Christmas puzzles

Unravel our yuletide word muddles and baffling botanical names...

Festive crossword

Across 1 Native plant promoting seasonal love and goodwill (9) 7 Genus of ornamental shrubs known as silverbell (7)

8 Type of hoe ( 5)

9 Brussels __ are a traditional part of Christmas dinner (7) 12 Half-hardy bloomer, popular as a Christmas houseplant (6) 15 Green edible flowerbud, often used as a seasoning ( 5) 16 The colourful blooms of winter-flowering __ add interest to the December garden ( 5) 17 __ layering is a good way to propagate plants such as blackberry ( 3) 18 Use these conifer ‘fruits’ to make seasonal decorations ( 5) 20 Serbian __ makes a graceful Christmas tree (6) 22 These bristly plants are a source of winter food for goldfinches (7) 23 The sweet fruits of this palm are a festive favourite (4) 24 Genus traditionally associated with Christmas (4) Down 1 The yellow blooms of __ x media brighten winter plots (7) 2 Small, sweet ingredient in the Christmas pud (7) 3 Fleur de __ is a traditional name for lily ( 3) 4 Pheromone __ keep specific pests away from fruit trees ( 5) 5 Liquor made from this shrub’s berries will be ready to drink at Christmas ( 5) 6 Citrus fruit often found in the Christmas stocking (7) 10 Its brilliant bracts make it top for Christmas colour (see picture) (10) 11 Mashed and buttered, this is a popular Christmas veg ( 5) 13 Winter varieties of these leafy crops provide healthy salads in the cold season ( 8) 14 Enliven a wreath with the fruits of crab __ ( 5) 15 __ persicum makes for a pretty Christmas houseplant ( 8) 19 Alternative name for turnip used mainly in Scotland (4) 21 The fruit tree cited in traditional carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas (4)