There are a number of flowers that immediately bring the holidays to mind and, perhaps the most recognizable and iconic, is the poinsettia. Its vibrant red and green leaves are a symbol of Christmas and of the winter season in general.
We want to look at the history of the poinsettia, examining what it is, where it grows and how it became one of the most famous holiday flowers.
What is a Poinsettia?
The poinsettia is also known as euphorbia pulcherrima and exists in more than a hundred different cultivated varieties. It grows as a smaller tree or shrub, is characterized by dark green dentate leaves and bright red bracts/leaves. Although red is the most famous colour of poinsettia bracts, they can also range from cream, pink, white, orange, pale green or marbled tones.
This change in colour comes from the amount of darkness and light available to the plant. This process — known as photoperiodism — requires at least 12 hours of darkness for colour changing and intense light during the daytime for bringing out bright tones.
Where Does the Poinsettia Grow?
Poinsettia grows wild throughout Mexico and Central America and is native to deciduous tropical forests. It is most often found on the western coast near the Pacific ocean at moderate elevation levels. Poinsettia grow indigenously from Sinaloa’s south and along the nation’s coasts through Chiapas and Guatemala. It can also grow in Central America’s interior in seasonally dry, high temperature forests in Oaxaca, Guerrero.
Unconfirmed sightings have been made as far away as in Costa Rica and Nicaragua as well by amateurs but have yet to be officially acknowledged by botanists. Over time, the poinsettia has come to be found in many different regions that it does not grow native in. It does best in the conditions mentioned above however and requires the proper alternation of light and dark.
In our next installment of the history of poinsettias we’ll look at how this flower came to be so important as part of Christmas and holiday celebrations.
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