Now is a great time to find a beautiful Christmas cactus, even in your local grocery store's flower department. I used to have a lot of houseplants, but as I had more and more children, I got away from the habit of having them. But I was recently reading an article on plants that remove toxins from the air like formaldehyde, mold and carbon monoxide and decided to start upping my quantity of houseplants. Our home has a problem with dampness and if the snake plant (aka "Mother-in-Law's Tongue) can even thrive in low light humid bathrooms, I need a few. [Here's another article with suggested plants]
My local Kroger has a pretty good floral section and I quickly found a Peace Lily, which I will soon be getting...but found myself drawn to this beautiful Christmas Cactus first. [I also found a Calla Lily, deeply discounted, but I will baby it until next summer so I can have the beautiful flowers from it!] Having a blooming red plant inside when there's several inches of snow on the ground, will definitely boost my winter "blues".
One word of caution: Any houseplants you buy this time of year, be careful moving them from the store to the cold car and then back into your warm home. Try to find a more mild day to pick them up or at least protect them by placing them in a cloth grocery sack to prevent the chilly wind from damaging them.
Second word of caution: Any potted plant you purchase...from no matter where...will most likely need repotted very soon after you bring it home. The plant has probably germinated and spent several months in the same pot and is now root bound. Placing it in a larger pot so the roots can expand will reward you with a happy, thriving plant.
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