As the festive season arrives, North London’s homes (from Kentish Town, Hampstead, Belsize Park, and Highgate to the urban oases of Camden, Muswell Hill, and Finchley) transform with the best Christmas plants from Boma Garden Centre. Situated in the heart of Kentish Town for over two decades, Boma is more than a garden centre—it's a creative hub offering curated, seasonal displays and expert horticultural advice, tailored for London’s unique blend of balconies, courtyards, roof terraces, and compact gardens.
Our Christmas plant selection is chosen not just for beauty but for their ability to thrive in London’s urban microclimates and clay-rich soils, ensuring robust, lasting festive colour whether indoors or in your local garden. From the traditional Poinsettia to the exotic Amaryllis, our Christmas range is designed to cater to diverse tastes and preferences, ensuring your home radiates festive cheer.
The 10 Best Christmas Plants For London Homes
Hand-Selected Festive Planters
Boma’s festive planters showcase how Kentish Town gardeners can combine olive trees, bay trees, cyclamen, skimmia, and trailing Hedera to create winter-long displays for doorsteps or patios. These planters, like the Festive Garda and Deluxe Roma series, infuse elegance into any North London outdoor space and are designed for challenging London climates and diverse outdoor types—from compact patios to sprawling Hampstead gardens.
Poinsettia
Poinsettia is the UK's favourite traditional Christmas plant gift. Its brightly coloured red bracts burst from this tropical plant in late autumn, lasting until the end of winter. Originally from Central America, specifically Mexico, this festive plant has been well-loved since Victorian times and is closely related to the prevalent hardy garden plant Euphorbia pulcherrima. In Mexico, Poinsettias grow into large trees and are named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American physician who discovered them.
No Christmas table is complete without a beautiful poinsettia! One of the most popular gifts during the pre-Christmas season, Boma Garden Centre is an avid fan and stocks the highest quality poinsettias in London.
Top tips for keeping your Poinsettia healthy over Christmas:
- Poinsettias are very sensitive to temperature changes, so place them in a sheltered spot away from cold drafts and excessive heat from central heating systems.
- Place them in a warm room in indirect light.
- Keep a constant temperature of between 13-16°C.
- Feel the compost in the top of the pot with your thumb and only water if it feels dry.
Did you know Poinsettia is a short-day plant?
Poinsettia requires only 10 hours of light a day from September to start their adorable bright red bracts, which Christmas enthusiasts love so much. Artificial screens black out the light from the Poinsettia glasshouse growing environment.
Poinsettia’s global romance dates back to the Aztecs
It is a Christmas plant adored so much that Poinsettia has a festival celebration day! That’s right—12th December is officially National Poinsettia Day in the US, with serious consideration for making a day of it at Boma too.
Aztec King Montezuma (1466–1520) loved this Poinsettia so much that he used them to adorn his palaces; the Aztecs believed this plant was a lovely gift from heaven.
Christmas Rose (Helleborus 'Little Darling')
A Christmas plant that plant lovers adore is Hellebore, known as Christmas Rose. Helleborus ‘Little Darling’ is a compact clump-forming perennial with larger-than-average flowers in pure white. Its attractive yellow stamens contrast beautifully against a sea of luscious dark green foliage.
As an outdoor plant that can sit in a container outside the front door, Christmas Rose will bloom throughout the winter. It is perfect for tubs and baskets and also suitable for a woodland garden setting. Hellebore breeders have been working to produce these new varieties with upright-facing flowers.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
Christmas cacti are tropical cacti native to Brazil that flower in England in wintertime and throughout Christmas. Flower buds should begin to appear in early December. The flowers are available in fluorescent red, purple, pink, and yellow and fill the wiry flattened stems of the cactus. Breeding programmes have created a whole range of colours, including bicoloured varieties. An attention-grabbing plant that is easy to care for and will reward you with blooms yearly.
An evergreen plant, Christmas Cactus has unusual flattened stems known as phylloclades. Did you know Christmas Cactus are naturally epiphytes? They happily grow high up in the canopy of trees.
Top tips for keeping the Christmas cactus healthy:
- Place in a sunny location.
- Wait until the soil is dry in between watering.
- Use cactus focus repotting mix when potting up.
- Feed in spring with cactus focus feed.
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) at Christmas
Large, boldly coloured trumpet flowers appear from unfurling buds at the beginning of December, making Amaryllis one of the UK's most popular indoor Christmas plants. Amaryllis is a South African native bulb that traditionally decorates rooms and is the perfect gift at Christmas.
Often available as a boxed dormant bulb in the autumn, these are easy to pot on and grow. Place the bulbs in the compost and water thoroughly after potting. When choosing a container, ensure it has adequate drainage holes at the bottom. Dormant-planted bulbs will flower 8 to 10 weeks after planting. Place in a cool dark place until you can see the green shoots appearing from the compost. Then move to a warm light environment with temperatures constantly between a minimum of 10°C to 15°C.
Top tips to keep Amaryllis happy in the home:
- Place in a spot with indirect light.
- Let the compost dry out between watering.
Indoor Cyclamen
Indoor Cyclamen persicum will happily thrive in a warm, light spot over winter. These Mediterranean-origin plants will provide months of winter colour with their large flame-like flowers that come in a variety of colours: Pink, Purple, White, and Red. The flowers contrast perfectly with the intricate heart-shaped leaves with a metallic green appearance.
Top tips to keep Cyclamen happy at home:
- Keep Cyclamen in a cool windowsill of bright indirect light.
- Deadhead the flowers by twisting the flower stems. You must remove the stem from the plants to prevent rot.
- Keep the plant at a constant minimum temperature of 10°C.
Paperwhite Narcissus (Narcissus jonquilla)
You can plant scented Miniature daffodil bulbs in a range of colours known as paperwhites that will be dormant in autumn and bloom in time for Christmas. Ensure the container you choose for planting the bulbs has adequate drainage holes in the bottom. Plant at the end of October to flowers six weeks later in December. Paperwhite Narcissus flowers will last for up to 3 weeks in the home but place them away from heat sources which can reduce their flowering period significantly.
Pot-grown Hyacinths
Hyacinths are available as pot-grown beauties in cobalt blue, pale blue, purple, pink, white, and wine-red hues. If you haven’t enjoyed them before, they have star-shaped flowers that crowd the upright flower spike, filling the surrounding air with their sweet perfume. Gorgeous indoors as a Christmas decorative plant, their bell-shaped flowers are tightly packed and held on strong stems.
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Delft Blue’ bears single, light blue flowers with a good fragrance. With their hardy nature, they are ideal for use indoors over winter. Afterwards, you can transfer them outside to spring borders, which combines well with spring-flowering primulas and pulmonarias.
Prepared hyacinths are specifically suited to be grown indoors. When planted before the end of September, they can flower from mid-December onwards. They can also be grown in hyacinth “glasses” using only water.
Top Tips for Hyacinth:
- Hyacinths grow in containers using bulb fibre. They are available as single bulbs in a 9-10.5cm pot or three bulbs in a 1Ltr or 13cm pot. The neck of the bulb protrudes above the surface. Avoid touching the Hyacinths bulbs, as they can cause skin irritation.
- You can also transfer the pot-grown bulbs into other containers, pots and window boxes. When transferring them, ensure they are in a well-drained, moderately fertile potting mix.
Mistletoe and Holly
No Christmas collection is complete without the classic mistletoe and holly. Mistletoe (Viscum album), with its iconic white berries, is a symbol of Christmas cheer and joy. Used traditionally in decorations and wreaths, it brings a touch of festive foliage to any setting. Holly, with its glossy green leaves and bright red berries, is another Christmas icon that adds a splash of colour to your festive decorations. Both plants are steeped in history and make great Christmas gifts for friends and family.
Christmas Trees and Festive Decorations
At Boma Garden Centre, you can find a beautiful selection of real cut Christmas trees, including the popular Nordman Fir, Noble Fir and Fraser Fir, available with local delivery.
We also offer small sizes of Pot-Grown Nordmann Fir Christmas Trees for delivery within London’s M25. If you're looking for other trees, the classic Norway Spruce (Picea abies) is an ideal choice for those who prefer a traditional look. Our selection of Christmas trees is perfect for decorating with festive lights and Christmas wreaths, bringing festive cheer to your home.
Summary and Key Takeaways
Choosing the right plants for Christmas can transform your home into a festive haven. Here's a recap of the standout options and care tips for maintaining their beauty throughout the season:
- Poinsettia: Known for its vibrant red bracts, this traditional Christmas plant thrives with 10 hours of light daily and a consistent temperature of 13-16°C.
- Christmas Rose (Helleborus 'Little Darling'): A perennial favourite with white flowers and yellow stamens, ideal for outdoor winter displays.
- Christmas Cactus: This tropical plant blooms in various colours in December. It requires indirect sunlight and watering only when the soil is dry.
- Amaryllis: With its bold trumpet flowers, this indoor plant should be placed in indirect light and allowed to dry between waterings.
- Indoor Cyclamen: Offers vibrant winter colour and thrives in bright, indirect light. Maintain a minimum temperature of 10°C.
- Paperwhite Narcissus: These miniature daffodils should be planted in October for December blooms and kept away from heat sources.
- Pot-grown Hyacinths: Notable for their fragrance and vibrant colours, they are best planted in well-drained soil and kept indoors during winter.
- Mistletoe and Holly: Classic festive plants that add traditional charm and festive foliage to your decorations.
Embrace the festive spirit with these stunning Christmas plants, each offering a unique touch to your holiday décor. Whether for personal enjoyment or gifting, these plants promise to enhance the festive atmosphere in any home.
Visit Boma Garden Centre or shop online to explore our full range and enjoy delivery within London’s M25, ensuring your holiday season is as beautiful as it is memorable.
The Best Christmas Plants – North London FAQs
Where in North London can I find quality Christmas plants and trees?
Boma Garden Centre in Kentish Town has been a trusted favourite for over 20 years, offering handpicked Christmas plants, real cut and pot-grown trees, and creative festive planters suited to London’s urban gardens.
What’s the most popular Christmas plant in the UK?
The poinsettia remains the UK’s favourite. Its bright red bracts are a festive staple, and Boma stocks premium-quality varieties that thrive in London homes.
What plants are associated with Christmas?
Plants commonly associated with Christmas in the UK include poinsettias, Christmas cactus, amaryllis, Christmas rose (helleborus), indoor cyclamen, paperwhite narcissus, hyacinths, mistletoe, holly, and fir or spruce Christmas trees.
How long do Christmas plants last?
The lifespan of Christmas plants varies by type and care. Poinsettias can last through winter if kept warm and watered only when dry; Christmas cactus and amaryllis often reflower each year; hellebores and cyclamen can thrive for several winters outdoors or indoors; paperwhite narcissus and hyacinths typically bloom for 2–3 weeks indoors; mistletoe and holly sprigs last for weeks if kept cool; and real Christmas trees often stay fresh for 3–4 weeks with proper watering and care.
How can I keep my poinsettia healthy over Christmas?
Keep it away from draughts and direct heat, and maintain an even temperature of about 13–16°C. Only water when the top of the compost feels dry.
I don’t have much outdoor space. What indoor plant works best for a flat or apartment?
The Christmas Cactus or Amaryllis are perfect indoor choices. Both bloom strikingly in December and need little upkeep beyond light and occasional watering.
Are there plants that can handle London’s winter gardens?
Yes. The Christmas Rose (Helleborus ‘Little Darling’) and hardy cyclamen are ideal for pots, front-door displays, and even shaded gardens across Hampstead, Highgate, and Finchley.
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