Visited Columbia Road Flower Market, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, on Sunday 16 December, arriving at about 2.15 p.m.

As usual there were many Christmas trees on sale,  and also a wide range of other plants and cut-flowers, giving the overall impression that there was a greater diversity of things for sale this year and things were less ‘Christmassy’.

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), here more usually known as ilex berry, remains popular, as do Christmas wreaths of various kinds for hanging on front doors, ‘long lasting pussy willow’ (Salix), and to a lesser extent cotton bols (Gossypium).  Some mistletoe (Viscum album) was available, but no holly (Ilex aquifolium) was seen.  Amongst houseplants cyclamens (Cyclamen) and poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) remain popular (even though one stallholder was offering trays of eight well-grown poinsettias at £5 each, suggesting that he had over estimated the demand for them).  There was also an extraordinary wide range of cacti and other succulents.

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus) seems to be becoming more popular, as do varieties of red pepper (Capsicum).

Edited 15 December 2019.