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Poinsettia, as a plant, has a long and interesting history. The fact is, poinsettia, this lovely plant you place in your home during the holidays today, was once used as a fever medicine! The poinsettia may have remained a
regional plant for many years to come had it not been for the efforts of Joel
Roberts Poinsett (1779 - 1851). The son of a French physician, Poinsett was
appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico (1825 - 1829) by
President Madison. Poinsett had attended medical school himself, but his real
love in the scientific field was botany. (Mr. Poinsett later founded the institution
which we know today as the Smithsonian Institution).
Poinsett maintained his own hothouses
on his Greenville, South Carolina plantations, and while visiting the Taxco
area in 1828, he became enchanted by the brilliant red blooms he saw there.
He immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina, where he began
propagating the plants and sending them to friends and botanical gardens.
Among the recipients of Poinsett's work was John Bartram of Philadelphia,
who in turn gave the plant over to another friend, Robert Buist, a Pennsylvania
nurseryman. Mr. Buist is thought to be the first person to have sold the plant
under its botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima (literally, "the most
beautiful Euphorbia"). Though it is thought to have become known by its
more popular name of poinsettia around 1836, the origin of the name is certainly
clear! |
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Taxco del Alarcon is an area of South
Mexico, where poinsettias flourished in. Today, this plant is a native to Central
America. The ancient Aztecs had a name for this plant found blooming in the
tropical highlands during the short days of winter: cuetlaxochitl.
Not merely decorative, the Aztecs put the plant to practical use. From its bracts
they extracted a purplish dye for use in textiles and cosmetics. The milky white
sap, today called latex, was made into a preparation to treat fevers. |
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The Legend
There is a charming story, told of Pepita,
a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas
Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her
heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.
"I am sure, Pepita, that even the
most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes," said
Pedro consolingly.
Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt
by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into
a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened
and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back
a tear as she entered the small village chapel.
As she approached the alter, she remembered
Pedro's kind words: "Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will
be acceptable in His eyes." She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay
the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.
Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst
into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had
witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.
From that day on, the bright red flowers
were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they
bloomed each year during the Christmas season.
Today, the common name for this plant
is the poinsettia! |
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Cultivation
In areas outside its natural environment
it is commonly grown as an indoor plant where it prefers good morning sun then
shade in the hotter part of the day. However it is widely grown and very popular
in subtropical climates such as Sydney, Australia.
As this is a subtropical plant, it will
likely perish if the nighttime temperature falls below 10° C (50° F)
so is not suitable for planting in the ground in milder climates. Likewise daytime
temperatures in excess of 21° C (70° F) tend to shorten the lifespan
of the plant.
The poinsettia can be difficult to induce
to reflower after the initial display when purchased. The plant requires a period
of uninterrupted long, dark nights for around two months in autumn in order
to develop flowers. Incidental light at night during this time will hamper flower
production. When watering it is important to allow the plant to drain out any
excess water. Having a poinsettia sit in water can do harm to the plant as it
prefers moist soil to direct water. |
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American poinsettia monopoly
Until 19 years ago, the Paul Ecke Family
of Encinitas, California, had a virtual monopoly on poinsettias. The reason:
a technological secret that made it difficult for others to compete. One key
to poinsettia profits is getting the plants to grow so that multiple branches
come off one stem, creating a fuller, more colorful plant. The Eckes' technique,
which involved grafting two varieties of poinsettia together, made it possible
to get every seedling to branch. About 10 years ago, however, a university researcher
discovered the phenomenon and published it; now everyone uses the same technique. |
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Rumoured toxicity
In the United States and perhaps elsewhere,
there is a common misconception that poinsettias are toxic. The origin of this
could be found in the fact that most plants of the spurge genus are indeed toxic
and also because the name of the plant seems to refer to the word poison. This
misconception was spread by a 1919 urban legend of a two-year-old child dying
after consuming a poinsettia leaf. While it is true that the plant is not very
toxic, those sensitive to latex may suffer an allergic reaction and it is therefore
not advisable to bring the plants into the home of sensitive individuals. If
eaten, poinsettias may sometimes cause diarrhea and vomiting in animals and
humans.
Did you know?
Alternative names for the
poinsettia are:
* Euphorbia
pulcherrima,
* Mexican flame
leaf,
* Christmas
star,
* Winter rose,
* Noche Buena,
* Ataturk's
Flower (in Turkey)
* Pascua.
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