While the Christmas tree is a popular plant associated with the holidays, there are many other plants available from garden centers this time of the year.

Here are a few tips on keeping your holiday plants healthy and happy all season long.

Poinsettias

The plant you choose should have dark green foliage. Fallen or damaged leaves indicate poor handling or fertilization, lack of water or a root disease problem. The colorful flower bracts (the part most people call the flower) should be in proportion to the plant and pot size.

Keep your poinsettia where the daytime temperature ranges from 65 to 70°F, and move it to a spot about 60°F at night. Drafts will often cause them to lose leaves. Grow your poinsettia by a sunny window, but don’t let it touch the glass.

Wait until the soil feels dry before you water, and don’t leave water standing in the saucer or in any foil wrapped around the pot. If the leaves wilt, and the soil gets dry to the touch, water your poinsettia right away. But remember: wilting or dropping leaves can also be a sign of over watering. If the soil is soggy when the leaves fall, you’ve probably watered too much.

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Christmas Cactus

Purchase plants that have a healthy green color and unopened flowers. Plants purchased that are already in full bloom will not flower as long once you get them home. Christmas cacti are succulents and aren’t as drought tolerant as you might think. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy, while they’re in bloom. If the stems start to look flabby, you’re probably over-watering. They do best in a temperatures ranging from 50° to 70°F and in bright in-direct light. If the buds drop, your plant may have been exposed to a draft or sudden temperature change, or you may have let it get too dry.

These cacti also can be grown as houseplants in pots with porous soil, excellent drainage and bright indirect light. They bloom well when slightly crowded in their pots. When the flowers fade, move your cactus to a sunny window, or put it outdoors for the summer in partial shade. When the temperatures drop in fall, start bringing the plant back in, gradually increasing the time indoors to let it adjust to the lower light levels.

Cyclamens

Cyclamens come in pink, red, and white, and some have attractive leaves with silver marbling. When selecting this winter-blooming plant, choose one with lots of buds that are just starting to open and sturdy, succulent leaves.

Cyclamen do well in bright, indirect light. Keep the soil moist without keeping the tuber so wet that it rots. Provide high humidity by keeping them on a tray filled with pebbles and a little water. Place plant in an east or southern exposure window. Day temperatures of 60°F to 65°F and nights at 50° to 55°F are ideal. Do not let temperatures get above 70°F or the plant will think it’s time to go dormant.

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To keep the plant moist, water cyclamen thoroughly when the soil looks and feels dry on the surface, however, avoid watering the leaves or tubers in the center, which may rot if it remains too wet. A safer method is to place each pot in a saucer of water for about five minutes, or until the soil is uniformly moist.

As each flower fades, remove the entire flower stalk from where it attaches to the tuber by giving it a sharp tug. New flowers will emerge from one of the many buds waiting just below the foliage. Cyclamens will bloom near the Christmas season and continue blossoming for two to three months.

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Amaryllis

Although the amaryllis can be purchased at any stage of development, for many the real fun is growing their own plant from a bulb. Most amaryllis bulbs are sold already potted and with complete growing instructions. Once watering is started, you can expect magnificent blooms of red, pink, white, or orange in four to six weeks.

Enjoy your amaryllis for the maximum time possible by placing it in a location with diffused light and cool indoor temperatures in the 60°F range. Keep it barely moist. When you water, be careful not to wet the portion of the bulb that sticks above the soil. If you have a large bulb, you may get two or three flowering stalks that bloom over a period of several weeks.

For gardening-related questions, call the UC Master Gardener office at 209-953-6112, or visit our website at ucanr.edu/sjmg.

This article originally appeared on The Record: How to care for your holiday plants all season long