Poinsettias, native to the Tusco region of Mexico in Central America, were introduced to the United States in 1825 by Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico.
Widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. It is cultivated in parks, botanical gardens, and greenhouses for viewing. Stem leaves can be used as medicine, have the effect of detumescence, can treat the injury.
Growth Habit
Like warm: The growth of poinsettia suitable temperature is 18 ~ 25℃, 18 ~ 24℃ from April to September, and 13 ~ 16℃ from September to the next April. Winter temperature is not less than 10℃, otherwise, it will cause bracts to blue, base leaves easily yellow off. When the temperature rises in spring, shoots can continue to sprout from the stem.
Like wet: The response to water is more sensitive, as long as the water supply is sufficient in the growth period, the growth of stems and leaves is rapid, and sometimes the phenomenon of elongation between nodes and narrow leaves is long. On the contrary, lack of moisture in basin soil or sometimes dry and wet will cause yellow leaves to fall off. Therefore, water control is directly related to the growth and development of poinsettia.
Sunshine-loving: Poinsettia for short-day plants. In the growing season of stems and leaves, they need enough sunlight to make them grow quickly and luxuriant. To turn bracts red earlier, limit light exposure to less than 12 hours a day to encourage bud differentiation. If the light is 9 hours a day, the bracts can turn red after 5 weeks. Soil is with loose fecund, the sandy qualitative soil with good drainage had better. The best potting soil is a mixture of culture soil, leaf mold soil, and sand.
Main Value
Medicine
The whole plant (Poinsettia): bitter, astringent, cool. Have a little poison. Menstruation to stop bleeding, osteosynthesis, detumescence. For menorrhagia, fall injury, trauma bleeding, fracture.
Botanical Garden
Poinsettia bright color, long flowering, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Spring Festival bloom, potted indoor environment can increase the festive atmosphere; It is also suitable for arranging meetings and other public places. The warm south can be cultivated in the open ground, beautifying the garden, but also for cut flowers.
Plant Culture
Flower Language
Poinsettias are the best flowers for Christmas, but some weddings also see red and white poinsettias decorated with the words “My heart is burning.” One of its flower words draws you a blazing enthusiasm.
Legend
Legend has it that in ancient times, in the South of Mexico City in America, there is a village, fertile land, adequate water, farming and animal husbandry is flourishing, people lived in peace and contentment.
One summer, a mudslide suddenly occurred, and a boulder cut off the water supply, resulting in a severe water shortage in the area, the land cracked.
At that time, there was a brave man named Porcelema in the village, who, regardless of his safety, chiseled stones for water. Day and night, he finally chiseled away the huge stones.
The spring rushed out like a tiger. Time passed, and one day, a herder found a beautiful flower with bright red terminal leaves at the water’s edge. This shocked the people of the village.
The villagers said: This flower is very like Porcelli horse, who liked to wear red coats. In honor of those who sacrificed their lives to fetch water, the flower was named “Porcherima flower”, and this legendary flower is now known as the “poinsettia”.