Poinsettias a favorite holiday adornment

Most of N. America supply gets start at ranch in California

By Larry A. Sagers
Deseret Morning News

Christmas and poinsettias are practically inseparable. As you venture forth on one of the busiest shopping days of the season, you'll likely see poinsettias adorning more stores, more homes and more businesses than any other plant.
Poinsettias had their beginning in Mexico near present-day Taxco during Aztec times. For most of the year, these nondescript shrubs have no particular beauty, but when the days get shorter they develop brilliant red flowers. The Aztecs called it "Cuetlaxochitle," and it was a symbol of purity.

The Monet Twilight poinsettia is one of many variations. Albert Ecke started cultivating the plant in California in the early 1900s. Courtesy Ecke Ranch

The poinsettia's namesake, Joel Roberts Poinsett, was a plantation owner and botanist from South Carolina. From 1825-29, he served as the United States' first ambassador to Mexico, and while visiting Taxco, he was impressed with the brilliant red flowers he found blooming in December. He sent some of the plants to his greenhouse in the United States.

A German taxonomist had already given them their botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima, in 1833, but because of Poinsett's connections with the plants, poinsettia has become the accepted common name.

The poinsettia's history as a cultivated crop starts with Albert Ecke. He emigrated from Germany to Southern California and began growing the bright scarlet flowers in the early 1900s. His son, Paul, realized the potential of the plant and in 1920 developed the first successful poinsettia cultivar grown as an indoor potted plant.

Paul turned the family business over to his son in the mid-1960s. Paul Jr. assembled scientific and technical knowledge to bring the Ecke ranch into prominence. At his passing, it passed to other family members, who continue the tradition today.

More than 75 percent of the poinsettias grown in North America — and 50 percent grown in the world — get their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, Calif. Each year their plant breeders hybridize more than 10,000 different new varieties of plants.

Poinsettias today are much different than the plant Poinsett sent to his plantation. Although red is the traditional color, new and exciting hues are growing in popularity. Among the new varieties are pinks, whites, purples and multicolored offerings. One new variety is Plum Pudding, the first purple poinsettia. Another variety, Heirloom Peach, has a distinctive coral color. Another innovation is the Winter Rose Series, which features flowers of pink, white, red or marble.

The Jingle Bells poinsettia is a descendant of the original red Mexican plant. Courtesy Ecke Ranch

For the longest-lasting, most attractive plants, look for those with mature, thoroughly colored and expanded bracts (the colorful parts of the poinsettia). Look for plenty of dark, rich, green foliage as a sign of good plant health. The best plants have dense, plentiful foliage all the way down the stem. If the leaves are turning yellow or dropping, choose a different plant.

Look for plants that are balanced, full and attractive from all angles. One generally accepted standard is that the best plants are approximately 2 1/2 times taller than the diameter of the container.

Durability and freshness are critical. Select plants with stiff stems, good bract and leaf retention, with no signs of wilting, breaking or drooping. Avoid plants that are displayed too long in paper, plastic or mesh sleeves. Poinsettias need space; the longer they remain sleeved, the more the plant quality will deteriorate.

Examine the soil and avoid waterlogged soil, particularly if the plant appears wilted. This is often a sign of root rot. When transporting the plant, protect it from chilly winds and temperatures below 50¼ F. Put the poinsettia into a sleeve or a large, roomy shopping bag to provide adequate protection for transporting the plant home when it is cold and windy.

Poinsettias thrive on indirect, natural daylight. Give them at least six hours of diffused light daily. To prolong the bright color of the poinsettia bracts, keep daytime temperatures under 70¼ F. Never place the plants near drafts, excess heat or the dry air from televisions, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.

Poinsettias require moderately moist soil, so water the plants thoroughly when the soil surface feels dry to the touch. Remove the plant from decorative pots or covers that will keep the plant in standing water. The most serious disease is root rot, so never let the poinsettia remain in standing water or it could kill the plant. When you do water, completely saturate the soil. It is not necessary to fertilize the poinsettia when it is in bloom.

Larry A. Sagers is the regional horticulturist, Utah State University Extension at Thanksgiving Point.