Poinsettias
The first poinsettia bush was introduced to the United States in 1828 and got its name from Joel Roberts Poinsett. Poinsett was the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. He had a passion for botany. Upon discovering this shrub, he became so enchanted with its bright red blooms that he sent some to his South Carolina home to be propagated.
We have saved poinsettias the last three Christmases because I can't put a live and healthy plant in the trash. After some failed efforts over the years so get saved poinsettia to "bloom" again, I may have succeeded this time. Only time will tell, but I got two red leaves. The "flowers" don't have "petals". Actually leaves turn red (or pink or white) giving the impression of a "flower"' through a process called photoperiodism which takes place in the dark.
The first poinsettia bush was introduced to the United States in 1828 and got its name from Joel Roberts Poinsett. Poinsett was the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. He had a passion for botany. Upon discovering this shrub, he became so enchanted with its bright red blooms that he sent some to his South Carolina home to be propagated.
We have saved poinsettias the last three Christmases because I can't put a live and healthy plant in the trash. After some failed efforts over the years so get saved poinsettia to "bloom" again, I may have succeeded this time. Only time will tell, but I got two red leaves. The "flowers" don't have "petals". Actually leaves turn red (or pink or white) giving the impression of a "flower"' through a process called photoperiodism which takes place in the dark.
threeMy three poinsettia plants are named Patty, Maxine, and LaVern. My previous failures came from leaving them over night in places that were not completely dark or forgetting them and turning on a light.
Photoperiodism takes place in complete dark for close to twelve hours, and as much sunlight as possible for twelve hours. This year I found a storage closet in a dark room that is seldom used and never at night. At first light in the morning I move the Andrew Sisters out of the closet to a table in front of a window facing the east and the sun.
Obviously LaVern was the first to produce two red leaves. Patty and Maxine have leaves that are a little reddish along the edges and veins of the leaf. As I said before only time will tell if the three Andrew Sisters will have red blossoms by Christmas. The putting them to bed at dusk and waking them up at dawn started at the first of September and has made it every day since. We are not sure what will happen when Daylight Saving Time starts.
Anybody else have a Poinsettia story?
Thursday Wildfire Update
First the Covid-19 pandemic, then a record wildfire season aided by a drought in the west, and a terrible hurricane season in the east, and the election might go bad. It will go down as a bad year. The analogy "The curve is flattening so we can start lifting restrictions now” is like saying “The parachute has slowed our rate of descent, so we can take it off now.”
Cameron Peak Fire may possibly join together with the Troublesome Creek Fire which is only a few miles away.. Towns of Granby, Grand Lake, and Estes Park have been given Mandatory Evacuation orders. Rocky Mountain National Park is closed. Fort Collins officials are recommending that everybody who possibly can should stay inside because the smoke/air is so bad.
Snow can not get here soon enough.
Historical Mysteries
Murder in the Rockies
Two Miles High and Six Feet Under
www.amazon.com/Two-Miles-HTigh-Feet-Under/dp/1478789565
Photoperiodism takes place in complete dark for close to twelve hours, and as much sunlight as possible for twelve hours. This year I found a storage closet in a dark room that is seldom used and never at night. At first light in the morning I move the Andrew Sisters out of the closet to a table in front of a window facing the east and the sun.
Obviously LaVern was the first to produce two red leaves. Patty and Maxine have leaves that are a little reddish along the edges and veins of the leaf. As I said before only time will tell if the three Andrew Sisters will have red blossoms by Christmas. The putting them to bed at dusk and waking them up at dawn started at the first of September and has made it every day since. We are not sure what will happen when Daylight Saving Time starts.
Anybody else have a Poinsettia story?
Thursday Wildfire Update
First the Covid-19 pandemic, then a record wildfire season aided by a drought in the west, and a terrible hurricane season in the east, and the election might go bad. It will go down as a bad year. The analogy "The curve is flattening so we can start lifting restrictions now” is like saying “The parachute has slowed our rate of descent, so we can take it off now.”
Cameron Peak Fire may possibly join together with the Troublesome Creek Fire which is only a few miles away.. Towns of Granby, Grand Lake, and Estes Park have been given Mandatory Evacuation orders. Rocky Mountain National Park is closed. Fort Collins officials are recommending that everybody who possibly can should stay inside because the smoke/air is so bad.
Snow can not get here soon enough.
Historical Mysteries
Murder in the Rockies
Two Miles High and Six Feet Under
www.amazon.com/Two-Miles-HTigh-Feet-Under/dp/1478789565
