Potted poinsettias, Ontario's 5th most popular potted flower crop, are North America's most popular holiday plant with approximately 70 million sold annually. And most of those are sold during a six week period between November and December. It is hard to believe that the first potted poinsettia was introduced for indoor decoration as recently as 1923.

Fascinated by the bright scarlet flowers blooming on the hillsides of Hollywood, Albert Ecke began growing and selling poinsettias as fresh cut flowers for Christmas starting in 1902. By 1920, Paul Sr. developed the first poinsettia cultivar that could be successfully grown as an indoor potted plant. He hastened to introduce it to the flower growers everywhere, sharing his vision with anyone who would listen. His vision? A new living symbol of Christmas...the poinsettia.

The poinsettia is a native to Mexico and was highly prized by the Aztec culture as a symbol of purity and practically for the reddish purple dye made from the bracts and a fever medicine made from the plant's latex.

Poinsettias are not poisonous, but the white sap can be irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. Don't let children or pets munch on the leaves. Avoid purchasing plants that seem to have waterlogged soil, dry leaf tips, drooping or wilted leaves or overmature cyathia that are shedding pollen on the center bracts.

Place potted poinsettias in bright locations out of direct sun. Exposing poinsettias to temperatures below 50 degrees will cause injury. Keep soil moist to touch but do not allow the plant to sit in water as the roots can drown quickly. Also, do not let the plant dry out. The poinsettia is closely related to the many desert plants that drop their leaves during dry conditions to conserve water.