Are poinsettias trees in Mexico?
Like many of America’s Thanksgiving staples, the poinsettia is an immigrant from Mexico, where it’s called the flor de noche buena, the Christmas Eve flower. In the wild, poinsettias can grow into a tall and rangy tree, up to eight feet tall, with blazing red leaves.
What is the poinsettia called in Central America?
Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays….
| Poinsettia | |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Euphorbia |
| Species: | E. pulcherrima |
| Binomial name | |
| Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch | |
What is the legend of the poinsettia and Christmas in Mexico?
A Mexican legend tells of a girl who could only offer weeds as a gift to Jesus on Christmas Eve. When she brought the weeds into a church, they blossomed into the beautiful red plants we know as poinsettias, known as Flores de Noche Buena in Mexico (Spanish for “flowers of the holy night”).
How did the Aztecs originally use the poinsettia plant?
The Aztecs called poinsettias “Cuetlaxochitl.” During the 14th – 16th century the sap was used to control fevers and the bracts (modified leaves) were used to make a reddish dye. The botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima, was assigned to the poinsettia by the German botanist, Wilenow.
Can poinsettias bloom all year?
Poinsettias can be kept year after year, and they will bloom each year if you give them proper care. When the leaves begin to yellow or when the plant is no longer desired as an ornamental, gradually withhold water. The bracts (colorful leaves just below the true flowers) will be the last to go.
Is poinsettia an indoor or outdoor plant?
While poinsettias can be kept indoors throughout summer, many people choose to move them outdoors in a sunny, but protected, area of the flower garden by sinking the pot into the ground. Once nights become longer in fall, bring the poinsettia indoors.
Do poinsettias grow back after they die?
Cold damage, under watering, and changes in other site conditions will shock the plant, and poinsettia leaves shrivel and die. In most cases, correcting the conditions and waiting for a while will return the plant back to health. Fungal disease issues, however, may require the complete removal of the plant.
Can poinsettias be in direct sunlight?
Plant poinsettias in full sun but in a place that does not receive any artificial light from the street, porch or house. Artifical light confuses them, and they will stay green. They like to be kept fairly dry. If you desire a bushier plant, they can be pruned twice, in June and late August.