Poinsettia

Genus: Euphorbia pulcherrima

Poinsettias are an emblem of the winter holiday season in America and are currently the biggest selling potted plant in America. With its beautiful, red star-shaped leaf design and dynamic red and green contrast, the poinsettia has been dubbed the Christmas flower and it's as common to the holiday season as the Christmas tree.

As a native of Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia has a long and rich history to Central American peoples who were attracted to the plant's decorative, medicinal, and utilitarian qualities. It is known as the "flame leaf" in Central America, "flower of the holy night" in Mexico, and "Cuetlaxochitle" to the Aztecs. During the 14th to 16th centuries the Aztecs used the sap to control fevers and they used the bracts (the modified leaves) to create a reddish dye. The last Aztec king, Montezuma, was known to have poinsettias transferred to modern day Mexico City by caravans since they would not grow in the highlands.

The poinsettia was first brought to the US in 1828 by the first US ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel Poinsett. The story goes that while stationed in Mexico, the ambassador, who had a love of botany, wandered the countryside looking for new plant species. In 1828 he found a beautiful shrub with large red flowers growing next to a road and took cuttings from the plant home to his greenhouse in South Carolina. And although Poinsett had an outstanding career as US Congressman and as an ambassador, he will always be remembered for introducing the poinsettia into the United States.

In the early 1900's the Ecke family of southern California grew poinsettias outdoors for use as landscape plants and as a cut flower. Eventually the family grew poinsettias in greenhouses and today are recognized as the leading producer of poinsettias in the United States. Most commercial poinsettias that are sold throughout the country now come from California.

While the most popular color choice of potted poinsettias is the deep, vibrant red, they come in a wide array of other colors including pink, white, marbled, speckled, salmon, and yellow. The colorful upper parts of the poinsettia, called the bracts, are actually modified leaves. The actual poinsettia flower is small and green or yellow, and situated in the middle of the bracts.

Here are the DO's of poinsettia care

• DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day.
• DO provide room temperatures between 68 - 70¡ F.
• DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.
• DO use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.
• DO fertilize your plant after the blooming season with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer. And here are the DON'Ts of poinsettia care
• DON'T place your plant near cold drafts or excessive heat, including near appliances, fireplaces, ventilating ducts or on top of a television.
• DON'T expose plants to temperatures below 50¡ F. Avoid placing them outside during the winter months.
• DON'T over water your plant or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.
• DON'T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.
• DON'T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.