Posted by
plantladylin (Sebastian, Florida - Zone 10a) on Oct 9, 2011 2:28 PM concerning plant:
The Christmas Poinsettia is native to Mexico and has become one of the most popular plants on display during the Christmas holiday season. This shrub can attain heights of 10' when planted in the ground in tropical climates. It has dark green 3" to 6" pointed leaves. Tiny yellow flowers are grouped within the center of each cluster of leaves. This plant requires bright sun for most of the day but to produce the colorful bracts (which are actually modified leaves) it must receive approximately 10 to 12 hours of darkness for a 5 - 7 day period for the leaves to change color.
The Christmas Poinsettia was introduced to gardeners in the early 19th century and was named after Dr. J.R. Poinsett. The name pulcherrima translates to "Most Beautiful" and these plants are indeed most beautiful with their vivid cheerful color during the holiday season. We're all familiar with the red version that has been on the market for many years and now they come in colors of not only red, but white, pink, coral and even red and white stripes!
Posted by
BonniePega (VA) on Jan 3, 2020 8:38 AM concerning plant:
Are poinsettias poisonous?
There is an urban legend that says poinsettias are highly toxic, but according to POISINDEX (the primary source used by Poison Control Centers), a 50-pound child would actually have to eat around 500 leaves to have a toxic reaction. It's still best to discourage pets and children from tasting it as it can cause nausea and diarrhea. If you have sensitive skin or a latex allergy, however, the sap can cause contact dermatitis.
Posted by
SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Dec 4, 2011 3:18 PM concerning plant:
To propagate, you can take woody stem cuttings about 18 inches high, place in rich soil, and keep moist, but not wet, for several weeks. Do this early enough in the summer that you don’t risk frost damage to the young cuttings, or you can bring them inside if cuttings are taken later in the year. They are fast-growing; the standard pot-size poinsettias sold in stores around Christmas are forcibly small and they will grow many feet tall when planted outdoors in a favorable climate.
Posted by
Baja_Costero (Baja California - Zone 11b) on Nov 27, 2022 7:26 PM concerning plant:
The poinsettia is probably the most common Euphorbia in cultivation, appearing on the potted plant market in late fall with big red bracts, which look like flowers although they are just the leafy part of the reproductive structure. Unlike a few other Euphorbias, which pose actual hazards to the gardener in the form of their sap (which can be an extreme irritant), the poinsettia seems to be pretty harmless. Thus its popularity and its general safety (though avoid the sap to be sure).
Poinsettias are produced in vast numbers for sale in the weeks before Christmas, and generally disposed of after a few weeks, whenever the color fades or the plant exhausts its tiny pot. So they are treated as annuals, even though they are long lived perennials and they are started from cuttings, not seed.
There are zillions of color variants of the poinsettia, many of them named. The classic Christmas red is the most common, and in my opinion none of the color variants are any improvement over it, though the white version makes a nice color combination.
While these are almost always small potted plants with a short lifespan in cultivation, this is a long lived shrub or small tree when given the right location, and as such it is a very well behaved landscape plant in climates with mild winters. It is tropical in origin but thrives in dry climates.
This plant is called a nochebuena in Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries, after the word for Christmas Eve.
