Grow this Houseplant with Red Berries | Ardisia crenata (Christmas Berry) Care

If you want a Houseplant with Red Berries, that too during the festive time, then grow Ardisia crenata, which is also popular as a Christmas Berry plant, with the help of this care and growing guide.

Common Names: Coral Bush, Hen’s-Eyes, Spiceberry, Scratch Throat, Chrismas Berry, Australian Holly

Also known as spiceberry or Australian holly, in its native habitat in Asia and Australia, this compact shrub from the Primulaceae family grows up to 3 to 6 feet tall in the right growing conditions indoors.

Ardisia crenata has wide glossy deep-green leaves with serrated margins. The mildly scented clusters of small, white, or pale pink blooms develop from the leaf axils on the lower branches during summer.

The flowers are followed by 1/4 inch of beautiful red round berries that appear around Christmas time. The next round of berries on this shrub comes when it blooms again in the next growing season.

Chrismas berry plant can be grown from seeds in early spring or stem cuttings in spring or summer.

Sow seeds during spring in a seed-starting mix. Maintain the soil moisture and keep the pot where it gets plenty of bright but indirect light. The seeds will sprout in 3-5 weeks.

Take a 5-6 inches long healthy stem cutting in spring or summer and plant it in a pot filled with moist peat moss-based potting mix. Water well, cover it with a plastic bag to keep the humidity, and place the pot where it gets bright and indirect light.

Pro Tip: To save time and effort, it would be a good idea to get a well-grown plant from a garden center, with berries, around the festive time. 

While growing indoors, keep your Christmas Berry Plant, where it receives as much daylight as possible, exposure to all day long bright filtered sun and indirect light helps