Clip evergreen shoots selectively for seasonal decorations.
Dig a hole for a live Christmas tree before the ground freezes to make installation easier. Keep soil from the hole in a warm location for later planting. Be sure to cover the hole to prevent injury.
Grow plants with dramatic seedheads: Globe Thistle, Coneflower Black-eyed Susan.
Fine fescue grass species are noted for superior winter color retention.
Do not expect houseplants to make lush growth during winter months.
The Aztecs used poinsettia bracts to make a red dye for cloth.
To add color to the winter landscape, consider ‘Filifera’ Sawara false cypress (Chamaecyparis Pisifera ‘Filifera’). Threadlike foliage in shades of green to golden yellow cover Filifera and gives it a weeping effect. A standout in the winter garden, Filifer can grow up to 12’ tall, however, other varieties of false cypress stay 3’-4’tall and wide. Thriving in moist, well-drained soil, in full sun to part shade, Filifera is hardy in zones 4-8.
Plant Something Massachusetts is a project of Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association, and was originally established in partnership with Massachusetts Flower Growers’ Association.