Poinsettias are a Christmas staple and come in a diverse array of beautiful colors and sizes, many of them available here at Van Wilgen’s. With Christmas just around the corner, many of us are looking for gift ideas for family, friends, and coworkers. Poinsettias make the perfect gift for a business Christmas party, or simply for festive decoration in the office or home, or home office!

With our Poinsettia Wrapping Station up and running for this Christmas season, it is easy to create an amazingly festive gift. Simply choose one of our diverse Poinsettia colors, and our expert gift wrapper will help you choose the perfect complementary wrap. Below, we will show you some of our favorite Poinsettias.

Classic Red

• A deep, rich, red. An instant Christmas classic.
• Available in small, medium, and large sizes.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Classic White (Cream)

• A creamy, pale, white. Pairs well with Classic Red.
• Available in small, medium, and large sizes.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Painted Blue

• Blue spray paint on Classic White.
• Available in small and medium sizes.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Classic Pink

• A soft, pastel, pink.
• Available in small, medium, and large sizes.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Pure White

• A bright, snow, white.
• Available in small, medium, and large sizes.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Marbled

• Marbled varieties can be a mix of pink, white, and red.
• Available in small, medium, and large sizes.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Princettia

• Available in pink, white, and red.
• Available in a small size.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Winter Rose

• Red, wavy, petals.
• Available in small and medium sizes.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering.
• Thrives in warmth, limit exposure to the cold.
• 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Which style is your favorite? We hope to see you soon!

One of our absolute favorite plants to decorate with during the holidays is the classic Winterberry variety Ilex verticillata commonly known as ‘Winter Red’. This native variety produces plump, bright red berries that look great either placed by themselves in a vase or paired with cut greens in any winter display. When the weather and landscape turn grey, Winterberry is a welcome pop of cheerful color this time of the year.

To take you back a few years, Bill Van Wilgen was having trouble finding a reliable vendor for winterberry and decided we should try growing it ourselves, so he planted it around the Christmas tree field, and ever since it has absolutely thrived! It did so well you can now find Winterberry all over the Van Wilgen’s property, and we use these plants to supply the Winterberry you buy in the store. Additionally, we sell this variety in the spring for you to plant, so you too can enjoy it year-round in your landscape!

The holiday season is here, which means decorating your home with lots of fresh greens including decorated Christmas trees, perfectly placed mantelpieces, fragrant evergreen garlands, and welcoming swags and wreaths on our front doors.

Unfortunately, we’ll also be looking at drying winter winds and scalding, reflective sun. We protect ourselves with puffy jackets, woolly socks, fleecy gloves, and cozy hats and scarves. As you walk out your door, all bundled up, look over at the beautiful evergreen trees and shrubs you planted this season. You may notice they’re all starting to get a bit cold and dry. You want them to stay healthy, don’t you? Similarly, when you go to decorate your home with live greens for the holidays, you want them to last all season, don’t you? Luckily, there’s a simple and easy solution…Wilt-Pruf! Wilt-Pruf is great at protecting live evergreens from winter weather but it is also perfect for keeping fresh-cut holiday greens looking beautiful.

Seriously, Wilt-Pruf is great. It’s an anti-transpirant or anti-desiccant. What this means is that it keeps your planted and cut evergreens from drying out. It works really well and is so easy to use. Even better, it is made locally in Essex, CT. Best yet, it never expires!

In the winter, evergreens, in particular, suffer from drying winds, frozen ground, and hot sun. Plants that hold their leaves (needles) suffer the worst. The ground is frozen, so the roots cannot take up the water the plant needs to keep the needles plump with moisture. The drying winds suck all the water right out of the needles and to add insult to injury, the sun comes out and bakes the already drying needles.

Wilt-Pruf is best applied starting around Thanksgiving for outside plants and any time for your cut greens. Coat your evergreen trees and shrubs, spray down your wreaths, door swags, mantelpieces, and kissing balls. Do the first coat before temperatures are consistently in the freezing zone. Then reapply when temperatures peak back up to the ’40s.

Get the most out of your holiday decorations from Van Wilgen’s and protect your precious, evergreen investments. It’s simple…Wilt-Pruf them.

Hint: To protect more than just your evergreens, try using Wilt-Pruf on Hydrangeas and Rose canes to get them through the harsh winter months.