Poinsettias

When looking to buy your own, consider the most popular varieties. The traditional red-hot seller is 'Freedom Red'. If you want a more elegant look, try the creamy color of 'Whitestar' (figure B).

Who could resist 'Monet' (figure C)? It's beautiful with a pink background, and it looks as though somebody splattered some wine-colored paint right around the edges of the bracts.

For kids, 'Jingle Bells' is always a bestseller (figure D). It looks like a snow-kissed bract, and some of the foliage has a nice holly shape.

If you want something more unique, be sure to check out 'Winter Rose' (figure E). This poinsettia has crinkly, ruffled leaves. Besides red, it also comes in white and pink. 'Goldstar' has a completely different look with colorful variegated leaves.

For those passionate about pink, 'Hot Pink', also known as 'V-14', is a great option. 'Sonora Marble' (figure F) and 'Silver Bells' offer new soft shades of pink.

When looking for a poinsettia to purchase at the garden center, stay away from plants that are wilting or missing flower buds.

If yours comes in a festive holiday wrap, make sure to either remove the wrapping once you get home or punch drainage holes in the wrap at the base of the plant. This will help to keep water from sitting at the plant roots.

Can you get your poinsettias to rebloom? The answer is yes, but according to Kolls, you have to be a diehard gardener because there's a rigorous schedule to make it do so. Poinsettias require specific hours of darkness and temperatures in order to rebloom. Even if you can get it to rebloom, it won't be as lush or colorful as it was when you first got it. Kolls' advice: put this year's poinsettia in the compost heap after it's done showing off and buy a new one next year.