Your Villa Magazine - Desert Cities - December 2023-February 2024

Let’s take time to appreciate the history of holiday plants that are no strangers to season décor in desert homes. Here are five popular choices. It’s possible to grow varieties of most of these plants in the desert or as house plants, if you choose the right location and monitor watering needs. Christmas cactus It’s a succulent that originated in the Brazilian jungle where they grow in treetops, bark and moss. In their natural environment, they flower in April and May. As an indoor plant, they flower around the holiday season. Christmas tree The most popular symbol of holiday décor, Germany started the tree tradition in the 16th century. However, symbolic use of evergreens dates back to Egypt, Roman and Nordic cultures. Holly Long before Christianity reached Europe, Druids, Celts, and Romans celebrated winter and solstice with holly, along with mistletoe. Holly was variously seen as a symbol of good luck, eternal life, fertility, and plentiful harvest. Mistletoe With roots in pre-Christianity times as a symbol of fertility, mistletoe was also used to cure some ailments. Romans thought it was a symbol of friendship and peace. A story in Norse mythology is credited with starting the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Poinsettias Aztecs were the first to cultivate poinsettias. By the 17th century, they were enmeshed into Mexican holiday traditions when Franciscan monks used the shrub in Nativity processions. They get their name from Joe Poinsett, the first ambassador to Mexico. He brought them to the United States from Mexico in the early 1800s. By the 1950s, poinsettias had become a holiday favorite. Learn more For information about how to grow and care for some of these plants in the desert look in “Lush and E™cient: Desert-Friendly Landscaping in the Coachella Valley.” You can pick up a free copy of the 160-page book at CVWD’s Coachella o™ce at 50-501 Tyler St., or CVWD’s Palm Desert o™ce at 75-525 Hovley Lane East (same building where you pay your bill). You can also find the book at CVWD.org/conservation for PDF download. D E S I G N + B U I L D Continue traditions with holiday plants CVWD Indoor Water E ciency Rebates & Discounts Facebook “ f ” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “ f ” Logo CMYK / .eps Visit www.cvwd.org/rebates for program details and requirements. Or call us at (760) 398-2651. Some programs require pre-approval. High-E ciency Washing Machines Hot Water Recirculating Pumps High-E ciency Toilet Program 24 | Your Villa Magazine