It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas with poinsettias everywhere you look. The plants, especially those with red bracts, have become the living symbol of the holiday season. But they're not the only festive plants to decorate with this time of year. Nor is red the only color du jour.

"Poinsettias are an icon, like Easter lilies," said Janet Marcum, owner of Buds & Blossoms Too in the Richland Uptown Shopping Center.

But unlike Easter lilies, which are always white, poinsettias nowadays come in a rainbow of colors. Breeders have developed plants in shades of pinks and salmon, mauve and wine red, white and several creamy shades.

There are spotted poinsettias and ruffled poinsettias. Some have variegated or holly-shaped leaves.

"They're definitely more interesting," said Christi Seaton, a floral designer at Kennewick Flower Shop.

And if you still can't find one to suit your color scheme?

"There are painted poinsettias, sprayed with florists' paint in colors to match nearly any decor," Seaton said.

Plus, there are all the sparkly ones dressed up with glitter.

While tinkering with Mother Nature's colors, breeders have even improved the hardiness of the plant, somewhat.

"I find the reds tend to be almost the hardest to work with," Seaton said, adding, "They're longer armed, bigger headed, yet seem to be more fragile than some others. Some of the new colors are not as tall or full, but seem to be a stronger plant."

Even so, poinsettias are a touchy houseplant. They don't like drafts, or when it's too warm. Some people have good luck with them, others don't, Marcum said.

If you fall into the "don't" category, there are many other floral options for seasonal decorating.

Marcum suggests buying a blooming Christmas cactus because it's a succulent, water-storing plant that's easy to grow. You can buy one with red blooms or choose pink, peach, purple or white.

Amaryllis, a bulb that shoots out a tall stalk crowned with a large lilylike flower, is another easy-care holiday plant. They also come in several different colors, but red still outsells all others during the holidays, said Sally Ferguson, director of the Netherlands Flower Bulb Center in Danby, Vt.

Paperwhite narcissus, also a bulb, is another good choice. All you need to do is keep its roots moist and enjoy its pure white blooms, which last for a week or more.

Seaton said narcissus are sometimes added to dish gardens.

"The green plants in the garden and the narcissus make a striking combination," Seaton said.

Another striking combination is something florists call a mumsettia, a pot of white chrysanthemums with a red poinsettia planted in the center. Growers do the same with white kalanchoe, calling that combination kalsettia.

Orchids, which bloom for months, and roses, which come in rainbow hues, are another option for holiday color. Or skip the blooms and go green.

The herb rosemary naturally looks like a little evergreen tree, and boxwood is also a nice green to decorate with. The fresh boxwood greens can be arranged into a tree shape or you can buy a small potted plant, Marcum said.

There's also a wide variety of houseplants to choose from that are grown for their colorful foliage, not their blooms. Calathea, with streaks of purple-red and green on its leathery leaves, is one.

All of these, unless you harden your heart and toss them out, will need some attention and care past the holidays. If you'd rather opt for an easy-care seasonal accent, both women advise choosing a fresh arrangement of evergreens and flowers.

"This time of year there are so many interesting things to add to an arrangement -- candles, pine cones, holly, ornaments -- that you don't really need a lot of flowers," Seaton said.

And Christmas greens are long-lasting, just as long as you keep water in the vase, Marcum said.

"Greens -- like Christmas trees -- absorb an astounding amount of water. If you get a Christmas arrangement, check your vase frequently. You'll fill it once if not twice a day," Seaton said.

But you can easily enjoy the arrangement throughout the holidays. As the fresh flowers fade, just refresh the arrangement with new ones.

* Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com