at home
HOLIDAY WARMTH Low-maintenance poinsettias an easy way to brighten your home Grace Wood // Tulsa World Magazine
L
ike hot cocoa, snowmen and stockings hung above the fireplace, poinsettia plants are synonymous with the Christmas season. There are many things, however, the average person doesn’t know about the special Christmas plant. Native to southern Mexico, poinsettias are actually considered a tropical plant that can grow up to 12 feet tall in their natural environment. After being brought over to the United States in the 1800s, people began using poinsettias mainly as a houseplant —specifically, a Christmas decoration to adorn the insides of their homes. “Poinsettias provide so much color in a very dark time of the year — as the days get shorter through the fall and into the winter season, those are the shortest days that we have,” said Susan Brammeier, plant buyer at Southwood Landscape & Garden Center. “To have something bright blooming in your house at that time is just
18 Tulsa World Magazine
TULSA WORLD FILE PHOTOS
At Southwood, they also hand paint and use glitter on poinsettias to create different colors, which actually lengthens the life cycle of the plant. TOP OF PAGE: Red and white poinsettias are popular during the holiday season. TULSAWORLDMAGAZINE.COM
