By Dan Marzu
UW-Extension Agriculture Educator
Lincoln & Langlade Counties
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us. Music greets us in every store, decorations light up homes and street sides, and the smell of baked goods fills the air. For us green thumbs it is also a special time of year as we get to enjoy the variety of holiday plants that are displayed. Other than the Christmas tree there is no other plant that says the holidays like the poinsettia.
The poinsettia is native to the deciduous tropical forests of the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Guatemala. There it is a perennial shrub growing to a height of 10 to 15 feet tall that at one time was considered a weed. The poinsettia is named after Joel Poinsett, a botanist and the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico in 1825. He is credited with bringing the first poinsettia to the U.S. and sharing them with his friends. In fact, Dec. 12 is National Poinsettia Day to recognize his contribution of introducing the poinsettia to the U.S.
There are more than 100 varieties of poinsettia that come in a variety of colors that includes the traditional red, white, orange, purple, salmon, yellow, and marbled and speckled. The colorful parts of the poinsettia are modified leaves called bracts. The flowers are in the middle of the bracts on the tip of the stem. If pollen is present on the flowers the poinsettia will begin to drop the bracts. To choose long lasting poinsettias look for flowers with no or little yellow pollen on the flowers.
In order to change color the plant requires 12 hours of darkness per day for at least five days in a row. Once the poinsettia changes color, they require at least six hours of indirect, natural daylight. In temperatures of 67 to 70˚ F during the day and 60 to 62˚ F during the night. If planning on moving the poinsettia from inside to outside make sure it is covered to protect it from the cold temperature.
The soil must be kept moist. Check the plants daily and water whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. Add water until it runs out of the bottom of the drainage holes. Many poinsettias come in foil wrapped pots. It is best to either take off the foil or make holes on the bottom of the pot. You may also take the poinsettia out of the original pot and re-pot it into a different pot. There is no need to fertilize the poinsettia while it is flowering.
Although many believe the poinsettia to be poisonous, a study conducted by the Ohio State University found that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 500 leaves or about one and a quarter pounds to have a harmful effect. However, ingesting the plant will cause stomach concerns and could be a choking hazard. Individuals with a latex allergy may also have a reaction if exposed to the milky sap.
Long before Joel Poinsett discovered the poinsettia the Aztecs used the plant for dyes and the sap to control fevers. They called the plant “Cuitlaxochitl,” or the flower that grows in soil. King Montezuma, the last Aztec king, would have the plants brought up from the valley to present day Mexico City because they could not be grown in high elevations. In the seventh century, Franciscan priests near Taxco, Mexico saw the plant’s colors during the Christmas season, they incorporated the plant into their nativity processions. Around this time in Mexico, the flowers were also used during the Lady of Guadalupe celebrations that was also on Dec. 12.
There is a Mexican legend that explains how poinsettias and the holiday season came together. There are a couple versions of it, but the story is similar to the one below:
Two cousins, Pepita and Pedro, were on their way to Christmas Eve services. Having no gift for the Christ Child, Pepita’s heart was filled with sadness rather than joy. Pedro attempted to console his cousin by saying, “I am sure that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.” Not knowing what else to do, Pepita made a small bouquet of weeds from the roadside. Pepita felt more saddened and embarrassed by the humbleness of her gift. As she laid the bouquet at the altar, she felt her spirit lift and the bouquet of weeds suddenly turned brilliant red. Everyone at the church believed they had witnessed a Christmas miracle. From that day, the plants were known as the Flores de Nochebuena, or Flowers of Christmas Eve, for they changed color each year during the Christmas season.
No matter how you celebrate the holiday season, may you and yours find joy in the humble gifts that surround you.