The showy colored parts of Poinsettias that most people think of as the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves). These "are short-day plants." Even though poinsettias are not difficult to maintain but watering them can be little tricky. Many deciduous plants lose their leaves at about the same time each year. Poinsettia is a type of small tropical tree that belongs to the spurge family. Long-day plants form flowers only when day length exceeds a critical minimum, usually more than 12 hours. Poinsettias are the best selling potted plant in the United States and Canada. The word Poinsettia is traditionally capitalized because it is named after a person. Why couldn't the ambassador have been named, "Smith?". The leaves are reportedly not very tasty, so it's highly unlikely that kids or even pets would be able to eat that many! Enormously popular holiday gifts, they are treated by most of their recipients as houseplants. Plant root showing … Poinsettias received their name in the United States in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the country in 1828. Euphorbia pulcherrima does have flowers, but these green and yellow flowers are small—and certainly not a noteworthy feature. You bet it is! In Mexico the poinsettia is a perennial shrub that will grow 10-15 feet tall. Paul Ecke Jr. is considered the father of the Poinsettia industry due to his discovery of a technique which caused seedlings to branch. Poinsett discovered them during an envoy to Mexico around Christmastime and introduced the flowers to the U.S.A. The milky sap (the "latex," if you will) that oozes from the branches can result in contact dermatitis in some people. January to March: Keep watering the poinsettia whenever the surface is dry. History of Poinsettias. N ative to Mexico, Poinsettias are found in wild, deciduous tropical forests at moderate elevations, from Southern Sinaloa down the entire Pacific Coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. Can poinsettias be harmful to your health? Mar 25, 2012 - Prized for their bright, showy flower bracts, poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are a common sight in many homes during the holiday seasons. Updated by Erica D. Seltzer and MaryAnne Spinner, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners, http://urbanext.illinois.edu/Poinsettia/facts.cfm, http://www.Poinsettiabowl.com/bowl-history/bowl-history.html, http://shs.osu.edu/blog/medical-mythbusters-poisonous-poinsettas1/, http://www.safnow.org/statistics-floriculture-industry-overview, http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/16823/Poinsettia-season-2010-recap-making-the-most-of-Poinsettias, http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/14307/Poinsettia-survey-complete-results, http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/30679/ecke-s-president-explains-the-sale, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The plant is native to tropical deciduous forests of Mexico, where they grow from 2′ to 12′ tall. Flowering is dictated by a number of daylight hours available. The most common question people have about Poinsettias is how to get them to rebloom in successive years. But the "flowers" also come in white, yellow, pink and color combinations. Here is a picture I took of one in El Salvador in front of a synagogue. They are found in the wild in deciduous tropical forest at moderate elevations from southern Sinaloa down the entire Pacific coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. The red Poinsettia still dominates over other color options. When mention is made of poinsettia plants, most people think of the color, red. Deciduous plants have leaves that drop once a year. This dwarf deciduous … The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think of as the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves). Learn a few facts about this traditional Christmas plant. You might be surprised to learn just how many people get sick due to exposure to poinsettias. Seven hundred years ago, the Aztecs called the plant Cuetlaxochitl, and used the red bracts for dye. Poinsettias are not poisonous. Only two words need be uttered to dispel the new myth: latex allergy. Joel Roberts Poinsett introduced the poinsettia plant to the United States from Mexico. In other words: getting them to flower again is a real pain—something best left to greenhouse operators. They are typically treated as annual houseplants, but are actually deciduous tropical shrubs that thrive outdoors within U.S. Although these traditional beauties aren’t difficult to maintain, watering poinsettia plants can be tricky. We can thank the derivation of the plant's name from Ambassador "Poinsett" for the numerous misspellings that abound. 10 Interesting Facts About Poinsettias No flower says Christmas like the beautiful poinsettia. Eating the leaves can cause vomiting and diarrhea. HISTORY OF POINSETTIA. All the way from the deciduous tropical forests of Mexico, people bring this bright color plant to their home for holidays. There are more than 100 varieties of poinsettias available today. It is known there as "Flor de Pascua", meaning "Easter flower". Poinsettias are part of the Euphorbiaceae or Spurge family. California is the top U.S. Poinsettia-producing state. The legend regarding Euphorbia pulcherrima begins long ago with a peasant girl in Mexico, faced with a problem on Holy Night: she lacked the means to contribute a gift in the Christ Child ceremony at the church, as all the other children would be doing. Poinsettias have also been called the lobster flower and the flame-leaf flower, due to the red color. Such misspellings have spawned mispronunciations (or is it the other way around?). There, it is a deciduous flowering shrub, growing up to 10 feet in height. Available from florists in a variety of sizes, an average height for potted poinsettia plants is perhaps about two feet (not counting the container). Poinsett was a botanist, physician and the first United States Ambassador to Mexico. Sound like a lot of work? In 1991, a university graduate student published an article that described a method for causing Poinsettias to branch. In nature, Poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that were once considered weeds. Plus poinsettia leaves have an awful taste. Below are five facts about these iconic holiday plants that would surprise many people. The fact is, this Christmas icon can make some people quite sick. These Christmas flowers are native to Mexico and are named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S Ambassador to Mexico and a U.S Congressman. When laymen speak of the "flowers" on poinsettia plants, what they are referring to are petal-like leaves known as "bracts." However, both folks in the industry and their customers regularly insert a "T" after the "N" when speaking, so that the word most often ends up being pronounced as point-SET-uh. Poinsettia grows in deciduous tropical forests and seasonally dry forests in the wild. Poinsettias are small shrubs that grow wild in the deciduous tropical forests of Mexico, but to most of us, they bring color to the home during the winter holidays. Indigenous to Central America, it was described as a new species in 1834. ... Deciduous trees, shrubs drop leaves in cold temperatures. The colors of the bracts are created through "photoperiodism", meaning that they require darkness (12 hours at a time for at least five days in a row) to change color. Most Poinsettias are sold within a six-week period leading up to that holiday, representing some $60 million worth. Learn a few facts about this traditional Christmas plant. Many plants in the Euphorbiaceae family ooze a … The plant is native to tropical deciduous forests of Mexico, where they grow from 2′ to 12′ tall. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. is derived. Poinsettias contribute over $250 million to the U.S. economy at the retail level. Wild poinsettias grow as small trees or tall flowering shrubs. People seem intent on spelling the name "poinsetta," for example (dropping the I near the end of the word). Well, the common name derives from the fact that Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. was successfully added to your cart. If it survives until January, it will start shedding all of its leaves because poinsettias are deciduous and lose their leaves over winter. They are found in the wild in deciduous tropical forest at moderate elevations from southern Sinaloa down the entire Pacific coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. Poinsettias are not frost-tolerant. What is the correct pronunciation for "poinsettia? If you want to treat poinsettia flowers as annuals, you can grow them outside for a bit of extra greenery. Plant grows in the partial shade, in areas that are frost-free. It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who is credited with introducing the plant to the US in the 1820s. It is an indoor plant that you can grow throughout the year, allowing it to provide a splash of color within the household. Poinsettias come in colors like the traditional red, white, pink, burgundy, marbled and speckled. Luckily, succeeding in growing poinsettia does not need to be a hard task, even if you are a novice gardener. With the secret out and available to everyone, competition flourished, especially from Europe, resulting in a decrease of Ecke's share of the market. This is a sign the plant is too stressed and is dying. Another common misspelling involves inserting an extra T (the fact that "points" is a nickname commonly used in the florist and nursery trades probably does not help matters here). Christmas is about a lot of things but for me Christmas is about plants: Poinsettias, Christmas trees, mistletoe and holly.Poinsettias are easy. Poinsettia is more than just a Christmas flower. The girl was, however, reassured that to use a modern expression, "it's the thought that counts.". Yeah, we are talking about the poinsettias. The Aztecs used the Poinsettia bracts to make a reddish purple dye for fabrics, and used the sap medicinally to control fevers. Euphorbia pulcherrima is a sub-tropical plant, native to Mexico. The harm, in these cases, comes not from eating the leaves, but rather from touching the plant or even simply from being around Euphorbia pulcherrima. Poinsettia has a variety of names: a scientific, Euphorbia pulcherrima, a scholar, Euphorbia the elegant, as well as many market and commons, including Christmas Star, Christmas Flower, Painted Leaf, Lobster Plant and Mexican Flameleaf. Poinsettias are a deciduous plant, so their leaves will fall off after they’ve reached full bloom. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. Poinsett was a botanist, physician and the first United States Ambassador to Mexico. For example, ginkgo loses its leaves much earlier ... plants, such as chrysanthemum and poinsettia. The Paul Ecke Ranch in California grows over 70% of all Poinsettias purchased in the United States and does about 50% of the world-wide sales of Poinsettias. They are typically treated as annual houseplants, but are actually deciduous tropical shrubs that thrive outdoors within U.S. This technique allowed the Poinsettia industry to flourish. Intolerant of the cold, in the North, it is grown almost exclusively indoors. The plants are raised in greenhouses (it is big business), to be sold as potted flowers for the holidays. "Pointsetta" is a spelling even more off-base, but it is also more common than one might imagine. Despite rumors to the contrary, Poinsettias are not poisonous. Montezuma, the last of the Aztec Kings, had Poinsettias delivered to him by caravan to what is now Mexico City, because Poinsettias could not be grown in the high altitude. Since Poinsettia plants are from the tropics, they prefer surroundings that simulate that type of … They are found in deciduous tropical forests at moderate elevations the entire Pacific coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. The salient point about their status as sub-tropical plants is that, when transporting them in cold weather (say, from a florist shop to your home), they need to be wrapped for protection. If you prefer something more serene, then white poinsettias are a great choice. On the other hand, once Poinsettias finish that process, the plants require abundant light during the day for the brightest color. In the ground, they can reach 10 feet tall. They are also found in the interior of Mexico in the hot, seasonally dry forests of Gurerro and Oxaca. The plants are raised in greenhouses (it is big business), to be sold as potted flowers for the holidays. Poinsettias are mildly toxic to dogs but the dangers are hardly ever serious or fatal. April: Starting April 1, gradually decrease water, allowing the soil to get dry between waterings. "There haven't been any deaths reported due to eating poinsettia leaves,” Wahl says. The first bowl was played in December of 1952 and was created as a military services championship game, with the Western and Eastern military services champions competing against each other. Plant taxonomy classifies Christmas poinsettias as Euphorbia pulcherrima, literally, "the most beautiful Euphorbia" (Euphorbia is not only a genus name but also the name of a large plant family). Joel Roberts Poinsett, a physician, botanist, and the first United States Ambassador to Mexico, spotted a wild Poinsettia growing in a deciduous, tropical Mexican forest in the 1820's. No flower says Christmas like the beautiful poinsettia. There, it is a deciduous flowering shrub, growing up to 10 feet in height. ". Many of the most common garden plants like Lilac, Hydrangea, … There are over 100 varieties of Poinsettias available. You might want to keep your pets from snacking on poinsettia leaves. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. The truth is, a kid would have to eat about 500 poinsettia leaves to get sick. Deciduous shrubs are typically multi-stemmed plants that lose their leaves in fall and winter. Poinsettia flowers belong to the Euphorbia family and are related to the Euphorbia polychrome or the Cushion Spurge. Imagine seeing a whole forest of poinsettias! They exist in the hot, dry forests of the Mexican interior and can also grow in temperate coastal climates, such as the beach communities of Southern California. (Of course, the plant wasn't called "Poinsettia" yet, as it was named after him years later). The illnesses that some people suffer just from being around poinsettia plants (without even touching them) are worse yet (for example, difficulty in breathing). If you wish to replicate this "forcing" and get your plant to bloom again, you will need "about 10 weeks with 12 hours or less of sunlight per day." The Ecke family had a secret technique that caused every seedling to branch, resulting in a fuller plant. They will grow outdoors in temperate coastal climates, such as Southern California beach communities. Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees, … Taking this advice, she picked some roadside weeds on the way to church to make a bouquet. Poinsettias are native to Mexico. Hit enter to search or ESC to close. An NCAA college football bowl game in San Diego is named the Poinsettia Bowl. The ‘blooming red flower’ is not a true flower but rather a collection of colored bracts or modified leaves. Poinsettias received their name in the United States in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the country in 1828. Grow them in well-drained soil and in a sunny spot that receives a fair amount of shade in the afternoon—water needs are moderate to high. Poinsettias are another great Christmas tradition. The Paul Ecke Ranch in California grows over 70% of all Poinsettias purchased in the United States and about 50% of the world-wide sales of Poinsettias. Thus was born an enduring Christmas tradition, as we continue to associate these "flowers" with the holiday season. Poinsettias are actually small tropical trees or shrubs that can reach heights of 12 feet. Poinsettias are native to the low and mid-elevation tropical deciduous forest of southern Mexico. A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than a pound-and-a-quarter of Poinsettia leaves (500 to 600 leaves) to have any side effects. Seven hundred years ago, the Aztecs called the plant Cuetlaxochitl, and used the red bracts for dye. But be aware that the leaves can still be a choking hazard for children and pets. Ancient Aztecs cultivated this plant for use in traditional medicines to reduce fever and for red dye. Poinsettias grow wild in Central America, in deciduous tropical forests, at moderate elevations. In Spain the Poinsettia has a different holiday attribution. They are also found in the interior of Mexico in the hot, seasonally dry forests of Gurerro and Oxaca. Is "poinsettia" the botanical or the common name for the plants? If Euphorbia pulcherrima is the scientific name for these plants, one may well ask how their common name (which looks like it should be a scientific name!) Since these are tropical plants, poinsettias are very frost tender. At the very least, be sure not to touch your eyes after touching the sap. But because this fact is so widely known now, people have let down their guard and allowed a new myth to take hold, as a reaction: namely, the myth that no health issues whatsoever surround the annual displaying of poinsettia plants. As of August 2012, the Ecke Ranch, which was family-owned and operated for nearly 100 years, announced that it had been acquired by the Dutch-based Agribio Group. Be careful that the stem does not begin to shrivel. These brightly coloured flowers are sure to brighten up any home through all our dark our December days. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 500 leaves to have any harmful effect. In other words, the more foliage the plant has, the longer it will last. December 12th is Poinsettia Day, which marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1851. Prized for their bright, showy flower bracts, poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are a common sight in many homes during the holiday seasons. Poinsettias have also been called the lobster flower and the flame-leaf flower, due to the red color. But when she arrived at the church, and it was time for her to present her gift, the bouquet of weeds was transformed into something much more colorful: red Christmas poinsettias! You can even make a wreath full of white ones and insert a few contrasting rend poinsettias. By Bob Morris Gardening. The yellow flowers, or. In Nahuatl , the language of the Aztecs, the Poinsettia was called, Today the plant is known in Mexico and Guatemala as ""La. So unless you like to itch, avoid the sap, in case you are one of those prone to develop this rash. He sent cuttings of the plant he had discovered in Southern Mexico to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. Prune back the plants hard in April, to about 10cm (4in), and keep at a temperature of 13°C; In early May, repot them, growing them in a light, cool place over summer. They are excellent foundation and accent plants for your garden and can offer many seasons of interest. The most common side effects that have been reported from Poinsettia ingestions are upset stomach and vomiting. But frankly, they are not anything special without the colors that nurseries artificially induce them to put on at Christmas. Regarding the toxicity of Euphorbia pulcherrima, one could say, "A new myth has grown up in the process of dispelling an old myth." The "marbled" type is one of the most fascinating. Euphorbia pulcherrima can be grown as a perennial in zone 10 and higher (e.g., South Florida). Dec 27, 2016 - Prized for their bright, showy flower bracts, poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are a common sight in many homes during the holiday seasons. 'Prestige Red'--one of many poinsettias patented by Ecke--ranks among the best-selling hybrids. Some readers with latex allergy have shared their personal stories about health problems stemming from contact with these colorful plants. They are found in the wild in deciduous tropical forest at moderate elevations from southern Sinaloa down the entire Pacific coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. The only reason you can buy them at the florist shop in bloom during the Yuletide season is that greenhouse operators have manipulated their bud set. Poinsettias are native to Mexico and were found in the wild — in deciduous tropical forest at moderate elevations from southern Sinaloa, down the entire Pacific coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. In Chile and Peru, the Poinsettia is called the "Crown of the Andes". Botanically, the plant is known as Euphorbia pulcherrima. Intolerant of the cold, in the North, it is grown almost exclusively indoors. There are more toxic holiday plants for dogs - here is a list. Here are the facts about the old myth and the new one: As many have pointed out, it is a myth that poinsettia plants are deadly poisonous if a child or pet eats the leaves (but that does not mean that the leaves should intentionally be eaten, either, since, if eaten in sufficient quantity, they can, in fact, make a human or pet at least mildly sick). They are typically treated as annual houseplants, but are actually deciduous tropical shrubs that thrive outdoors within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11. In extreme cases, anaphylaxis can result. Make sure the plant isn’t too wet or too dry Poinsettias are often disappointing in their second year, but this is the best way to try and get a good display from them in their second year. As you can see from the photograph below, wild poinsettias look quite different from the ones we grow today in greenhouses. The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). It originates from Mexico and Central America, but it can be found in subtropical areas around the world today. Poinsettias are native to Mexico. Poinsettias are native to Mexico. By Laurel Rady. 0 . Our local poinsettia growers buy cuttings… Poinsettias are native to Mexico. The colorful bracts form around (and just below) these inconsequential flowers. As you can see from the photograph below, wild poinsettias look quite different from the ones we grow today in greenhouses. December 12th is Poinsettia Day, which marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1851. Forcing Poinsettias to Flower at Christmas, The "Flowers" of Christmas Poinsettia Plants, Poinsettia Aren’t Poisonous But Can Make You Sick, 9 Ways to Get the Most Out of Poinsettia Plants, 5 Different Species of Bird of Paradise Plants, The Best Low-Maintenance Succulents to Grow Outdoors, Common Backyard Plants That Are Poisonous to Dogs, 12 Ways to Get Cheap or Free Garden Plants, 6 Itchy-Rash Plants and How to Identify Them, Tropicanna Canna Offers Fast Growth Rate, Colorful Leaves, 7 Indoor Plants That Are Dangerous to Children & Pets. Poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plant. It is estimated that women account for 80% of Poinsettia sales. The poinsettia occurs naturally in northwest areas of Mexico and can be found growing wild in deciduous tropical forests along the western coast of Central America as far south as Guatemala. In Mexico, the Poinsettia is displayed in celebration of the ". Ambassador to Mexico, introduced the first specimens to North America (1828). Poinsettia, when it does not come from the garden center of our region, is a perennial deciduous shrub of the tropical regions of Mexico and Central America. They have names like 'Premium Picasso', 'Monet Twilight', 'Shimmer', and 'Surprise'. Dictionaries list poin-SET-ee-uh and poin-SET-uh as acceptable pronunciations. History of Poinsettias. You can move them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Think you know all about poinsettia flowers? Though once only available in red, there are now Poinsettias in pink, white, yellow, purple, salmon, and multi-colors.

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