A year later, in July 1830 a committee of the PHS, For visiting the Nurseries and Gardens in the vicinity of Philadelphia, made particular note of the Euphorbia heterophylla, with its large scarlet flowers, as well as some curious species of Cactus, lately received from Mexico at the Bartram Botanic Garden. If you enjoyed learning these facts about poinsettias, and discovering National Poinsettia Day, youll be excited to know there are actually several national days of the year dedicated to plants. The third largest continent on Earth covers an area of 24.7 million km (9.5 million sq mi) and is situated in Earth's western hemisphere. When the cyathia are missing, the plant is likely past its prime. December 12, 1851 is the day Joel Roberts Poinsett died. Poinsett, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, held various diplomatic and political positions through his life, but always continued a strong interest in natural science and horticulture. The shape of the plant looks like a star. California remainsthe top U.S. poinsettia-producing state. The botanical name for Poinsettias is Euphorbia Pulcherrima, which literally means "the most beautiful Euphorbia". Today, Poinsettias are not only the most popular Christmas plant, but the best-selling potted plant in the United States and Canada, contributingover $250 million to the U.S. economy at the retail level. Here are five things you should know about Central America. Native to southern Mexico and Central America, poinsettia has become symbolic of the holiday season for many Americans. Often these trees can reach heights up to 10 feet tall. Through the marketing efforts of Paul Ecke and his sons, the poinsettia has become symbolic with Christmas in the United States. Poinsettias prefer moist, well-drained soils with a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5. His son, Paul Ecke Jr. impacted the history of poinsettias by helping the horticultural industry push for floral and nursery crops to be included in the US Department of Agricultures research budget. Cultivated varieties are available with white, pink, mottled, and striped bracts, but the solid red varieties, in several shades, remain in greatest demand during the Christmas season. Want to learn more about other plants that are associated with the Christmas holiday? Poinsettia plants are native to Central America, most commonly in southern Mexico, where they flower during the winter. Here are some more poinsettia facts for you to enjoy! When it flowered again in 1836 it was drawn for Curtiss Botanical Magazine. [14] All flowers in the Euphorbiaceae are unisexual (either male or female only), and they are often very small in size. To promote poinsettias as a Christmas plant, he sent thecrimson-leavedplants to TV studios across the country, including The Tonight Show and Bob Hopes holiday specials. For over 150 years, December 12 was considered National Poinsettia Day to honor the day of Poinsett's death in 1851. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. They were cultivated by the Aztecs for use in traditional medicine. Between 1833 and 1836 the poinsettia went through a rapid series of scientific names as it was described and published in the US and Europefirst Pleuradena coccinea, then Poinsettia pulcherima, and finally Euphorbia pulcherima. Looking for more inspiration for the holidays? Type 2 or more characters into the input search below for suggested results, use up and down arrow keys to navigate through suggest box. Which country gave the US its first poinsettia plant? So, after Pepitaset the flowers at the crcheof the nativity on Christmas Eve, the angels transformed the weedsinto beautiful red flowers. Poinsettias are also one of the two birth flowers of December (the other is Narcissus). A few years later, due to the commercial & arts development in Hollywood, he was forced to move south to Encinitas where the Paul Ecke Ranch continues to produce poinsettias today. The poinsettia ( / pnst ( i) /; [1] [2] [3] Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It is commonly known that the poinsettia was named to honor physician, politician, diplomat, and amateur botanist, Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851). The colorful part of the poinsettia that we enjoy isnt a flower. We have poinsettias in the United States because of a man named Joel Roberts Poinsett. In Spain, Puerto Rico, and other Central America countries it's known as Flor de Pascua or Pascua, meaning Christmas Flower. They are a small shrub, but over time have been trained to grow as the potted plants we so often see during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. North America: View of the Milky Way over Echo Lake in Colorado. The common name we use today was believed to have been coined around 1836. A poinsettia left to grow on its own will naturally take an open, somewhat weedy look. . 1. Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees, with heights of 0.6 to 4m (2.0 to 13.1ft). In addition to pushing for research funding, Paul Ecke Jr., revolutionized how poinsettias were produced and sold. I am a history-lover and will do more research on my own, but can you share your sources, or is your comment based on oral histories passed down through generations? Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Aztecs of central Mexico cultivated the plant and called it Cuetlaxochitl. Aside from the Christmas tree itself, no plant symbolizes Christmas quite like the poinsettia. A conservation risk typical for species with wild and cultivated populations is the contamination of the wild gene pool by hybridization with cultivated individuals. Check out this post to learn how to grow poinsettias indoors for the holidays and beyond. Philadelphia nurseryman Robert Buist 1st sold the plant as Euphorbia poinsettia, although a German botanist had already given the plant the botanical name Euphorbia pulcherima. Please add the Indigenous history of the Cuetlaxochitl before Ambassador Pointsett introduced it in the US. Lets partner! Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service. The brightly colored parts of the plant (called bracts) are actually modified leaves. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. In 1828 when he saw the beautiful red plant growing in Mexico, he began shipping some back to his home in South Carolina where he could grow and study them in his greenhouse. As you can see from the poinsettia story, poinsettias have long held religious significance. Like most native products flowers fruits and the like are known today with English names as is the custom since people like Poinsett saw the flower and introduced in the US and the rest is part of the folclore. [5], An attempt to determine a poisonous dose of poinsettia to rats failed, even after reaching experimental doses equivalent to consuming 500 leaves, or nearly 1kg (2.2lb) of sap. With proper care, poinsettias stay beautiful throughout the holiday season. In their native region of southern Mexico, poinsettias flower during the winter season. What is the poinsettia called in Central America? It is the first known phytoplasma that has economically advantageous effects. Soon, the plants became popular across the U.S. and were renamed for Mr. Poinsett. Despite its short sales period, poinsettia contributed $170 million to the U.S. economy last year, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. The poinsettia flower is native to Central America - specifically, an area in southern Mexico called "Taxco del Alarcon" - and the plants were used by the ancient Aztecs to make a purple dye for clothing and cosmetics. just read the article Poinsettias, just like most members of the Euphorbiaceae plant family, do not like wet soil, he said. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased! Just pin this image to one of your trivia boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later. 2022 Carol G Speake. The poinsettia is native to the tropical areas of southern Mexico and Central America, where it grows as a small tree. In Mexico, the poinsettia is called "flores de nochebuena," which translates as flowers of the Holy Night. . In 92.4% of calls, there was no effect from exposure, and in 3.4% of calls there were minor effects, defined as "minimally bothersome". Updated. They form a circle around a cluster of small yellow flowers on the plant. Because of its brilliant color & convenient holiday blooming time, Franciscan priests, near Taxco, began to use the flower in the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre, a nativity procession. poinsettia, (Euphorbia pulcherrima), well-known member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), commonly sold as an ornamental at Christmastime. This marketing made them the best selling potted plant, not only in the United States, but also in Canada too. Lauren, regardless of where a flower was discovered or has possibly been used to divine a purpose dictated from someones heart, has nothing to do with the poinsettia that was created as a thing of beauty. Mexico; "Poinsettia" was the name of . What is a poinsettia called in South America? David Trinklein 573/882-9631. The paper trail of the poinsettia next appears at The first semi-annual Exhibition of fruits, flowers and plants, of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, held June 6, 1829. [4] A survey of more than 20,000 calls to the American Association of Poison Control Centers from 19851992 related to poinsettia exposure showed no fatalities. document.getElementById("eeb-998483-568343").innerHTML = eval(decodeURIComponent("%27%69%6e%66%6f%40%62%61%72%74%72%61%6d%73%67%61%72%64%65%6e%2e%6f%72%67%27"))*protected email*. It is native to the countries of Mexico and Guatemala. Dont forget to check out Santas list to see if youve been naughty or nice this year. There is a somewhat anomalous population of wild poinsettias in the northern part of the Mexican state of Guerrero and Oaxaca, which is much further inland in the hot and seasonally dry forests than the rest of the species' range. It has since been spread in our gardens near Philadelphia, and is know in some as the Euphorbia Poinseti; but appears to me to form a peculiar genus or S. G. at least. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. A common myth that has existed for generations is that a poinsettia's leaves are poisonous. Find out more about Jess here. [33][34], The Aztecs were the first to cultivate poinsettias. dszc / E+ Collection via Getty Images Winter Rose Dark Red. If the plant sits on a saucer, empty it after the pot drains following watering. Water left sitting in a saucer can wick up into the root zone and keep it overly wet. The Aztecs used the poinsettia bracts to make a reddish-purple dye for fabrics and used the sap medicinally to control fevers. Bring the Garden home! Poinsettias get their American name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, who brought them to the states from Mexico in the early 1800s. Unfortunately for history, Graham relied on Buists own incorrect account of the introduction of the plant, and omitted any mention of the Carrs or Bartrams Garden. Poinsettias are members of the Euphorbiaceae Family and like many plants of this family the poinsettia oozes a milky, latex sap. What look like petals are specialized leaves called bracts. Feb. 1, 2023. In Mexico, the poinsettia is known as Flor de Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve Flower. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Always the Holidays (RJS & CGS Enterprises LLC) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Palm branches also hold meaning on Easter. The true flowers, called cyathia, are the small structures in the center of the bracts. By the way, the showy red parts of Poinsettia plants are not the flowers; rather, they are modified leaves known as bracts. Positioned in the planet's northern and western hemispheres the Central America isthmus is bordered in the northwest by the country of Mexico, and in the southeast by the country of Colombia. And the poinsettia, also known as the Christmas plant, became a symbol of Christmastime in the 16th century in its native lands now known as Mexico. It is humid and consists of swamp lands. To get off to a good start, protect your new plant from cold temperatures and chilling winds on the way home from the store. Choosing the anniversary of Poinsetts death for National Poinsettia Day serves as a reminder of his contribution to making poinsettias available to the United States. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In the ancient Nahuatl language it is called cuetlaxochitl xochitl meaning ornamental flower. The Countries That Make Up Central America. His father was a prominent physician and as a boy, Poinsett was educated by his father and private tutors. #poinsettiafacts. poinsettia, ( Euphorbia pulcherrima ), well-known member of the spurge family ( Euphorbiaceae ), commonly sold as an ornamental at Christmastime. It is commonly known as poinsettia after Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the United States in 1825. [25][26], The poinsettia occurs in North and Central America, from Mexico to southern Guatemala. Feb. 16, 2023, Publication date: Are you a Southwest artist? Robert Buist, a Philadelphia nurseryman, remembered seeing the first poinsettia roots unpacked at Bartrams Garden in 1828: On my arrival in this country from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, in 1828, I paid a visit to the famed Bartram Botanic Garden, and there saw two cases of plants which had just arrived from Mexico. Just be sure that cold temperatures in your area don't drop below 45 degrees . Poinsettia fire - the poinsettia fire was the second most destructive of the may 2022 san diego county wildfires. The coast is lowlands, but the rest of the countries are made up of . At the time, Joel Roberts Poinsett was the US Secretary of War, and was in charge of the United States Exploring Expedition. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. They form a circle around a cluster of small yellow flowers on the plant. https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/NewsAdmin/Photos/stock/plants/Poinsettia-ARS.jpgThe poinsettia's small flowers are surrounded by colorful leaves called bracts. Every year, just after Thanksgiving, it emerges en masse at nurseries, big-box retailers, fundraisers, and holiday parties. To narrow it down, these flowers originated from the quaint little town of Taxco de Alarcn in Mexico. The true flowers are the yellow bead-like structures in the center of the poinsettia (called cyathia). Then touch the surface of the soil. Poinsett had attended medical school himself, but was a dedicated, almost obsessive botany-lover. The Ecke family of southern California began growing Why are the leaves on a poinsettia plant red? However, florist dye them in common colors or even add shimmers to make them much more visually engaging during Christmas. Because of its brilliant color, the poinsettia was a symbol of purity to the Indians. At this early stage, the appropriate scientific name for the poinsettia was still in doubt. They brought back artifacts to display in Washington, DC (in what is now part of the Smithsonian). Ecke Ranch is now the largest producers of poinsettias in the world. The colored bractswhich are normally flaming red, with cultivars being orange, pale green, cream, pink, white, or marbledare often mistaken for flower petals because of their groupings and colors, but are actually leaves. The Mexican poinsettia, known as the Christmas Flower in North America, is used in most Christmas decorations, owing to its bright red color and its blooming season coinciding with the Christmas holiday season. External exposure to the plant may result in a skin rash for some. Now that you know the poinsettia isnt actually a flower, its interesting to think that poinsettias are one of the flowers that represent this month! The bill passed by Congress, specifically honors Paul Ecke Jr.s contribution to the development of the poinsettia industry, and the ways in which he positively impacted the lives of others around him. Buist had trained at the Edinburgh garden, and he returned to Scotland in 1831 to acquire stock for his new nursery business. Mini poinsettias in a 6cm pot only need half a shot glass of water. [29] The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice of the crucifixion of Jesus. The new euphorbia was re-named Poinsettia pulcherrima by Robert C. Graham, Regius Professor of Botany at Edinburgh, in an article prepared both for Curtiss and the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal. Poinsettias ( Euphorbia pulcherrima) do need special care to keep bloomingand can be kept year after year to rebloom, if you give them proper care. E. Wilhelm Schmidt., 3. June 10, 2022; By: Author bloomberg fields dictionary; how tall is acrophobia at six flags Check out our post on National Poinsettia Day, including fun and festive ways to celebrate the day! Philadelphia, PA 19143 And while we now take for granted the connection of poinsettias and Christmas, it would take a while for nurserymen to reliably flower the new scarlet plant in time for the early winter holidays. Thomas Say sent over a hundred varieties of seeds from Mexico, of my own collecting in a letter to Robert Carr dated July 23, 1828. Gently firm the soil around the plant and water well. [5] This misconception was spread by a 1919 urban legend of a two-year-old child dying after consuming a poinsettia leaf. Below are some of our favorite plant themednational days: If you love trivia and want to learn more facts about all kinds of things, make sure you head to our fun facts section. What makes this remarkable is that most poinsettias are sold between the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. In 2002, an Act of Congress made it official. [11] In Spain it is known as flor de Pascua or Pascua, meaning 'Easter flower'. When shopping for a poinsettia, look for leaves and bracts that do not show any wilting, which could indicate root problems, Trinklein said. [11] In Chile and Peru, the plant became known as the "crown of the Andes". You may be surprised to know that poinsettias are not actually flowers! They are named after the first U.S. Minister to Mexico Joel Poinsett, who introduced the plant to. Populations were once found in rolling hill areas, though many have gone extinct. Want to learn more about this beautiful plant? They are grouped within the cyathia (small yellow structures found in the center of each leaf bunch, or false flowers). It is actually the plant's leaves that provide its color through a process called photoperiodism. The poinsettia is said to have been used by . Genetic analyses showed that the wild populations in northern Guerrero are the likely ancestors of most cultivated poinsettias. Poinsettia plants are native to Central America, especially an area of southern Mexico known as Taxco del Alarcon, where they flower during the winter. [40], In the late 1980s, university researcher John Dole[41] discovered the method previously known only to the Eckes and published it, allowing competitors to flourish, particularly those using low-cost labor in Latin America. Would you like a reminder of these poinsettia facts? Creating this institution was a big task and there wasnt a clear idea how it would work. [7], It was known by the common name "poinsettia" as early as 1836,[8] derived from Joel Roberts Poinsett, a botanist and the first US Minister to Mexico. The young gardener, Robert Buist, returned to Europe in 1831 and found the scarlet flower was unknown. The popularity of the poinsettia as a Christmas flower is due, in large part, to the Ecke family. What is the Aztec name for poinsettia? poinsettia cuetlaxochitl The Aztecs called poinsettia cuetlaxochitl (brilliant flower) and the Mayans referred to it as k'alul wits (ember flower). 2023Yankee Publishing, Inc., An Employee-Owned Company One population in the Mexican state of Guerrero is much further inland, however, and is thought to be the ancestor of most cultivated populations. Imagine acres of poinsettias in all colors and sizes! Always the Holidays reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Call Santas phone number, or write a letter to Santas address at the North Pole! He became intrigued by the plant and sold them from street stands. Head to Always the Holidays for facts about poinsettias as well as their history, origin, meaning and symbolism! Bacterial diseases include bacterial soft rot and bacterial canker, while a viral disease is Poinsettia mosaic virus. Poinsettia plants are native to Central America, especially an area of southern Mexico known as 'Taxco del Alarcon' where they flower during the winter. [32], Besides changing the market from mature plants shipped by rail to cuttings sent by air, he sent free plants to television stations for them to display on air from Thanksgiving to Christmas. [37][11][12], To produce extra axillary buds that are necessary for plants containing multiple flowers, a phytoplasma infectionwhose symptoms include the proliferation of axillary budsis used. Here you'll find recipes and craft projects to make your holidays even more special. 80% of the poinsettias sold in the United States come from Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, California. He was a botanist and the first United States Minister to Mexico. Flor . Corrections? Its range is about 2,000km (1,200mi) long, encompassing mid-elevation tropical dry forests. Avoid drafts, keeping temperatures between 65 and70F. William Keating, a geologist from the University of Pennsylvania also traveled to Mexico in 1828 to prospect for American mining interests. In warm climates the poinsettia grows outdoors as a winter-flowering leggy shrub about 3 metres (10 feet) high; as a potted plant in northern areas it rarely grows beyond 1 metre. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Easter lilies and dogwood trees are linked to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and because of this, they are two of the symbols of Easter. In Mexico, the poinsettia is known as Flor de Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve Flower. The plant on display, apparently the original sent from Mexico, was still colorful in early June. Heres a tweet to get you started: On July 22, 2002 Congress agreed that December 12 would become National Poinsettia Day. What is a poinsettia called in Mexico? Poinsettias come in over 100 different varieties, and the poinsettia meaning changes depending on the color of the plant. It blooms in the depths of winter in the mountains of Central Europe. The poinsettia is native to Mexico and Central America, where it grows in moist, wet, wooded ravines and on rocky hillsides. Remove any excess water that is still in the planter after 10 minutes. Help improve lives, communities and economies throughout the state. Poinsettias are a traditional Christmas plant, so learn how to take care of them and all about theirhistory. Box 520 | Dublin, NH 03444. [14], Aztec people use the plant to produce red dye and as an antipyretic medication. Euphorbia Pulcherrima, also known as Poinsettia, Christmas Flower, Winter Rose, Christmas Star, or Mexican Flame Leaf, is a species of perennial shrubs or small trees in the Euphorbiaceae family.