A new palette for poinsettias

If you think these favorite holiday plants come in just one color, you're in for a shock.

Any time you buck tradition, you encourage discord. So if you'll excuse me while I strap on this bulletproof vest, I'm about to suggest you pursue a course of action that is radical. You know that poinsettia you bring home so faithfully each Christmas? This year, how about choosing one that isn't red?

I know the idea that poinsettias exist in colors other than red is an assault on everything you hold dear. But even cherished rituals change with the times.

If you can deal with that, you'll have no trouble welcoming a startling new plant called Lemon Drop. Granted, some of you will recoil at the sight of this canary yellow poinsettia. But why? You use yellow and gold ribbon at Christmas, don't you? You hang golden ornaments on the tree. You use golden lights and garlands. You spray magnolia leaves gold. So what's wrong with a golden poinsettia?

Some growers don't like Lemon Drop because it grows slowly and takes two weeks longer than other selections to produce a full-size plant. But this doesn't matter to you. All you want is an eye-catching plant that will convince your friends you are Martha Stewart's tasteful cousin. Lemon Drop will do that.

Talk about tasteful. What could be more tasteful than a striking new poinsettia named for a French Impressionist? That plant is Monet. The rose-pink speckling on the leaves deepens in color as the plant matures. It gives the bracts a richly textured look I'm sure would impress Monsieur Claude.

If your nerves can stand it, let's examine two more poinsettias that aren't red. The first is a pink-andwhite variegated selection named Marble. The colors are very soft and feminine, which is why no husband will bring one home. (Ladies, it's up to you.) With the second one, though, there's a fighting chance. It's called Jingle Bells. You'll be comforted to know that the bracts are mostly red. But they're also flecked and streaked with pink, as if someone accidentally dripped paint on them. Husbands can relate to that.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

Now that you've risked social exile by considering poinsettias that aren't red, here's how to keep them looking their radical best.

* When you buy your poinsettia, make sure the small bracts surrounding the tiny, yellow flowers in the center of the plant are fully colored. If they're still partially green, the plant will quickly lose its color in your home.

* Be wary of any plant that's wilted. It could simply mean it needs water. But it could also mean the plant was overwatered, which often leads to irreversible root rot.

* When taking the plant home, protect it from cold winds and temperatures below 50 degrees. Ask the store or garden center to sleeve it. Remove the sleeve as soon as you get home.

* Poinsettias like bright, indirect light. Give them too little light and they'll drop their leaves. They also like moderately moist soil. Make sure excess water can drain from the pot. Never let a plant sit in water.

* To prolong color of the bracts, keep temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees. Don't put the plant near sources of hot, dry air, such as fireplaces and heating vents.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Dec 1997
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