Shop millions of independent artists. Independent. Together.
Clarence, NY
$0.65
Title
Christmas Pointsettia
Artist
Kathleen Struckle
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Red and Pink Pointsetta-Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Garden-Buffalo,New YorkEuphorbia pulcherrima is a shrub or small tree, typically reaching a height of 0.6 to 4 m (2 to 16 ft). The plant bears dark green dentate leaves that measure 7 to 16 cm (3 to 6 inches) in length. The colored bracts�which are most often flaming red but can be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white or marbled�are often mistaken for flower petals because of their groupings and colors, but are actually leaves. The colors of the bracts are created through photoperiodism, meaning that they require darkness (12 hours at a time for at least 5 days in a row) to change color. At the same time, the plants require abundant light during the day for the brightest color.[5]
The flowers of the poinsettia are unassuming and do not attract pollinators. They are grouped within small yellow structures found in the center of each leaf bunch, and are called cyathia.
The poinsettia is native to Mexico.[6] It is found in the wild in deciduous tropical forest at moderate elevations from southern Sinaloa down the entire Pacific coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. It is also found in the interior in the hot, seasonally dry forests of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Reports of E. pulcherrima growing in the wild in Nicaragua and Costa Rica have yet to be confirmed by botanists.[7]
There are over 100 cultivated varieties of poinsettia.
In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, the plant is called Cuitlaxochitl (from cuitlatl, residue, and xochitl, flower) meaning "flower that grows in residues or soil." The Aztecs used the plant to produce red dye and as an antipyretic medication.[8] Today it is known in Mexico and Guatemala as "Noche Buena", meaning Christmas Eve.
The plant's 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.[9] From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations.[10] The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus.[11] In Spain it is known as "Flor de Pascua", meaning "Easter flower". In both Chile and Peru, the plant became known as "Crown of the Andes".
Poinsettias are popular Christmas decorations[3] in homes, churches, offices, and elsewhere across North America. They are available in large numbers from grocery, drug, and hardware stores. In the United States, December 12 is National Poinsettia Day.[12]
Albert Ecke emigrated from Germany to Los Angeles in 1900, opening a dairy and orchard in the Eagle Rock area. He became intrigued by the plant and sold them from street stands. His son, Paul Ecke, developed the grafting technique, but it was the third generation of Eckes, Paul Ecke, Jr., who was responsible for advancing the association between the plant and Christmas. Besides changing the market from mature plants shipped by rail to cuttings sent by air, he sent free plants to television stations for them to display on air from Thanksgiving to Christmas. He also appeared on television programs like The Tonight Show and Bob Hope's Christmas specials to promote the plants.[13]
Until the 1990s, the Ecke family, who had moved their operation to Encinitas, California in 1923, had a virtual monopoly on poinsettias owing to a technological secret that made their plants much more attractive. The Ecke family's key to producing more desirable poinsettias was to create a fuller, more compact plant, by grafting two varieties of poinsettia together. A poinsettia left to grow on its own will naturally take an open, somewhat weedy look. The Eckes' technique made it possible to get every seedling to branch, resulting in a bushier pla
In the 1990s, a university researcher discovered the method previously known only to the Eckes and published it, allowing competitors to flourish, particularly those using low-cost labor in Latin America. The Ecke family's business, now led by Paul Ecke III, decided to stop producing plants in the U.S., but as of 2008, they still serve about 70% of the domestic market and 50% of the worldwide market.
Featured In Comfortable Art Group,Beautiful Flower Group,Flower Mania,Colorful Flower Images,Global Flower Photography Group and Sweet Blossoms Group,and The Niche Group
Uploaded
December 19th, 2012
Statistics
Viewed 1,063 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 03/22/2024 at 4:59 PM
Embed
Sales Sheet
Clarence, NY - United States
Thank you for the feature in The Niche. I am honored and I appreciate this very much 12/23/2019
Clarence, NY - United States
Thank you Bukunolami for the feature in the Daily Promotion Group. I am honored and I appreciate this very much 12/19/2019
Titusville, FL - United States
Congratulations on your feature in the Fine Art America Group "Images That Excite You!"
Clarence, NY - United States
Thank you Doug for the feature in Nikon Full Frame Group. I am honored and I appreciate this very much
Clarence, NY - United States
Thank you Martin for the feature in Flower Mania Group. Truly appreciated
Clarence, NY - United States
Thank you Jasna for the feature in Global Flowers Group. Very much appreciated.
Please Wait...
Share
Comment, Like, Favorite
0
0
0
0
0
25
0
53