Red Poinsettias

The red poinsettia has become Christmas' most famous plant. In fact, the red poinsettia plant has become a symbol for Christmas the world over. Discovered fairly recently (by traditional standards) the poinsettia plant is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, who imported it from Mexico in 1828.

The legend of the red poinsettia tells of a poor village child in Mexico who wanted to leave a gift at the alter but had no money. In desperation, they picked some weeds on their way to church to leave as their gift. They prayed to God to help them show his love and God answered by turning the weeds into a beautiful star-shaped flower with bright red leaves. The red poinsettia has been a symbol of belief ever since.

Red poinsettia plants can last weeks beyond the holidays when placed in indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day. Keep your poinsettia away from cold drafts and extreme heat, and water your red poinsettia when it feels dry. After the blooming season is finished, use an all-purpose fertilizer once a month for best results.

It was once believed that red poinsettias were poisonous, this is a misconception. Scientific evidence of the poinsettia’s safety is ample and well documented, in fact all poinsettias are actually helpful in removing pollutants from indoor air.