The Poinsettia has been long known as the Christmas flower. Often given as a gift in potted form. However most people don’t really know where this flower originated from and what its background is. Long before Europeans arrived in the Western Hemisphere it was the Aztecs who cultivated the poinsettia in Oaxatcpec, Mexico which now has become the Mexican state of Morelos. The Aztecs made use of this flower by using the bracts (the leaf like part of the plant) for a reddish-purple dye and the latex to counteract fever. The poinsettia was also used for midwinter celebrations as it represented purity and blood sacrifices.

It was Franciscan priests during the 17th century who made the observation that the poinsettia began blooming during the Christmas season. It was then that they made this plant part of their Fiesta of Santa Pesebre nativity procession. Taking from the Aztecs the concept of blood sacrifices they had the poinsettia represent the blood of Christ to Catholics and Christians. The poinsettia naturally blooms in October indicating that Christmas will soon be coming.

It was a botanist and the first U.S. minister to Mexico during the presidency of President James Monroe in 1825, Joel R. Poinsett who sent some poinsettia plants to his home in South Carolina and shared his discovery with other plant enthusiasts. National Poinsettia Day is on December 12.

The poinsettia has become a house plant and holiday tradition. In the 1920s Paul Ecke, Sr. originally grew poinsettias as cut flower in the Hollywood and Beverly Hills areas. Once moving to Encinitas, California the Ecke family focused on field grown poinsettia mother plants which then were shipped all over the nation in railroad box cars. In the 1960s Paul Ecke, Jr. promoted poinsettias through the media such as on the Tonight Show and the Bob Hope Christmas Specials. This made poinsettias as much a part of Christmas as evergreen trees. Afterwards began poinsettia growth in greenhouses.

In the 1950s began the active breeding of the poinsettia to attempt to develop cultivars which would keep their leaves and bracts for a longer time period. There are now modern cultivars which are bred to last longer in the home, bloom earlier and which require fewer resources for production. Therefore there are now more color selections and better plant quality for customers. Now poinsettias are available in a wide range of colors from red to white, pink to burgundy and lots of variations in-between. Since the poinsettia does well in the home they will keep their color until mid-March. It is their red, pink, white, yellow, bicolored or speckled modified”leaves” are called bracts.

When selecting poinsettia plants keep in mind to choose a plant that has uniformly dark green foliage however cultivars with lighter colored or mottle bracts can have lighter green foliage. Keep in mind the poinsettia plants with pale green, yellow or fallen leaves generally have a root disease problem, have been overwatered, perhaps had excessive dry periods or may have received limited fertilization. Bracts should look well developed with little pollen showing on the flowers. If transporting the poinsettia in temps approaching 35° F be sure the plant is well wrapped or sleeved. Afterwards you have to remove the sleeves right away in order to prevent epinasty which is a downward bending of the petioles that are the slender stalks that attach the bracts to the stem.

The poinsettia loves to have indirect, natural daylight for at least six hours per day but avoid direct sunlight because it can fade the bract color. If however direct sunlight cannot be avoided make the light less bright by shading or putting up a sheer curtain shutting out some of the sunlight. If you want your plant to keep its color longer keep it out of direct traffic areas and protect it from cold drafts and excessive heat. For the poinsettia the ideal temperatures are 67° F to 70° F during the daytime and 60° F to 62° F at night. If there are any damaged or diseased leaves remove them.

Remember that the poinsettia needs moderately moist soil so check the plant each day and be sure to water if the plant feels dry to the touch. Those which are in clay pots usually need more water than those in plastic pot and therefore these sometimes get over-watered. Never allow the poinsettia to sit in standing water. If its container is wrapped in foil, remove it when watering or make a hole for the plant to drain and always pour out any water that has collected in the plate under the pot. After the holidays the poinsettia should be given a balanced all-purpose house plant fertilizer once a month.

You can be relieved to know that the poinsettia is not poisonous but it is not intended to be eaten. If ingested it can cause discomfort so this plant should be kept out of reach of small children and household pets.