Decades of hybridization have produced the wonderful variety of colors and shapes and sizes which characterize the poinsettia today. Available in every color from red to white to yellow to coral to pink, there are even some with speckles and stripelike markings. In short, there’s a poinsettia for every home decor.
Poinsettias were brought to the United States in 1825 by then-U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel R. Poinsett. Poinsett was a politician from South Carolina and not a very popular one at that. He was a member of the Unionist party that supported the Doctrine of Nullification which gave individual states the right to set aside Federal laws that violated their compact with the American Constitution. In Mexico, his policies and practices were also not popular so the poinsettia was not the only thing that was named after him. Mexicans coined a term “poinsettismo” meaning intrusive and officious behavior. When fleeing political trouble in Mexico, Dr. Poinsett, an avid botanist, returned to South Carolina and brought with him a cutting of what then was a Mexican wildflower.
Used in Mexico to decorate churches at Christmastime, the flower there was called “flor de la noche buena” or “Nativity flower,” or “flower of the blessed night.” The starlike shape of the poinsettia is supposed to be a reminder of the star of Bethlehem. The scientific name means “most beautiful.”
And many people are familiar with the Mexican legend that tells of a poor little girl who picked some flowering weeds along a roadside because she had no other gift to offer the Virgin Mary. When she placed them before the Virgin’s statue, they burst into brilliant poinsettia blooms.
But there’s a common misconception about them that they are poisonous and therefore should not be around children or pets. Fortunately, this simply isn’t true. The national information center for poison control centers, POISINDEX, says that a child would have to ingest 500-600 poinsettia leaves to exceed the experimental doses in which no toxicity was found. Although it is a non-food product and certainly not intended for consumption, it is absolutely not poisonous. So purchase your plants with the peace of mind knowing that neither small children or animals will be harmed by this lovely holiday decoration. Mistletoe, however is poisonous and should be used guardedly.
When selecting a poinsettia, choose a plant that is healthy looking and does not show any signs of insects or disease. Check to see if the flowers are still on the plant. The poinsettias flowers are the golden yellow clusters at the center (cyathia), not the brilliant red leaves, commonly called bracts.
When taking your plant home, be sure it is sleeved or covered and protected in some way. Cold temperatures, even for a very short time will harm this tropical plant. Plants purchased from mass retailers may have been in their sleeves for quite some time and therefore after opening, the bottom leaves may yellow and drop off. Locally grown plants are always a better bet.
After arriving home, take your plant out of its sleeve. Always remove poinsettias from the bottom of the wrapping, pulling downward so as not to break the bracts and branches. Place your plant in a spot that will give it bright natural light, but do not expose it to direct sunlight, especially in a south facing window. Do not put it near a heat source such as a radiator, on top of a television set, near drafts or ventilation ducts.
Let your poinsettia semidry before watering. Plants are like people – neither like wet feet – so don’t let your plant stand in a saucer of water for any length of time. When watering, do so until the water runs through the bottom of the pot, then let it sit until it begins to dry to the touch again.
Although some people consider a red poinsettia a fabulous Valentine’s flower, most throw theirs out after the holiday season has passed. Poinsettias can be kept, however, and planted outdoors in the summer as an annual, although with our cool nighttime temperatures it probably won’t do very well in this area. Some homeowners try to hold on to theirs to reflower them a second year and although this is considered a “gardening challenge,” it can be done. Be advised, however, that this is a difficult task at best as they are very sensitive to day length and a strict regime must be followed in order for this to happen successfully. Generally you are better off to simply throw the plant away once you are tired of it and purchase a new one the following season.
Enjoy your holiday poinsettias this year. There are so many wonderful ones from which to choose, anyone who wants a brighter, more cheerful holiday home should be able to find the perfect poinsettia!
Gail Vanik can be reached at Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery at 565-8274 or by email at [email protected], on Facebook at Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery, or on the web at www.fourseasonsgreenhouse.com.
