It’s that time of year again and poinsettias are everywhere. They are spectacular plants, but for many people they have become too much of a good thing. So what can you use instead to decorate your home at the holiday season? Well these three suggestions come from Rodale’s Organic Life. Number one on their list is the amaryllis which I featured recently, but number three was quite a surprise. See what you think.

Love ’em or hate ’em, it’s hard to escape pyramids of iconic poinsettia plants this time of year. The seasonal red-petaled plant even has its own national holiday, celebrated each December 12, the day that the man who first brought the plants from Mexico to the U.S., Joel Robert Poinsett, died.
Though the plant’s green and red color scheme is clearly a factor, there doesn’t seem to be any clear connection between poinsettias and Christmas aside from an oft-repeated, but unattributed, Mexican folk story about a girl placing leaves at the feet of the Virgin Mary at a Christmas Eve service, at which time the weeds burst into a brilliant red. In reality, poinsettias have been around since the time of the Aztecs?long before Christianity came to the shores of their native Mexico?when they were used for medicinal purposes and for red dye.
The most common misconception about these plants is that they’re poisonous to pets, which isn’t true. Though these 9 Houseplants That Could Kill Your Pet?are definitely dangerous.
All that said, if you’re looking for some gorgeous alternatives to adorn your home and porch with this season, read on for our favorite holiday houseplants.
Amaryllis
More elegant, but just as brightly colored as poinsettia plants, amaryllis are tropical species that can be kept healthy year after year if you take care of them properly. And the different varieties all come in all sorts of colors?pinks and oranges in addition to traditional white and red flowers. Amaryllis can be expensive if you buy flowering plants at a nursery, but you can also grow them inside in containers, even during cold winter months, a bonus considering that it’s hard to find organically grown houseplants in stores.

See more at the original source Rodale’s Organic Life
Image source: JKehoe_Photos