Poinsettia Paradise

My Aunt and I spent 3 hours in Terra Greenhouse's holiday wonderland. I had never seen blue and lilac poinsettia plants before. They were literally flying out the door. Poinsettia is a species of flowering plant indigenous to Mexico, and native to the Pacific coast of the United States. The name "poinsettia" is after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Ambassador to Mexico, who introduced the plant into the US in 1825. The alternative names for the poinsettia are: Mexican flame leaf, Christmas star, Winter rose and Stella di Natale (in Italy). The plants' association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a young girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. In the United States, December 12th is National Poinsettia Day. My challenge is the care and feeding of poinsettias. That's why I love cacti and succulents. More on that tomorrow.