Poinsettia, Flor de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve Flower) (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Poinsettia, Flor de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve Flower)
Euphorbia pulcherrima

How exciting! I have never seen such a huge poinsettia. I have learned the hard way that it is easier to throw mine out and buy a new one the next year than to try to force it into color at Christmas. Looks like this one blooms at the right time. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I attempted to find the cultivar, but couldn't. I have never been able to grow the regular ones that are available each year. either. My father was able to do so and created a hedge of them, but none of them grew this tall. The ones found in this one particular area of San Antonio are probably not the same type.

Isn't that a marvel! I'm sure glad you take your camera everywhere. You have entertained us with some great shots of plants in your area. I wasn't aware that poinsettas ever grew that large or lived that long either. Thanks.

I travel from school campus to school campus through out the day and and cover a large area of San Antonio. When I see a cool plant, I remember where I saw it and go back before or after work or on my luncb break when I take one, which isn't often, to photograph it. I went to the neighborhood where my grandmother used to live looking for these plants because I remembered always enjoying seeing them when I would go to visit Grandma. This neighborhood has a lot of the "old time" plants that seem to have been forgotten.

Is this the same poinsettia that grows in a pot ?

From all that I could find out through a search of many, many websites, it is supposed to be the same plant. But I have my doubts now. Many years ago, my Father planted some that he had bought for my Mother one Christmas and they grew to 4-5 feet and eventually died. I have never had any luck with any of the ones that are available at nurseries, however. The large ones shown in the photo are in only a few "older" neighborhoods in San Antonio and have been there as far back as I can remember. I don't know if that is why they are so large or if they are a different kind of poinsettia, maybe the original native type from Mexico. I think the ones in pots are hybrids that have been dwarfed in size. If I ever find out more, I will let you know. As you can tell, I am not a poinsettia expert. Next time I go to my favorite nursery that specializes in native Texas plants, I will ask them about them. I have never seen any of the type in the photo there. I am sorry that I have not been much help. Perhaps someone will read this post and be able to help both of us with more information.

I toured the greenhouses at Six Flags one time and there was a sizable poinsettia (5 feet tall and wide). The manager said it was his mother plant for obtaining cuttings to grow. I always assumed it was the regular commercial poinsettia...now I am wondering.
Susan

The reason I am wondering is because these plants are very old and I think were planted before all of the fancy hybrids were available. The hybrids I have seen that survived being planted in the ground usually haven't grown this tall.

Maybe you could beg some cuttings from some of these people with the large established plants, and then propagate some for yourself and to share with others, :-)

I did take some cuttings from the one in the photo, but they did not root. I guess I could try again ow that it is spring. Thanks for encouraging me to try again.

Hazel, what is the fancy UBER in red under your name and zone? I saw that the other day under Baa's ID too.
Susan

OH, nevermind...I clicked on it and got a link. It is a special designation award for your contributions to Dave's garden. Congratulations!
And I have been holding back on sending in stuff because I thought maybe the staff was overworked! Also, early on someone told me to NEVER send in more than 5 pics a day. Hmmm...now it seems they want all the activity they can get.

This message was edited Apr 18, 2004 7:02 AM

If you look at the top of the opening page of the PDB there is a sentence about Uber Gardeners. When you click on Uber it lists people who have sent in lots of photos, added lots of new plants, etc. I had to look up what "Uber" means in German. It means something like "super" or "exceptional". I have been holding back on contributing photos lately (usually 2 and at the most 3) if you notice so that other members are able to add theirs each day. I was surprised when I saw the designation and think it is very nice of them to do this.

I also want to encourage you to get some cuttings from the "giant" mother plant. Did you try to put the cuttings directly in a pot ?

I tried to root them in a small pot using a root stimulator.

I saw a "California Gold" TV on the Eckles who made the Poinsettia the Christmas icon. My point is..the first used for breeding were much more open then this and the bracts were an attractive pointed leaf. They said those were the heirlooms from 75 years ago. So,thats the age of any large wild looking plants you might see.