The Christmas tradition of poinsettias

The bright, blood-red poinsettia has become the most popular of all Christmas flowers. The star of the leaf is said to represent the star that stood over the Christ Child. The red flower stands for the blood of the male infants that King Herod had slain. The red flower also represents the shed blood of Christ.

Poinsettias are believed to have originated in central and south America and were recorded, described, and revered by the ancient Aztec peoples. This flowering plant eventually became a symbol of Christmas to the Mexican culture and it became a tradition to use poinsettia plants to decorate during Christmastime.

In 1824 the American Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett attended church service on Christmas Eve and was impressed with the bright red flowers used to decorate the church altar. Poinsett took seeds with him when he went back to America and shared the plants with local churches during Christmas celebrations over the next several years. Because Joel Poinsett was so closely associated with the plant in the United States, people who bought them started calling them Poinsett’s plants or poinsettias. Today, millions of poinsettia plants decorate homes throughout the world.

Poinsettias are available in a wide range of “flower” colours and leaf shapes. With red and green being the colours we most often associate with Christmas, it follows that the red poinsettia continues to be the most popular. Poinsettias might be a Christmas classic, but they aren’t limited to their potted locales.

Here are some tips for making the most of this festive flower during this Yuletide season. If you can’t use live plants, you can substitute artificial ones.

∙Snip a few colourful bracts and arrange them in small bud vases. Display a grouping of the vases on a tiered tray for an artful arrangement.

∙Tuck a cut poinsettia bloom or two into silver cups or vases and gather the collection on the mantel for a pretty arrangement.

∙Poinsettias are a naturally showy way to enliven a Christmas tree. Insert them into small floral vials filled with water. With trees that have dense, tight foliage, such as spruce and balsam, you can get away with simply tucking the vials into the foliage.
∙“Mini Star” poinsettias are grown one flower per plant in a tiny plastic pot. Tucked into an espresso-size cup, they’re a fine embellishment for a place setting. If “Mini Star” poinsettias are not available where you live, get the same effect with a cut poinsettia in a cup or vase.

∙Slip your poinsettia, pot and all, into a decorative ceramic container, then dress up the soil with a layer of small apples. “Monet” is the variety pictured, with enough of its lower leaves plucked away to show off the fruit.

∙It’s amazing the statement a single flower can make — and nothing is easier to display. Just trim off a poinsettia and lay it on the plate. Tie on a name tag to create a place card. To make the flower last a few days rather than a few hours, slip it into a water-filled vial, available at crafts stores and florist’s shops. Wrap the vial in paper to conceal it, or leave it as is.

∙Cut a bouquet of ivory poinsettias for a table centerpiece. Cranberries in the clear glass vase hold the stems in place. Mingle the blossoms with Christmas greens if you wish. For a longer-lasting arrangement, insert each stem into a water-filled floral pick before adding them to the vase.

∙There’s no need to worry about the shape of your plant when you cut the blooms and set them in water. Put the vases on two stacked cake plates and you have a festive centrepiece in minutes.

∙Why settle for yet another poinsettia set out in a foil-covered pot? For a new look, set wet blocks of florist’s foam on a row of trays. Then cut poinsettia flowers from the plant and insert them to cover the foam entirely. Figure about six flowers for every 12 inches of foam.

∙A pink paper wrap and satin bow quickly turn a potted poinsettia into a take-along gift for a holiday party. Choose an art paper that is thin enough to fold easily around the pot.
∙Choose any striking bloom, insert it into a water-filled floral pick, then use it to accent vignettes around the house. Be sure to check and refill the pick regularly to keep the bloom looking fresh.

Tips when buying poinsettias
When buying poinsettias choose a plant with dark green foliage down to the soil line.
Choose bracts (modified leaves) that are completely coloured.
Do not purchase poinsettias with a lot of green around the bract edges.
Do not choose plants with fallen or yellowed leaves.
The poinsettia should look full, balanced and attractive from all sides.
The plant should be 2 1/2 times taller than the diameter of the container.
Choose plants that are not drooping or wilting.
Do not purchase plants that are displayed in paper or plastic sleeves. Plants held in sleeves will deteriorate quickly.
Do not purchase plants that have been displayed or crowded close together. Crowding can cause premature bract loss.
Check the plant’s soil. If it’s wet and the plant is wilted, this could be an indication of root rot.
Check the poinsettia’s maturity. Check the true flowers which are located at the base of the coloured bracts. If the flowers are green or red-tipped and fresh looking the bloom will “hold” longer than if yellow pollen is covering the flowers.

Ideally poinsettias require daytime temperatures of 60 to 70F and night time temperatures around 55F.

High temperatures will shorten the plant’s life. Move the plant to a cooler room at night, if possible. Fertilise the poinsettia if you keep it past the holiday season. Apply a houseplant fertiliser once a month, but do not fertilise when it is in bloom.

There has long been a misconception that poinsettias are poisonous. In fact, the plant is not very toxic. If eaten, it may cause discomfort or, at worst, vomiting or diarrhoea. People sensitive to latex may experience an allergic reaction to poinsettia. But to call it poisonous is extreme.

This Christmas season, check out the new and unusual varieties of poinsettias. They can be dressed up beautifully with fresh greens or sprayed with gold glitter to make them more festive. And with proper care, they can be enjoyed for months, long after the Christmas tree has come down.

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