Poinsettia Plants

The Flower of Christmas Eve The Legend of the Poinsettia

The Poinsettia has long been used to decorate the season. Have you ever heard the legend that surrounds this holiday plant? It goes something like this:

Pepita, a young Mexican girl, wanted more than anything to present to the Christ Child a special gift on Christmas Eve, but she had no money. Crying as she walked to church, she saw an angel who instructed her to gather weeds from the roadside and present them to the Christ Child.

Pepita took the angel’s advice and gathered a bouquet of weeds to take to the church. Upon entering the church, she placed the weeds at the feet of the Christ Child, and suddenly, her humble weeds burst into brilliant red blooms.

Poinsettia – Select and Care:

Here are a few suggestions on how to select and keep your poinsettia plant healthy and red during the Holiday Season.

When choosing a Poinsettia, look for a plant with thick, stocky stems, a deep intense color, and leaves that go down to the stems. Poinsettias are temperature sensitive, and will lose their leaves if exposed to sudden temperature drops. Be sure to wrap your plant carefully before taking it to your car. At home, place your plant in a draft-free place.

Poinsettias thrive in bright, sunny, neutral light, and need at least six hours of it each day. Place your plant by a sunny window is good, but keep it out of the hot direct afternoon sunlight to avoid having the color fade. Finally, be sure to keep the soil moist.

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