POINSETTIAS

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"FLORES DE NOCHE BUENA"
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This beautiful red flower's connection with Christmas probably somehow began with an old legend in 16th century Mexico.

As the story was told, a young girl, too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, was inspired by a vision of an angel telling her to gather weeds from the roadside as an offering. The girl took her humble weeds to the church, and laid them on the altar, and miraculously, beautiful crimson blossoms came out of the weeds and became colorful poinsettias. They were and are called in Mexico and Central America---"Las Noches Buenas."
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Poinsettias, were not known as such, or even known in the USA until the 19th century. The flower is named for the first US ambassador to Mexico,  Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett. who "discovered" it in the wilds of Mexico. Dr. Poinsett was not only a politician but fancied himself an amateur botanist. In his random wandering in the mountains of Mexico, he came across this beautiful flower, which today bears his name. He shipped clippings home to South Carolina circa 1825.

Dr. Poinsett's discovery interested the people, and his plant was grown and enjoyed around the country, but not to a great extent until the 20th century. It really came into its own as a Christmas flower around mid-century.

A German immigrant by the name of Albert Ecke came to the U.S. in the year 1900 and somehow became interested and involved in growing and selling poinsettias, He peddled them from stands on city streets.

Albert's son came along and really gave the flower sales a boost by pioneering mixtures of strains (there are over 100 varieties) and grafting. His efforts, along with others who followed him, insured a full plant of "flowers," thus a more beautiful product. The term "flower," just used, is actually a misnomer---it's the leaves which turn red, or whatever the color might be. Poinsettias may be found in pink, orange, white, light green, and marble.

It was left then to the third son in this family, Paul Jr., to be the one who really helped
sell the U.S. public on this idea of beautiful red flowers at Christmas. He hustled and got displays everywhere he could---where they would be noticed by the most people. TV was
coming into its own, and Paul passed out free flowers, where necessary. His flowers were visible on The Bob Hope Show, and other television  productions.

Today, poinsettias at Christmas time are found extensively all across North America in homes, businesses, and churches. The Ecke family companies are said today to supply 70% of the poinsettias in the U.S., and 60% of the world's supply.

This is an unusual flower to produce. It requires a considerable amount of darkness in the autumn to develop the beautiful red leaves at Christmas. It does not like heavy watering but prefers just damp soil for growth. It may be replanted, outside, in warm weather, and taken inside again before the next frost. In its natural state in the wild, it is a shrub or small tree, ranging from two to sixteen feet tall.

While poinsettia leaves are not considered fatally poisonous, ingesting them could cause digestive distress, and a drop of oil in an eye, from a leaf, may cause loss of vision temporarily.

This plant is known in South America as "THE CROWN OF THE ANDES," and in Spain is used at Easter season and called "FLOR DE PASCUA." In Mexico, it is called "FLORES DE NOCHE BUENA," ("flowers of the holy night.")  Because of its usual five crimson "flower" leaves, it is often referred to in America as "THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM."

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BYMIL
12/19/12