Thanksgiving cactus, apparently you're not suppose to 'turn' them after they set bud either. Mine are blooming right now, a white & a hot pink. Does anyone know why the second flush of buds always dry up & fall off?

I like both the amaryllis and poinsettias. Just today, I picked up a cream coloured poinsettia. It just seemed to be spot lighted in amongst all the red ones. If I had the money, my entire Christmas decorting would consist of about 20 or 30 poinsettias, all in different colours, but like you, Sharon, by spring mine get tossed out too. I do also have 7 amaryllis bulbs on the go now too. One has already bloomed, and I've got 3 others with flower buds coming, so they may be blooming around Christmas as well. I've had a few Christmas cactus' through the years, but they just don't seem to do especially well for me.

I tried paperwhites once. DH hated the flower scent so much, he tossed them :( They were very pretty, but I didn't care much for their scent either.

I love poinsettia's the best. Three small ones followed me home the other day. A white, pink and red. I put them all into one rectangular pot.
I also have 2 Amaryllis bulbs planted. One has bloomed already and the second stock is just starting. The way the other one looks, it might be blooming for Christmas.
I haven't had a christmas cactus for years. Although, I do love them too.

Poinsettia for me...

Please Check out my Thread on mine in the house plant Forum...
Thanks

Here is a link that might be useful: My Point Thread

Almost went for the *I hate holiday plants! plant.

I do prefer Christmas cactus over Thanksgiving cactus, although I keep one Thk: It is called 'Aspen', it's white flowered and has deeply frayed petals, kinda like heavy hoar frost. But really, I like the Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis) the best of all.

Since my amaryllis I kept from last year has a big bud on it I would have to say its my favorite right now..lol..savona