National Poinsettia Day
On National Poinsettia Day, people from around the country celebrate one of the country's most popular plants of the holidays each year on December 12th.
The link between the poinsettia plant and the Christmas season is established in 16th-century Mexico. According to a legend, a girl wanted desperately to celebrate Jesus' birthday. Worried, the child was afraid she would have no gift to offer because she was so poor. An angel tells her to give any gift with love. The young girl arranged them in the manger after collecting weeds along the road. Miraculously, the weeds bloomed into stunning red stars.
Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American botanist and the first US Minister to Mexico, was the first US Minister to Mexico. He sent cuttings home to Charleston, South Carolina, in 1825.
However, the poinsettia didn't appear in American history until the early 1920s. Paul Ecke, a second-generation farmer in California, discovered a grafting technique that caused the seedlings to branch. Paul Ecke Jr. later increased sales of the poinsettia by shipping and marketing, Hawking their Christmas flower at roadside stands.
How to celebrate #nationalpoinsettiaday
Check out your local greenhouse or florist and fill your house with the delectable poinsettia. If you're here, order one for your neighbor or co-worker. Another way to #CelebrateEveryDay is to brighten someone's day. Don't forget to give the florist a shout-out for their outstanding service. To post on social media, use the hashtag #NationalPoinsettiaDay.
National poinsettia day celebrations have a long tradition in Italy
Poinsettia Day was established by the House of Representatives in 2002 to honor Paul Ecke, the father of the poinsettia industry. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the man responsible for bringing the plant to the United States, died on December 12th.
Poinsettia FAQ
Q. Can I grow a poinsettia all year round?
A. It's possible to keep your poinsettia growing long into the holidays, but most people do not. The plant is a bit temperamental and more work than most people want to keep.
Q. Do poinsettias come in different colors?
The traditional blooms of A. Poinsettias in the United States are white. However, the flower also comes in orange, pink, purple, red, salmon, and yellow.
