Decking the halls with boughs of holly brings festive flair and adds greenery to your home around the holiday season. But holly isn’t the only plant for indoor decorating-there are lots of other evergreens and indoor plants that bring color and a natural vibe to your homemade wreaths, garlands, mantelscapes, and more. For a little holiday inspiration, here are 12 types of greenery that are perfect for natural, low-waste Christmas decor that’s also easy on your budget. 01 of 12 Pine Because the needles of pines are softer than other types of conifers, pine boughs work well for garlands and wreathmaking alike. Pine is also less likely to prick your fingers when crafting. Pine trees are found in many backyard landscapes, but you’ll also find native types of pine, like white pine, Jack pine, and red pine, in the wild for foraging. Pine needles tend to be longer than other types of conifer needles; the needles emerge from the branches in bundles of 2, 3, or 5, which makes them easy to identify. 02 of 12 Holly Several native and non-native types of hollies keep their glossy evergreen leaves year-round. A prime choice for holiday decorating, holly branches look right at home in garlands and wreaths, but they can also be woven into tablescape or mantelscape designs, or displayed in a big vase with other greens. If you’re lucky, you may be able to harvest intact holly branches with bright red berries on them. 03 of 12 Hemlock Hemlocks are evergreen trees whose branches often droop a bit on the tree. The needles are short and flat with two white stripes on the undersides, which helps with identification. Use hemlock in any decorations where you’d normally use pine, or gather the small cones to craft wreaths, mini ornaments, or whatever your creative heart fancies. 04 of 12 Spruce Depending on the conifers that are readily available in your area, you may choose to swap spruce branches in for pine or hemlock. Cuttings from spruce trees are used for wreaths, garlands, and other crafting. The bluish-green needles of blue spruces are sure to stand out in holiday designs. Spruce branches are usually a bit sturdier than pine, and the needles are sharper, so you are better off wearing gloves when handling them. 05 of 12 Arborvitae Belonging to the cypress family, arborvitae (Thuja) are common landscaping plants that are easily recognized by their slender, upright growth habit and strong, woodsy scent. Cut arborvitae branches with pruners and use them in wreaths and more around the holidays. Prune plants evenly and work your way around arborvitaes when foraging so the plants don’t look uneven. Other types of conifers, including fir and juniper, can also be used for holiday decorating. Just steer clear of using yew bushes, as the plants are highly toxic to humans and pets! 06 of 12 Mistletoe Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows in big clumps in the branches of many types of deciduous trees, including apple trees, willows, and ash. While it is possible to gather mistletoe from nature, it often grows so high up that harvesting it yourself is unsafe. Luckily, mistletoe sprigs, wreaths, and kissing balls are often sold in garden centers and holiday shops around Christmas. Hanging mistletoe in your home is said to symbolize love and inspire holiday smooches. 07 of 12 Eucalyptus Eucalyptus brings color and fragrance into your home. The branches are prized for their fresh, camphor-like aroma and their rounded, bluish-green leaves that look pretty in bundles, vases, and wreaths. Native to Australia, the shrub is hardy in USDA Zones 8 through 11. You may have friendly neighbors growing eucalyptus i their yard who will allow you to take a few cuttings. Groceries and florist shops also sell eucalyptus bundles around the holidays. 08 of 12 Spike Moss There are other eye-catching live indoor plants other than poinsettia that brighten up your living room or dining table. Low-growing spike moss (Selaginella) with its cushion of lacy green leaves and stems is ideal for holiday terrariums and tablescapes. All it needs is relatively high humidity; otherwise, spike moss requires very little maintenance. 09 of 12 Boxwood A common hedgerow or privacy plant, boxwood (Buxus) produces glossy, rounded leaves that look attractive on their own or when woven into wreaths and garlands with other evergreen boughs. When removing branches, use small hand pruners and make your pruning cuts at a leaf node. Take cuttings from around the plant to achieve an even appearance. 10 of 12 Lemon Cypress In addition to being planted in landscapes, lemon cypress is commonly sold as a potted plant around the holidays. This conifer is prized for its lemony scent and bright, golden-green, needle-like foliage. Outdoors, the tree grows 10 to 40 feet tall, but indoors, it stays much smaller. The potted plant makes a charming topiary or mini Christmas tree. For extra color, decorate a lemon cypress with small ball ornaments or a festive bow in a contrasting color. Norfolk Island pines, parlor palms, ferns, and lots of other foliage plants are also perfect picks for the holiday season. You can even enjoy larger specimens as Christmas tree alternatives and keep many of these plants year-round as houseplants! 11 of 12 English Ivy English ivy is sold as a houseplant, but it also grows invasively in many areas, so it’s often not difficult to find in nature. The vines are great for wreathmaking, but they also work well as spiller elements in planters, woven into garlands, or used as natural gift accents in place of bows. Blending leathery ivy leaves with different types of conifers or winter berries is certain to add complexity to holiday designs. Ivy leaves last a long time after cutting. 12 of 12 Rosemary Think of rosemary beyond its typical use as an edible herb. In a pot, the small shrub serves as an adorable scented mini Christmas tree or topiary to decorate kitchens or holiday tablescapes. It doubles as a source for freshly cut rosemary to use in holiday cooking. Just keep in mind that when grown indoors, rosemary has higher-than-average humidity needs. Rosemary indoors tends to develop crispy leaves if you don’t mist your plants regularly, or place them on a pebble tray or near a humidifier.
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