Native to Central America, poinsettia’s as we now call them, were grown in an area of Southern Mexico known as Taxco del Alarcon. The Aztecs put the plant to practical use. The Aztecs extracted a purplish dye from the plant in which it used in textiles and cosmetics. In fact, the milky white sap, today called latex, was made into a preparation to treat fevers.
The poinsettia may have remained a regional plant for many years to come had it not been for the efforts of Joel Roberts Poinsett. Poinsett was appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico by President Madison.
Poinsett maintained his own hothouses on his Greenville, South Carolina plantations. While visiting the Taxco area in 1828, he became enchanted by the brilliant red blooms he saw there. Poinsett immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina, where he began propagating the plants and sending them to friends and botanical gardens.
· Six hours of light daily is ideal.
· Keep poinsettias away from warm or cold drafts.
· Ideally poinsettias require daytime temperatures of 60 to 70°F and night time temperatures around 55°F. High temperatures will shorten the plant’s life. Move the plant to a cooler room at night, if possible.
· Check the soil daily. Water when soil is dry. Wilted plants will tend to drop bracts sooner.
· Fertilize the poinsettia if you keep it past the holiday season. Do not fertilize when it is in bloom.
History of the Poinsettia
Caring For Poinsettias
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