While Christmas gift baskets grab much of the attention come the start of December, there’s another holiday tradition that goes back even further, a plant that has become as ubiquitous in homes and offices as brightly decorated Christmas trees. Of course we can only be talking about Poinsettias, the most popular Christmas flower, and the most popular flowering potted plant sold in the United States. The familiar red leaves are in demand year round, but never more so during the six week lead up to Christmas, during which the bulk of the 61 million Poinsettias ($220 million worth) annually are sold in this country. Even with the popularity of these traditional Christmas flowers, it might surprise you to know that they have a very long and interesting history, complete with misconceptions, exotic locations and important historical figures.
For example, it’s been a widespread belief that the plant’s leaves are poisonous to people. While the sap produced by the plant can be a mild skin and stomach irritant in large enough quantities, a study by Ohio State University dispelled the poison myth by proving that 500 of the red leaves would have to be eaten to induce discomfort in a 50 pound child. What other interesting facts are there about Poinsettias? A good starting point would be the origin of the plant. This Christmas flower is native to Mexico and parts of South America; the red leaves were used by the Aztecs to make dye. In the wild, these plants are perennials, growing as flowering shrubs that reach as much as 10 feet in height. Try fitting one of those in a Christmas gift basket! Many people realize that the brilliant scarlet leaves aren’t actually flowers, they’re modified leaves called “bracts.”
The history of Poinsettias in the US begins with the efforts of Joel Poinsett, a 19th century US ambassador to Mexico and avid amateur botanist (who later founded the Smithsonian Institution). Poinsett brought the plant from Mexico to the US in 1828 and began growing and distributing them from his hot house in South Carolina; it’s generally accepted that the plant picked up the name of Poinsettias around 1836. Today, there are over 100 different varieties of these Christmas flowers available, with red being the most popular color, followed distantly by pink and then white. While they’re grown in all states, 80 percent of commercially distributed Poinsettias in the US come from a single grower in California. In addition to being the most popular Christmas flower in the US, Poinsettias are also the most popular potted plant sold in the country.
Keep the history of Poinsettias in mind when you’re choosing a holiday gift for you friends, family, neighbor or coworkers. While Christmas gift baskets, chocolates, a balsam wreath or freshly baked cookies are always welcome, there’s an awful lot of tradition behind the red-leaved potted plants from Mexico, and they’re the top selling Christmas flowers for good reason.
