The poinsettia is probably the most common holiday season plant. I have had one every year for at least the past 15 years.
The Poinsettia- a few facts:
- Poinsettias are native to Mexico.
- The Aztecs called the poinsettia Cuetlaxochitl. They made a reddish purple dye from the bracts.
- Chile and Peru called the poinsettia the "Crown of the Andes."
- Poinsettias are part of the Euphorbiaceae family. Many plants in this family ooze a milky sap.
- Some people may have skin irritation from the milky sap
- In nature, poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that can grow to ten feet tall.
- The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think are the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves).
- Poinsettias are priced according to the number of blooms. The more blooms, the more expensive the plant.
If you want to keep your plant past the holidays here is what you need to do.
photo courtesy of jjackowski/flickr
Leave a Reply