Brian Minter: Vibrant, versatile poinsettias are the showstoppers of the season

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Few other plants symbolize the Christmas season like the incredibly vibrant and versatile poinsettia.

Each year many new varieties are introduced, making them more resilient in our winter household conditions and also more viable for the grower to produce. Their multi-tasking abilities still make them one of the most popular plants in the world.

From the giant showstoppers you see in hotels and event centres, to tiny, single stemmed Pixies, they can be used as décor in almost any office or home setting. The most popular consumer size is grown in a six-inch pot, which is a perfect coffee or side table size, providing a great display while not overpowering the room. Varieties in smaller pots can fit on wider windowsills and look quite comfortable anywhere in a smaller space.

Their ability to combine with other plants has really allowed poinsettias to expand their horizons. Fern-settias are kind of fun. Poinsettias are the focal points of these planters and are surrounded by low growing pteris ferns. Ivy-settias are even more unique. Again, poinsettias centre the pots, but trailing ivies are trained up and around overhead rings.

An old favourite is the Mum-settia, with white mums encircling the poinsettias. More popular today are Kal-settias, where long-lasting white kalanchoes are surrounded by bright red poinsettias, creating a beautiful display that can last up to a month.

Even more on trend today are the many new and colourful foliaged tropicals like nephthytis, peperomia, and pothos planted in perfect combination with the many different coloured