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In an earlier article I wrote of some gift ideas for the holiday. One suggestion was the Christmas cactus, which is also my favorite indoor plant. My appreciation for the Christmas cactus probably came from my mother. Hers was on a wooden, homemade stand where the leaves and flowers almost reached the floor. I remember this beautiful plant in the living room until the day she passed away. That was not only a sad day for me, but also for the Christmas cactus, since I inherited it.

If I had known how to care for a Christmas cactus, which I didn't, it may still be alive, which it isn't. The Christmas cactus grows best in a medium that is mostly peat moss and some soil. Place in indirect sunlight away from drafts or heat source. Water when soil is dry to the touch and fertilize only about four times a year, but not during bud formation.

If you want them to re-bud, place plant in total darkness for 15 hours a day beginning in October. It takes from six to nine weeks for buds to form. If you have the plant in a room where the temperature stays at about 55 degrees, the light-dark treatment may not be necessary. Once established, your Christmas cactus should reward you with several years of beautiful blooms.

Another popular holiday gift is the Peace Lily or White Flag. It is possibly the most popular indoor plant in the United States. Peace lilies are one of those plants that easily adapt to different conditions and that's mainly the reason they are so widely used in homes, offices, malls, and restaurants.

They grow, not higher, but wider as they age. New leaves appear among and around the base of the old leaves, coming straight out of the soil, which also is a sign of a healthy plant.

Since they are a tropical plant they need excellent drainage. The soil should contain moss, sand, and pebbles placed on the bottom of the container. You should water when surface of the soil is dry to the touch. If the soil is wet, don't water because they are very prone to root rot. If the roots stay wet even for a short time the tips of the leaves will turn yellow.

Peace lilies grow well in low light situations and ideally in filtered light. Never let the plant sit in the sun, as its leaves will get sunburned. If the outside leaves turn yellow, your plant is probably getting too much light.

They do not require much fertilizer, but you can use some all purpose fertilizer to keep the plant healthy. Fertilize once in the spring and once in the fall and use one-half the amount recommended on the label. Over fertilizing may cause serious damage to the root system.

The ideal temperature for Peace lilies is around 70 to 75 degrees but fluctuating temperatures especially cold drafts can delay its growth. Low temperatures can damage both the leaves and the root system of the plant. If the plant fails to produce flowers, cut back on the watering and move it to a location where it gets more light. This plant likes to be a little bit root bound to produce flowers so if you re-pot, after they flower, have the new pot only slightly larger than the one you are replacing.

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