Poinsettia - Euphorbia pulcherrima
Despite its foreign origins, the Poinsettia has become a natural decoration for EUROPEAN households. The country of origin of the poinsettia is Mexico and other Central American countries, where the plant grows wild in deciduous forests along the Pacific coast. Poinsettias gradually became part of the Christmas decorations in the United States, from where the custom spread to Europe. It is especially known for its red and green leaves, thanks to which it is associated with Christmas decorations. It is practically a shrub with dark green leaves. The upper leaf roses are usually noticeably red, which gives the impression that it is a flower of a plant. In reality, however, they are leafy. The colors on the upper leaves are formed due to the fact that it is a short-lived plant, which means that it requires darkness to change color. At the same time, however, the plant needs enough light to achieve a bright color. There are many species that exhibit a variety of leaf colors. We can meet red, but also white, pink, yellow, purple or marbled poinsettias. The most popular is still its rich and striking red foliage.
MONTANO VALTR s.r.o. grows about 550,000 in various sizes and colors of poinsettias this year and traditionally supplies them to retail chains in the run-up to Christmas (early November). The first planting of stars begins in July and the last planting ends in September. Most of the production is red. However, pink and white are also gaining popularity.