Poinsettia Tree The poinsettia tree is a species from the Euphorbiaceae family. This tree is indigenous to Mexico and other Central Amer...
Poinsettia Tree
The poinsettia tree is a species from the Euphorbiaceae family. This tree is indigenous to Mexico and other Central American countries. In 1834, It is described as a new species by botanists.
This tree is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the US minister to Mexico. In the 1820s, he introduced the poinsettia tree to the USA.
wild poinsettia trees grow in the central American regions widely from Mexico to Guatemala. One population from Guerrero (Mexican) is believed to be the ancestor variety of the modern forms. These wild forms, however, face extreme fragmentation due to the human act of deforestation.
Ecke family commercially grows these plants. They serve about 70% of poinsettia demand in the US market and 50% of poinsettia demand in the world market.
Being shrubs, these trees can grow up to 4 meters. You can find them commonly in Christmas floral displays. They are well known for their fantastic red and green foliage combination.
They are not so toxic as coral trees. But their consumption could lead to nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and other diseases
Poinsettia tree in the USA
Albert Ecke emigrated from Germany to the USA in 1900. He settled in Los Angeles. He opened anorchid and dairy in the Eagle Rock area. He grew poinsettia trees and sold them.
His son, Paul Ecke used grafting techniques to grow various cultivar types.
Paul Ecke Jr, his grandson succeeded in associating these trees with Christmas celebrations by promoting them in various television shows.
The Ecke family relocated to Encinitas (California) in 1923. They developed a method that facilitates the busy growth of the poinsettia tree. This helped them to attain almost a monopoly in the market.
However, this success did not last long. In the late1980s a university researcher named John Dole discovered the technique and published it. As a result, many local nurseries developed almost the same kind of poinsettias and the competition toughened.
Finally, the Ecke family stopped the poinsettia business. Until 2008, they contributed about 50% of their share in the world poinsettia market and 70% of the same in the domestic USA market
Description
In general, the poinsettia tree is also an herb that grows 0.6 – 4 meters tall. The length of its dark green leaves is about 2.8–6.3 inches. They also have dentate edges.
Naturally, the bracts have a flaming red color. Depending on cultivar variety, the bracts can have various colors including white, pink, and pale green. Though they look like flowers, they are leaves naturally.
This color is a result of photoperiodism. It required long dark nights as well as broad daylights to develop and enhance the color of the bracts.
The poinsettia flowers develop within cyathia and do not attract pollinators. However, the pollination process is not studied completely. Some sources indicate the occasional visits of small insects like wasps to these cyathia.
Propagation
In warm areas such as USDA Zones 10 and above, these trees can be grown as perennials. Just plant them directly in the gardens. They prefer warm outdoor environments.
In colder areas, it is advisable to grow them indoors as they cannot tolerate the frost.
Select a space that gets sunlight and afternoon shades. Amend the soil with a good quality organic compost.
Established plants
This method is known to be the easiest for propagating poinsettia tree. You can just purchase this tree online or at any nearby local nurseries. Then, you can collect the stems and seeds for additional planting.
Purchase poinsettia pot during Christmas. After celebrations, remove the wrappers. Water regularly and maintain the moisture.
In the spring, the cut off the tops of the stems about 8 inches. They can be used for replanting. Apply well-balanced fertilizer at least once a month.
In the summer, you can start the transplantation process. Dig a hole and plant the tree upright. Backfill the soil and water thoroughly.
Apply mulch for at least 2 -3 inches in the plant surroundings. Mulching prevents weed growth, retains moisture, and keeps the soil cool.
If you live in cold areas, it is advisable to grow the plants indoors in pots. Just make sure to add good quality potting soil. If you like to place them outdoors, make sure the outdoor temperature does not fall below 65 F. This may be possible in summers.
From cuttings
The propagation procedure is the same as mentioned above. Just dip the bottom end of the stems in powdered rooting Harmons before planting them.
From seeds
There are two ways to collect seeds. You can purchase them or you can harvest them. Purchasing is easy as the seeds are available in many online shops like Amazon or Walmart. You can also purchase them from leading nurseries.
If you want to harvest them yourselves, wait till the foliage begins to turn a brown color. Then, collect the seed pots and dry them. You can wrap the seed pods in paper bags for drying. When the pods open themselves after drying, you can collect the seeds from inside.
Sow the collected poinsettia seeds deep (one inch) in a pot filled with potting soil mixture. Make sure to plant every seed in a separate pot. Place the pot in a room which gets abundant indirect sunlight. Maintain the soil moisture by watering regularly.
Normally, the seedlings appear in about two weeks. After they firmly root and establish, transplant them during summer. Follow further procedures as stated above.
Caring
Apply a well-balanced fertilizer like NPK 12-12-12 or compost in the growing season. You can also apply repeatedly every month if the soil is of poor quality.
Water regularly to main the soil moisture. Avoid overwatering as it may cause several fungal diseases.
Cut off the unhealthy shoots during every growing season to facilitate new growth. Remove the weeds regularly. You can keep the weed growth under check by applying mulch around the plants. Mulching also helps to keep the soil warm during winters.
Uses
Poinsettia tree serves as a Christmas tree during Christmas celebrations. It is also used in floral decorations in various events. In fact, you can even paint these trees with your wished colors to suit the environment.
If you grow poinsettias indoors, they can absorb formaldehyde from indoor airs. This is beneficial to human health. Some people use these trees and their latex as medicines too. However, the medicinal effects of these trees are not proven scientifically.
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