When we think of decorating our homes for Christmas, the poinsettia, Euphoriba pulcherimma, is the plant we always choose. Its colorful bracts, or modified leaves, in red, pink, yellow or white, add festive cheer to any room. The poinsettias we purchase today bear little resemblance to the native Desert Poinsettia, Euphorbia cyathophora, that grows wild in Mexico. This plant is a shrub that grows up to ten feet tall and has small, narrow bracts, or modified leaves, covered with splashes of red.
In 1828, Joel Roberts Poinsett, America’s first ambassador to Mexico, brought cuttings of the Desert poinsettia back to South Carolina. He was an amateur botanist and grew the cuttings in his greenhouse. He shared the cuttings with other gardeners, which helped spread this unusual plant.
In 1902, Albert Ecke arrived in America from Germany and began hybridizing the Desert poinsettia. He wanted to make a prettier plant that was fuller and had bracts completely colored red. By 1920, he had hybridized a beautiful poinsettia with solid red bracts and clusters of tiny, yellow flowers in the center.
Poinsettias became the sole enterprise of the Ecke family, and their family names were used for many of their hybridized varieties. Poinsettias named ‘Henrietta Ecke’ (a double red flower) and ‘Albert Ecke’ (a single red flower) are still sold today.
Commercial poinsettias are grown from cuttings planted under proper light and temperature conditions to force them to “bloom” during December. Today, about 80% of poinsettias sold are still grown by the Ecke company.
Dec. 12 is known as Poinsettia Day to honor Joel Roberts Poinsett. This is the perfect day to purchase poinsettias to add Christmas cheer to your home.
By Karen Bowen
Karen is a member of Yuma Orchid & African Violet Society and is the Pacific Region Butterfly Chairman.
Photo 1 Courier Files
After the Christmas tree, the poinsettia is the most popular plant purchased for Christmas decorating.
