One of the newer winter holiday plants on the market is Selaginella krausianna variegatus, more popularly known as frosty fern. This is a creeping plant that in some climates is a ground cover, but has been grown and marketed as a houseplant. Because of the white tips and fresh, green foliage we have come to love it for indoor groupings along with more traditional holiday plants such as poinsettias. As long as you keep the frosty fern constantly moist it will be a happy plant inside all winter…just take “constantly moist” seriously. That said, I decided to have some fun with this cheerful foliage plant.
Here is a Selaginella krausianna variegatus that I bought at the garden center. As is it is a delightful plant, but I found that there were many ways to dress it up for myself or as a gift.
First I put the plant in a recycled tin can with a funny “bah-humbug” ribbon.
Next I plopped the plant in a milk glass vase. Milk glass can be found very inexpensively at consignment stores and thrift shops, and they are great for presenting plants as gifts or for centerpieces and mantle/table arrangements.
Two pots of frosty fern were great in a ceramic bread loaf pan…a nice hostess gift when a bow is added.
Watering cans that hold a standard 4″pot can be found at many garden centers and craft stores.
And my personal favorite was placing a frosty fern in one of the old aluminum coffee pots I like to collect. Add a black and white ribbon that plays off the black handles and you have a stylish presentation of a fresh looking indoor plant.
Look around your kitchen, basement, garage or the local thrift shop and you’ll find similar ways to contain and display Selaginella krausianna variegatus for the holiday season. I did mention that you don’t want to let it dry out, right?
