This Is Why Poinsettias Are the Official Christmas Flower
How did a tropical flower become one of the most recognizable symbols of the Christmas holiday? When it comes to Christmas flower delivery in Houston, TX, the poinsettia is always a popular choice not only because of its beauty but also due to tradition.
Read on to learn why Christmas poinsettias delivery in Houston, TX is a great way to spread some holiday cheer.
America’s holiday flower
Millions of poinsettias will be sold this holiday season. In fact, the poinsettia is so popular that it’s the largest potter flower crop grown in America. Aside from the traditional deep red poinsettia, there are varieties featuring pinks, whites and yellows. There are even varieties in terms of pattern, with solid, streaked, marbled and multicolored flowers.
What makes the poinsettia the Christmas flower?
The poinsettia is native to Mexico. It’s traditional name, Flor de la Noche Buena (Flower of the Holy Night), refers to the flower’s resemblance to the Star of Bethlehem, the Christmas Star. The plants flower during the winter season in Mexico, and the flowers have been used for millennia for various purposes including dye-making.
According to Mexican legend, a young child didn’t have a gift for a Christmas Eve service. Angels noticed the child’s devotion and turned her gift, a bouquet of weeds, into lovely red flowers, which we now know as the poinsettia.
But how did the poinsettia become so common in the United States? It all started with an accidental discovery in 1828 by the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett. Poinsett was an amateur botanist who noticed the vibrant red flowers when visiting the town of Taxco in the state of Guerrero. Poinsett was moved by the beauty of the plants and sent cuttings back to the United States. The cuttings were propagated and shared with gardeners and growers around the country.
As the plants grew in popularity throughout the United States, they were named for Poinsett. California grower Paul Ecke discovered a technique that caused the poinsettia seedlings to branch and create much fuller plants, and he began growing them in the tens of thousands. Ecke promoted the plant as a Christmas plant, starting a tradition that continues to this day.
Caring for a poinsettia plant
If you’ve received a beautiful poinsettia plant from a Christmas flower delivery service in Houston, TX, make sure to care for your plant so that it lasts as long as possible. These plants don’t like cold weather, so they should always be kept indoors.
It’s best to place the plant near a sunny window since it needs bright, indirect light for six hours a day or more. Make sure to keep the plant out of direct sunlight, though, since the leaves could fade. Keep the temperature of your interior spaces between 65°F and 70°F, and water only when the soil is dry. Follow these simple steps, and the plant should last well beyond the Christmas season.
Add color to your holiday season with Christmas poinsettias delivery in Houston, TX. Don’t wait to contact It’s Just for You Flower Delivery today to place your order before the holiday.