Poinsettia History and Basic Care
12:00 AM - Dec 02, 2011
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The Great Outdoors: Poinsettias: MyFoxAUSTIN.com
History and Basic Care for Poinsettias
Poinsettias are native to southern Mexico and Central America. They were used by Aztecs for dye and medicine.
Botanically, they were named Euphorbia pulcherrima in 1700’s. Pulcherimma means "very beautiful" in latin. They were first brought to US in 1820’s by Joel Poinsett, US Ambassador to Mexico. That's where Poinsettia comes from.
They first became commercially grown in early 1900’s in South Carolina. Many new cultivars have been created and named since then.
A “disease” causes a shorter, branched plant. Otherwise, they would be tall and skinny!
Keep indoors, above 50 degrees, in a bright window. Water regularly. Avoid contact with milky sap, as it is poisonous. It can cause irritation to eyes, nose, throat, and other sensitive skin. A large quantity of the plant would have to be consumed to be dangerous to an adult, but be very cautious if there are small children or pets that can access the plant. Plants can be kept for years, but reblooming can be tricky. Much more care info can be found here:
http://www.poinsettiacare.org/poinsettia-care-basictips/
