Poinsettia care

What would Christmas be without a poinsettia or euphorbia pulcherrima? We can thank an amateur botanist, Joel Poinsett, who was the U.S. ambassador to Mexico under John Quincy Adams when he brought this plant to the U.S. in 1825.

Poinsett had greenhouses at his home in South Carolina and sent some plants home to grow. As many plant enthusiasts do, we share the plant with friends and botanic gardens. One of those friends was John Bartram, a botanist in Philadelphia. Bartram introduced the poinsettia flower to the Philadelphia Flower Show. Poinsettia was sold as a cut flower until the early 1900s when Ecke Family Growers in southern California started growing and selling them as whole plants.

Today the Ecke Family is still producing poinsettias. However, the history of the poinsettia predates Poinsett, dating back to the 16th century in Mexico. In the 17th century, the Franciscan friars started including the plant in their Christmas celebrations.

 This Christmas, be sure to keep your poinsettia out of areas that get cool drafts. Just like your live Christmas tree, do not place the poinsettia near a heat vent. Keeping the temperature between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit at night suits the plant well. Do not allow the temperature to go above 80 degrees Fahrenheit or fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit because the plant will lose its leaves.

Water the plant when the soil surface feels dry. Make sure it is in a pot that drains the water well. If the leaves wilt after you water it, the plant’s roots might be rotted. So be sure after each watering to drain off any excessive water.

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.