Christmas-less Poinsettias
My poinsettia is getting its first red bracts for the season. Yes, those red things are called bracts, not flowers. Bracts are actually specialized leaves, generally used to attract pollinators like bees or butterflies in plants that produce non-showy flowers, such as the poinsettia, whose flowers are small and green.
Did you know that poinsettias are native to Mexico, where they’re called noche buenas (Christmas Eve)? Here in the southern hemisphere, they don’t “bloom” around the holidays, so in Argentina they’ve got another name: estrella federal (federal star), supposedly because the bract clusters look like a star and because the traditional red color is reminiscent of the Partido Federal (Federal Party), a political party that no longer exists.
In any case, if you live in a mild enough climate to grow these outdoors, keep in mind that they can get leggy, so it’s best to give the branch tips a pinch to encourage them to bush out.
Beautiful photo. I love seeing the poinsettia growing outdoors, here in Hawaii. I was used to them as a houseplant. They do look like a star.
Thanks for your comment. It felt comforting to hear someone else has issues with boundaries. I love the castle analogy. Thank you. XD
I was used to them as a houseplant, too. I think the first time I saw them outside was in San Luis Obispo. There was a church that had a whole row of them next to the white wall of the church. Very pretty, but they hadn’t pinched them off from the beginning and they were long and leggy.
I’m sure lots of us have boundary issues. But that castle image really helped me out. Good luck!
Holly, once again thanks for your comment. Of course, that makes sense not too worry about diet etc till I get better. You help me step back a bit from being all caught up in it and I appreciate it. Bless you.
It’s hard sometimes not to get caught up in the details of one’s own life. It takes years and years of self observation, and I know I’m definitely not a master of it! Get well soon, and just focus on eating healthy things! Oh BTW, have you heard of a zapper? That might help you get better. Check this out: http://www.paradevices.com/shingles.html. I can’t find the website for the one I have, but if I do, I’ll let you know.
Aha! This one is mine: http://www.alchemistproducts.com/candida.htm. We use it for all kinds of things. If I use it as soon as I get cold symptoms, a cold will last me two days at most. It really works. Hugs!