It is known there as "Flor de Pascua", meaning "Easter flower". If you liked this article, you may also be interested in some of our other Petal Talk articles from 1-800-FLOWERS.COM: 1-800-Flowers.com helps you connect and celebrate all of life's moments. They even have their own holiday: December 12 is National Poinsettia Day. If you want to treat poinsettia flowers as annuals, you can grow them outside for a bit of extra greenery. The actual “flower” on a poinsettia plant is the yellow bloom found right at the center of the bracts. Many plants in the Euphorbiaceae family ooze a milky sap. But be aware that the leaves can still be a choking hazard for children and pets. The yellow flowers, or. Joel Roberts Poinsett introduced the poinsettia plant to the United States from Mexico. On the other hand, once Poinsettias finish that process, the plants require abundant light during the day for the brightest color. He sent cuttings of the plant he had discovered in Southern Mexico to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. Interesting facts about Poinsettias Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous to humans. Some people with latex allergies have… Poinsett was a botanist, physician, and the first United States ambassador to Mexico. For red leaves, the plants need bright light during the day and pitch black at night (for at least 12 hours). It was named for Joel R. Poinsett, who popularized the plant and introduced it to floriculture while he was U.S. minister to Mexico in the late 1820s. The first bowl was played in December of 1952 and was created as a military services championship game, with the Western and Eastern military services champions competing against each other. The following article comes from our own Bonnie Pega’s blog from the Great Big Greenhouse in Richmond, originally published on November 19th, 2018.. We are surrounded by beautiful poinsettias right now, so here are some interesting poinsettia facts and tidbits about them: is sure to gain popularity among many this holiday. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S Ambassador to Mexico and a U.S Congressman, is credited as the first person to introduce poinsettias to the United States after discovering them in Mexico. The poinsettia and Christmas cactus are prized for their colorful flowers. The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think of as the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves). National Poinsettia Day is December 12th. With the secret out and available to everyone, competition flourished, especially from Europe, resulting in a decrease of Ecke's share of the market. Poinsettias are part of the Euphorbiaceae or Spurge family. Happy holidays everyone. … Leaves can reach 3 to 6 inches in length. Plus poinsettia leaves have an awful taste. Poinsettias are not poisonous. Poinsett was a botanist, physician and the first United States Ambassador to Mexico. In Mexico, the Poinsettia is displayed in celebration of the ". child would have to eat more than 500 leaves to suffer any harmful effects. Celebrate the season by learning these surprising facts about this festive plant known for its vibrant color. Botanically, the plant is known as Euphorbia pulcherrima. In nature, Poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that were once considered weeds. Poinsettias are the best selling potted plant in the United States and Canada. Read on for eight interesting tidbits about this popular holiday plant. Learning more fun facts about poinsettia flowers can help us better appreciate this magnificent plant, and understand why it is ever-popular when December arrives. Many plants in the Euphorbiaceaefamily ooze a milky sap. 7. The genus Euphorbia, to which the Poinsettia Plant belongs is related to 1600 other species. December 12th is Poinsettia Day, which marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1851. Updated by Erica D. Seltzer and MaryAnne Spinner, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners, http://urbanext.illinois.edu/Poinsettia/facts.cfm, http://www.Poinsettiabowl.com/bowl-history/bowl-history.html, http://shs.osu.edu/blog/medical-mythbusters-poisonous-poinsettas1/, http://www.safnow.org/statistics-floriculture-industry-overview, http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/16823/Poinsettia-season-2010-recap-making-the-most-of-Poinsettias, http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/14307/Poinsettia-survey-complete-results, http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/30679/ecke-s-president-explains-the-sale, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Plant after him leaves that measure from 7 to 16 centimeters ( 2.8 to 6.3 in ) in.. Like 'Premium Picasso ', and the first United States from Mexico on for eight interesting tidbits this. 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