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Pointsettias are pictured at Unique Roots, a greenhouse located at 5150 State Route 29, Celina.
CELINA - Like Santa Claus and candy canes, poinsettias are red, jolly and bring holiday cheer.
Although the flowering plant is synonymous with tidings of comfort and joy around many local homes, it is not native to the area. It originates in Mexico.
Poinsettias were first introduced to the United States in 1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, an amateur botanist and first ambassador to Mexico, according to the Society of American Florists. He introduced the plant to America when he brought several cuttings to his plantation in Greenwood, South Carolina.
Kendall Robinson, one of the owners of Unique Roots, a greenhouse in Celina, confirmed the plant's history, adding that some cultures believe there is religious significance to the plant.
"That's actually how they got attached to Christmas, was the folklore tale," Robinson said. "There was a little girl (who) had nothing to offer up to baby Jesus in the nativity, so she picked a bouquet of weeds, which were poinsettias, and laid them at the base of the manger. The angels came down and made them into these bright, bright green and red beautiful flowers, instead of the weeds she had picked."
Because the plants are native to Mexico, they grow wild there, according to the florist society. In their telling of the story, centuries ago, on Christmas Eve in Mexico, a little girl named Pepita didn't have a gift to present to Jesus. Her cousin, Pedro, encouraged her to give anyway.
"So, on her way to church she gathered some weeds she found along the road," per information from the Society of American Florists. "As she approached the altar, a miracle happened: The weeds blossomed into brilliant flowers. Then they were called Flores de Noche Buena - Flowers of the Holy Night. Now they are called poinsettias."
"Some people think they symbolize like the star that the wise men followed, but as far as I know … they bloom naturally this time (of year) where they originated from, so it was just a tropical that we kind of adopted as our own symbol," she added. "As far as I know there's no other significance. They're not from here - we have to import them in."
Pointsettias are pictured at Unique Roots, a greenhouse located at 5150 State Route 29, Celina.
When choosing a plant, the association suggests picking one with small, tightly clustered buds in the center. Look for crisp, bright, undamaged foliage and avoid plants displayed in drafty or crowded areas.
To keep the poinsettia blooming, water the soil thoroughly when it is dry to the touch and discard excess water in the saucer. To prolong color, keep a temperature range of 60 degrees for night and 72 degrees for day. High humidity is preferable. Place it away from hot or cold drafts and protect it from cold winds.
After the plant blooms, gardeners can treat it as a houseplant.
During the winter, cut the stems back to 8 inches above the soil line when bracts, or smaller leaves at the base of the flower, fade. Water thoroughly and lightly fertilize it with a balanced all-purpose fertilizer every three to four weeks, the information reads. When the weather warms, take the plant outside, positioning it first in indirect and then direct sunlight.
On Independence Day, cut back new growth stems. In early September, move it inside while still giving it six or more hours of direct light. From Oct. 1 to mid-December, confine the plant to complete darkness for 14 hours, giving it 10 hours of natural light daily. This will set the buds and cause bracts to color.
"Once they've turned their color, they like a decently bright room, but they use periods of total darkness to force that color change in the bracts," Robinson said.
Pointsettias are pictured at Unique Roots, a greenhouse located at 5150 State Route 29, Celina.
The plant is tempting to collect because it comes in so many colors and patterns.
"They come in hundreds of different colors and varieties," Robinson said. "Red is by far the traditional, but they (are) yellow, green, pink (and) striped (variations). I'm surprised (they) don't have a polka dot yet. There's all kinds of colors, which is which is kind of cool they could do that."
Robinson said scientists achieve the colors by selective breeding.
Despite popular myths, scientific research has found that the plant is non-toxic and non-poisonous.
Scientific research from the Ohio State University proved the poinsettia to be non-toxic, the Society of American Florists said. All parts of the plant were tested, including the leaves and sap.
According to POISINDEX, the national information center for poison control centers, a child would have to ingest 500-600 leaves in order to exceed the experimental doses that found no toxicity.
A study by the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University found that out of 22,793 reported poinsettia exposures, there was essentially no toxicity significance of any kind. The study used national data collected by the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Additionally, the National Capital Poison Center lists the poinsettia among non-poisonous plants.
Because the plant is not meant to be ingested, it should be kept out of reach of children and pets.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the plant could be "irritating to the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting, but generally over-rated in toxicity."
