We all know the poinsettia: the ultimate horticultural staple of the Christmas season, but why exactly is that the case? Whilst we consider it prominent within our Christmas culture here in Britain, it is actually native to Central America... so what's the reason for it being so symbolic here?
Well, time to hop into your time machines, because we're heading back a few years- and when I say a "few years" I mean to about the fourteenth century! You see, poinsettias are originally native to Mexico, and during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, they were used for medicinal purposes (the Aztecs, for example, utilised the plants for creating antipyretic- fever reduction- medicine) as well as for making dye. But there's also a sweet little Mexican legend surrounding the plants' association with Christmas, and it goes a little something like this: a girl named Pepita grew sad at the thought that she couldn't give the baby Jesus a gift during the Christmas Eve service at her church, and so her cousin, Pedro, offered to cheer her up by assuring her that Jesus would be happy to receive any gift (even if it was very small) from a person who loves him. Pepita then made it her mission to pick up a bunch of weeds from the roadside and arrange them into a bouquet. She felt a little silly about the present, but because of what her cousin had told her, she kept hopeful and continued her walk to the chapel and then the altar. When she lay her bouquet at the bottom of the Nativity scene... the weeds immediately transformed into bright red flowers! Ever since that day, the plants became known as "Flores de Noche Buena" ("Flowers of the Holy Night").
This narrative of course, has experienced a fair bit of alteration; for some, Pepita (or "Maria") is met by an angel on the way to church who tells her to pick weeds, rather than being influenced by her cousin to do so. No matter the shape of the narrative though, Mexico displays the poinsettia on December 12th each year to celebrate "Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe" ( "Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe"), a day in which many Mexican citizens travel to Mexico City to visit the place where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to people.
But December 12th is not only a significant day in Mexico; it also holds a great deal of importance in the US, being known as "National Poinsettia Day", marking the death of the first US Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851). Poinsett didn't spend all his time dealing with international affairs, no, he had a great deal of fun occupying himself with botanical matters! After a trip to Mexico, Poinsett managed to bring back a sample of the poinsettia to South Carolina, his hometown. The plant was then grown in his greenhouse, after which Poinsett distributed the grown ones to friends and botanical gardens. A man named John Barroom, a Philly resident, gave it to a friend of his after he had received it from Poinsett. This friend of Barrom's was named Robert Buist; legend has it that Buist was the first person to commercially sell poinsettias! What's important to know about Buist as well is that he actually moved to Pennsylvania from Scotland, so when he got a hold of the poinsettia, not only did he debut it at a flower show in Philadelphia, he also sent a few of the plants to Britain in November 1834, which is then when they managed to encapsulate the British nation!
Still, poinsettias are emblematic of Christmas to some also because 1) they are symbolic of the "Star of Bethlehem" which led the Wise Men to baby Jesus, and 2) because the red coloured leaves (that's right, they're not petals) symbolise the blood of Christ. If the leaves are white then this would mean they are representative of Christ's purity. Given that the poinsettia hails from a region that is for the most part very warm, they're not too keen on the cold weather obviously quite prominent in Winter (ironic, huh?). As a result, it is important to keep them indoors (and away from anywhere where there might be drafts) to ensure they survive both Christmas and the New Year. Be sure also to keep them moist, and water them only with room temperature water (so not straight from the tap; they don't appreciate that), as well as keep them in a bright room (but nowhere with direct sunlight).
At Langton Greenhouse, we've got all your poinsettia needs covered! We have a great selection this year and are even ordering MORE IN! Need any more advice on how to take care of them? Drop in today and speak to our horticulturist Cory, the ultimate expert on all things plant-based!
