When many people think of symbolism, they think of things that they may see in their dreams. The Poinsettia is also the national emblem of Madagascar. White, orange, pink and speckled blends are just some of the Poinsettias grown. Punch holes in the bottom foil cover so that water can drain into a saucer. “We’re losing our independent nurseries so fast,” he says. Higher temps will shorten a plant's life. Poinsettias originate from Mexico and Central America. One of the friends he sent plants to was John Bartram of Philadelphia. “It was a total flop,” he says. Poinsettias can also be orange, pink, pale green, and even purple. The more than 100 varieties of poinsettias come in a range of colors from red, salmon, and apricot to yellow, cream, and white (but not blue—these are a designer color created with dyes). Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees, with heights of 2 – 13 ft. January to March: Keep watering the poinsettia whenever the surface is dry. With dyes supplied by Fred Gloeckner and Co., growers can produce painted poinsettias in 10 colors, including blue, orange, fuchsia, lilac and green. All rights Reserved. “And it always will be.”. Warning, poinsettias do not require fertilizer during the winter. “They were the yellow poinsettias with either purple, blue or hot pink leaves and with gold or silver glitter,” Coite says. Earlier in the week, Wal-Marts in communities including Pleasanton, San Leandro and Manteca had blue, fuchsia and purple in stock. Secondly, poinsettias must be exposed to a short day (9 hours) lighting period to insure Christmas color. The bright colors on poinsettias are actually leaf bracts, not flowers. Growing up there was only red. 'Pepita', he said "I'm sure that even the smallest gift, given by someone who loves him will make Jesus Happy.". Poinsettias are cheery plants that are widely grown indoors over Christmas for their brightly coloured bracts. Christmas colors are red and green. In 1828, ... Red is the most popular color, but every few years Poinsettia breeders come out with new colors. The Aztecs had many uses for them, including using the flowers (actually special types of leaves known as bracts rather than being flowers) to make a purple dye for clothes and cosmetics and the milky white sap was made into a medicine to treat fevers. Maintain a room temperature between 65 to 70 degrees. Many independent growers aren’t willing to take a chance on a trendy product such as bright orange and lemon yellow poinsettias. “It’s all crinkly, and it’s designed that way,” Hess says. Everything has some level of symbolic meanings attached to it. Choose the color for your poinsettias. “I call it Kris Krinkle.”. You can see some of the green on the bract. The flowers of the poinsettia are unassuming and do not attract pollinators. Some bracts are showy with distinct marbling or edging in contrasting colors. New varieties are introduced yearly. I went with coral. Poinsettia plants are native to Central America, especially an area of southern Mexico known as 'Taxco del Alarcon' where they flower during the winter. The flower that makes everyone think of Christmas is the Poinsettia. The flowers are small and found in the yellow center of the stalk. They range from creamy white to pink to the traditional bright red. Poinsettias come in a wide range of colors, from red to yellow to multicolored. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. With no GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. Could be deep crimson, fire engine, date night - Poinsettias come in all of the Revlon nail colors. Aztec kings and commoners prized the brightly colored plant as a symbol of purity. Name a flamboyant color and chances are there’s a painted poinsettia to match it. They can do more innovative things.”. “All this glitter and shiny stuff is hot right now,” Lee says. Check on the state of your poinsettia soil daily. Be careful that the stem does not begin to shrivel. Even a nightlight can disrupt this process! A young girl named At the first Philadelphia flower show, Robert Buist, a plant's-man from Pennsylvania saw the flower and he was probably the first person to have sold the poinsettias under their botanical, or latin name, name 'Euphorbia pulcherrima' (it means, 'the most beautiful Euphorbia'). Red is the most popular color, accounting for roughly three-quarters of all sales nationwide, followed by white and pink. At Armstrong Garden Centers in Dublin, customers find a medley of plants with names such as Pink Peppermint, Monet and Merlot. They were a little more jazzy.”. What colors do poinsettias come in? Getting your poinsettias to produce their brilliant holiday colors again is a little bit tricky, but once you know how to do it, the success rate is actually very high. Make sure to keep your lush red flowers in some form of indirect sunlight, but don't let them get too close to cold windows or heating or air conditioning vents. “That’s called Country Quilt. They aren’t widely available in the Bay Area yet, but a few big box stores also are carrying poinsettias in vibrant shades of blue, orange, fuchsia and lilac this season. Place them in the right spot. “I see consumer interest, but I can’t get the (California) growers interested,” he says. Every year in the US, approximately 70 million poinsettias of many cultivated varieties are sold in a six-week period. A new one is Picasso, which Yadon describes … We searched GrowIt! In fact, poinsettias come in red, pink, purple, multi-colors and salmon pink. Pepita was sad that she didn’t have a gift to leave for the baby Jesus Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). Post was not sent - check your email addresses! CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. Most of the 14-inch poinsettias, however, are shipped to Bob’s Pittsburgh warehouse, to … Andrew Lee is vice president of sales for Fred C. Gloeckner and Co., which supplies the poinsettia pigment to growers nationwide, including Mainland. The poinsettia comes in a dizzying array of colors, more than roses or daisies or virtually anything else. FROM CLASSIC RED, the poinsettia roster has expanded to embrace soft pink, buttery cream and mottled mixes. Many of these poinsettias are grown by the Ecke family business, which serves half the worldwide market and 70% of the US market. You can find poinsettias around the holidays to fit into almost any decorative scheme. (Other versions of the story say an Poinsettias are tropical plants, so adequate lighting and temperature are essential for the well-being of your bouquet. While dream symbolism is a real thing, there is symbolism in the waking world as well. Where do poinsettias come from? “Back East, there are more independent stores. Those might not be associated with the holiday, but all of them are brilliant images that can occupy your … Tip: Poinsettias come in many shades of cream, yellow, white, pink, peach, traditional red, and some with variegated bracts (leaves) designed with stripes, marbled or spotted with contrasting colors. From the pink-and-white speckled Jingle Bells to the curved-leafed Winter Rose, poinsettia varieties account for 83 percent of flowers sold during the holiday season. money to buy a real gift, Pepita picked a bouquet of weeds that she The poinsettia is a commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family. Did you know poinsettias come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes? walked past on the way to church. Poinsettia bracts range in color from the traditional pure white, pink or red to purple, yellow, orange and salmon. Last year, Americans bought 66 million poinsettias, and nearly 50 million of those were red. Poinsettia Symbolism & Meanings. It’s red and cream with a little bit of green. Known as Christmas Stars, the Poinsettia is a staple Christmas plant for the home. Along with various colors, poinsettias also come in a variety of sizes. Some varieties have bracts with patterns in red and white, pink and … The reason we associate poinsettias That’s especially true for the younger generation, who along with interior designers are the biggest fans of the painted poinsettias’ dramatic color scheme. When she got Home Depot in Colma carried about 100 painted poinsettias this month, but they sold out a week ago, says store manager Jeff Coite. Poinsettias come in many colors. The old days of red or white are long gone. Nothing says Christmas like a beautiful pot of poinsettias. It has been said that this plant brings good luck to whoever is the give if handled with affection. Are you a traditionalist and prefer the ubiquitous red Poinsettia commonly found at the market, or do you seek out designer varieties? Also the dark period of each long night (15 … Indigenous to Central America, it was described as a new species in 1834. The more than 100 varieties of poinsettias come in a range of colors from red, salmon, and apricot to yellow, cream, and white (but not blue—these are a designer color created with dyes). They are often disposed of once they start to fade, but with a little care, you can keep them all year and the bracts will colour up again the following year. When the painted poinsettias caught the fancy of European consumers several years ago, Lee says his company tried enticing American customers, too. You can e-mail Monique Beeler at mbeeler@angnewspapers.com or call (925) 416-4860. professional botanists from Poinsett on have insisted on fiddling with the poinsettia’s good looks. The shape of the poinsettia flower and leaves are sometimes thought of as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem which led the Wise Men to Jesus. So how do poinsettias get their crazy colors, like blue and purple? These poinsettias have very soft, elegant petals that look similar to a large rose, and it comes in soft colors such as pink, cream, and yellow. From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the 'Flores de Noche Buena', or 'Flowers of the Holy Night'. The bracts now come in shapes including ruffled, tear-shaped and oak leaf. She expects the pink-and-purple petaled poinsettias to have an equally short lifespan in the United States. It is thought that they became known as Poinsettia in the mid 1830s when people found out who had first brought them to America from Mexico. When looking for a white poinsettia, keep in mind that the pink poinsettia is sometimes referred to as being white in color. Find the perfect poinsettia for your decor! While poinsettias are living plants, even the most well-cared-for plants will start to lose their color after a month or two. It was only in the early 1900s that they were sold as whole plants for landscaping and pot plants. (Today we call the sap latex!). and found Poinsettias in blue, teal, purple, and pink hues. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Where do Poinsettias come from? And the pot was wrapped in a foil the color of the dye.”. Poinsettias are beautiful holiday decor and aren't usually considered to be long-lived houseplants. The fad will last three to five years before the public rediscovers its affection for traditional colors, Schoenacker predicts. A flame-leafed shrub native only to steep hillsides in central Mexico, the poinsettia was first cultivated by the Aztecs some 600 years ago. The poinsettia was made widely known because of a man named Joel Roberts Poinsett (that's why we call them Poinsettia!). UK becomes first country to authorize Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, Photos: Dangerous sneaker waves headed to Marin shores, California Supreme Court challenge to juvenile justice reform initiative has ties to Santa Cruz homicide, California paid $400 million in fraudulent jobless benefits to state prisoners. The Ecke family from Southern California were one of, if not, the first to sell them as whole plants and they're still the main producer of the plants in the USA. there, she left the weeds at the bottom of the nativity scene. When the soil feels dry to the touch, add more water, stat! Poinsettias come in lots of colors and sizes, but all love to be kept in indirect light and very moist. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! You can see many new and nontraditional varieties of poinsettias at Mischler’sFlorist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. Poinsettias come in spectrum of colors Share this: Click to share on Facebook ... growers can produce painted poinsettias in 10 colors, including blue, orange, fuchsia, lilac and green. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. They were first sold as cut flowers. This is a sign the plant is too stressed and is dying. What is your Poinsettia style? The red colored leaves symbolize the blood of Christ. “Red is still No. Poinsettia Plants are known as the Christmas Plant. In fact, the anniversary of Poinsett’s death, Dec. 12, is observed as National Poinsettia Day. Her cousin tried to comfort her and said that “They’re painting (purplish)-reds and blues and lavenders. Mischler’s grows their poinsettias right in their greenhouses in Williamsville. Do you opt for the traditional colors and varieties, or prefer to display an uncommon or new take on this popular holiday plant? But with a few tips and tricks up our sleeve, your poinsettias can stay fresh long after the ball drops on New Year's Eve. 02. MIX COLORS FOR PETALS. with the holidays comes from an old Mexican legend. 1,” she says. Excess water will pool in your saucer, so make sure to dump that out after. Pretty as it is, amateur and professional botanists from Poinsett on have insisted on fiddling with the poinsettia’s good looks. Poinsettia sap helped control fevers, and the bracts — the fiery red leaves — made a vibrant dye. There are also unusual speckled or marbled varieties with several colors blended together. “And after Thanksgiving, we had blue, lilac, fuchsia and purple.”. “There’s quite a variety,” says Armstrong employee Jim Hess, as he pauses before a plant making its debut this season. “It didn’t cover the entire leaf; it was more on the edge. There scientific name is Euphorbia Pulcherrima but are commonly know as poinsettas. Ambassador Joel Roberts Poinsett also lent his name to the potted plant that has become America’s floral emblem of Christmas. I swung by a local nursery last weekend and popped into their greenhouse to find a … As Pepita walked to the chapel, sadly, her cousin Pedro tried to cheer her up. Wild poinsettia populations are highly fragmented, as their habitat is experiencing largely unregulated deforestation. “There’s been a lot of changes since then,” says owner Mike Janoski, who starts nearly 40,000 poinsettias in late summer from tiny plants. Red is the most popular color, accounting for roughly three-quarters of all sales nationwide, followed by white and pink. Poinsettias - Christmas Customs & Traditions, 3 Florists Who Deliver at Home in Montreal. With just a little bit of extra attention, you can turn last year’s poinsettia into this year’s holiday centerpiece. “It’s a spray paint that’s adding tints of color,” says Jim Nelson, sales representative for Mainland. Poinsettias come in colors like the traditional red, white, pink, burgundy, marbled and speckled. Most of the 14-inch poinsettias, however, are shipped to Bob’s Pittsburgh warehouse, to … But it’s the colors that growers can’t resist meddling with most. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) need total darkness, for 14 hours each day, starting about eight weeks before you want to display them. Adding further sparkle to the holiday plant’s leaves, Gloeckner also offers clients a glitter product to sprinkle on the painted bracts. Painted poinsettias are more widely available in the Midwest and on the East Coast this season, says Gloeckner sales representative John Jenkins, who is based in Morgan Hill. Barnitz said the local greenhouse grows the flower in four-and-a-half, six-and-a-half, eight, 10, and 14 inch pots. Along with various colors, poinsettias also come in a variety of sizes. Although traditional red is still the biggest seller, there are lots of different colors, shapes and sizes of the plant. 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. One population in the Mexican state of Guerrero is much further inland, however, and is thought to be the ancestor of most cultivated populations. Jesus would love any presents from her, even the smallest one. “The traditional reds and greens for Christmas is a little out of step.”. Learn more about Poinsettia uses, effectiveness, possible side effects, interactions, dosage, user ratings and products that contain Poinsettia Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into bright red flowers, and everyone who saw them were sure they had seen a miracle. N°1 Flower Delivery (Canada & United States). There is an old Mexican legend about how Poinsettias and Christmas come together, it goes like this: There was once a poor Mexican girl called Pepita who had no present to give the baby Jesus at Christmas Eve Services. Before you think it’s just the colors, put yourself in the boots of a greenhouse grower and think again! sudden, the weeds transformed into beautiful red flowers. California usually sets trends, but he says the state’s plant growers are lagging behind their counterparts in the rest of the country on this one. Poinsettia: Expert tips on caring for your poinsettia plant and extending its lifespan. Though often stated to be highly toxic, the poinsettia is not dangerous to pets or children. What colors do Poinsettias come in? Poinsettias are popular flowers around Christmas. angel came to her and instructed her to pick the plants.) But a handful of growers are hoping to tempt consumers to branch out. He was the first Ambassador from the USA to Mexico in 1825. It’s more of a saturated color.”. It’s quite unusual.”. During the day, the plants need bright light, along with the other routine care. “They were just different. They became associated with the Christmas holiday and are popular seasonal decorations. She felt embarrassed because she could only give this small present to Jesus. Pepita didn't know what she could give, so she picked a small handful of weeds from the roadside and made them into a small bouquet. At first, customers were taken aback by the plants’ vivacious colors, he says. April: Starting April 1, gradually decrease water, allowing the soil to get dry between waterings. Problem is, sometimes these gorgeous plants don't even last until Christmas Eve, completely crushing your holiday spirit. But once they realized the poinsettias weren’t artificial flowers, they snatched them up. As she walked through the chapel to the altar, she remembered what Pedro had said. One of his personal favorites is a deep red poinsettia with scallop-edged bracts. The more than 100 varieties of poinsettias come in a range of colors from red, salmon, and apricot to yellow, cream, and white (but not blue—these are a designer color created with dyes). The ancient Aztecs called them 'cuetlaxochitl'. Wild poinsettias occur from Mexico to Guatemala, growing on mid-elevation, Pacific-facing slopes. “It’s really a special dye that we’re using on the bracts of poinsettias, the white, cream, light pink and marble (varieties).”. Kerry Kelley of Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville,Md., hand-paints poinsettias in a rainbow of unnatural hues. They were cultivated by the Aztecs for use in traditional medicine. Poinsettias’ flowers are the center of the surrounding red leaves, or bracts. Not any more. They are easy care in a warm, part shaded position and come in a number of colourful foliage types. Its large, emerald-green leaves complement the flowers perfectly, and they look extraordinary in a home that has a French or country design. He immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina, where he began growing the plants and sending them to friends and botanical gardens. There are also unusual speckled or marbled varieties with several colors blended together. All of a However, starting in the evening, the plants must get complete darkness. A native of Germany, Schoenacker says the craze for boldly colored Christmas plants has already come and gone in Europe. There are more than 100 varieties of Poinsettias. What is known as the Christmas flower is native to Mexico. “We had the orange color for Thanksgiving,” she says, adding that she spent weeks applying dye to plants with a compressor-style paint gun. The poinsettia was made widely known because of a man named Joel Roberts Poinsett (that's why we call them Poinsettia!). The white leaves represent his purity. at Christmas Eve services. “They sold out pretty fast,” Coite says. You'll be the first to hear about new arrivals, trends, and exclusive offers. While we associate poinsettias with those darker nights with the heating turned up and the snuggly blankets out, you may be surprised to discover that they actually hail from Mexico and really don't like the cold. At Mainland Nursery Inc. in Woodbridge, outside of Lodi, the wholesale grower for the first time is supplying retail customers with white poinsettias that have been coated in shades such as hot pink, apricot and turquoise. Apparently poinsettias, like so many other plants, are a hybridizer’s dream because there are certainly a variety of them to be found these days. Barnitz said the local greenhouse grows the flower in four-and-a-half, six-and-a-half, eight, 10, and 14 inch pots. Exposure to the plant, even consumption, most often results in no effect, though can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The plants also require abundant light during the day for the brightest color. If plants do not receive this altered lighting pattern they will initiate color after Christmas rather than during the holiday season. 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. I have to admit my favorite Poinsettia is the large red ones. “This process, either you like it or you don’t.”, At Cal Color Growers in Morgan Hill, horticulturist Barbara Schoenacker helped paint 11,000 poinsettias to be shipped to selected Wal-Mart stores. “They’re not really painted,” says Lee from his New York office. The first United States ambassador to Mexico brought cuttings home with him in the 1820s. The colors of the bracts are created through photoperiodism, meaning that they require darkness (at least fourteen hours at a time for 6–8 weeks in a row) to change color. She began to feel better, knelt down and put the bouquet at the bottom of the nativity scene. While I was out shopping today I noticed there are so many different colors of Poinsettias now. Poinsett had some greenhouses on his plantations in South Carolina, and while visiting the Taco area in 1828, he became very interested in the plants. The ultimate Christmas plant, Poinsettias span over 100 varieties beyond the "common red plant." GARDENING HOLIDAY: Shoppers love painted poinsettias, especiallyyounger buyers. “No one wanted anything to do with it.”, “Since 9/11, people are trying a lot of different things and thinking outside of the box,” Lee says. by © 2020 FlowersEzGo. This is why He’s forgotten the official name, but no matter. 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