DATE:   11/11/99
WRITER: Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604
EDITOR: Giles Singleton, (864) 656-3876

'Tis The Poinsettia Season...  

     CLEMSON -- When South Carolinian Joel Poinsett, the first
U.S. ambassador to Mexico, introduced the poinsettia to the
United States in 1825, he probably had no idea how popular this
colorful plant would become.  
     But word of its beauty spread rapidly from Poinsett's home
in Greenville. Today, the poinsettia is the number one flowering
plant grown in this country, with sales in the six weeks before
Christmas exceeding the total annual sales of any other flowering
plant. 
     The colorful parts of a poinsettia, commonly thought of as
the "flower," are actually modified leaves called bracts. The
true flowers are the small yellow blossoms, called cyathia, in
the center of the bracts. Besides the traditional red bracts, 
plant breeders have produced cultivars with white, pink, peach,
yellow, marbled and speckled colors.
     If you plan to buy a poinsettia this holiday season for a
gift or a home decoration, consider the following tips to ensure
long-lasting beauty:
     Look for plants with fully mature, thoroughly colored
bracts. Avoid those tinged with too much green around the bract 
edges. Unlike a rose bud, an underdeveloped poinsettia taken into 
the home too soon may never achieve its full blooming color
potential. 
     A good method of judging a poinsettia's maturity is to make
sure the smaller bracts surrounding the cyathia are fully colored
and lying horizontal. If not, the plant will quickly fade and
lose color in your home. 
     Look for plants with an abundance of dark, rich green
foliage all the way down the stem. The leaves and bracts should
not be wilted or drooping. Examine the stems and leaves --
especially the undersides -- for signs of insects or diseases.  
     Look for plants that are balanced, full and attractive from
all sides. Choose a properly proportioned poinsettia. A generally
accepted standard is that the plant should be about two times
larger than the pot size. For example, a 15- to 18-inch tall
poinsettia (measured from the base of the pot to the top of
the plant) will look proportionate and attractive in a six-inch
pot.  
     Select durable plants with stiff stems, good bract and
leaf retention, and no signs of wilting, breaking, or drooping. 
     When transporting your poinsettia, protect it from chilling
winds or temperatures below 50 F. Even a few seconds of exposure
to freezing weather can injure a beautiful plant. To protect it,
put it in a sleeve or a large shopping bag. -- Bob Polomski, 
Clemson Extension consumer horticulturist.     
              *****************************   
     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to
PSA Media Relations, A-101 Poole Agricultural Center, Box 340129,
Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0129. You might also want
to look for other "Buds and Blooms" columns under 1999 News
Releases at: www.clemson.edu/psamedia/ .
                           END