Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-22
The Christmas Flower.

Each month has its flower" said q
florist friend of the Rambler Last
month the crysanthemum was king and
queen of flowers with perhaps muti-col-
ored dahlias holding minor positions al
court. 1t was the pet of society and its
size and beauty compelled admiration
even of those persons who are not So
ciety The mum for
short-was November's flower. Shows
were held in it's honor-even the govern
ment of the United States giving a mum
exhibition.
Now. brighter flower reigns. 1t liz
the poinsettia Because of circumstances.
and because of gardeners and florists. it
has become the flower of December and
the chief Christmas flower. Ii is a good
Chris; mas flower because of its brilliancy
and gayety. There has for centuries been
a demand among men and women of
northern ATTITUDES for something glowing
at the season when the vegetable world
is in winter dress People want green
and red and to satisfy this want they
take warmly to scarlet berries-the holly
and the dogwood. They carry glowing
berries by the million into their homes.
The poinsettia is burning red-fiaming
scarlet and il is a big blossom. One
poinsettia is more spectacular than a
bunch of shrinking violets or modest
pansies. 1t is a loud flower, but when a
man buys flowers he wants them to look
their price Then there is this important
feature. Gardeners found that by jud cious
forcing they could bring this Respondent
blossom on the market at a time when
other blossoms are not at their best.
while many of them are at their worst.
when flower-lovers are f1ower-hungry and
when gifts between friends are demanded
by the season. The poinsettia fills the
bill
Visit the great greenhouses around
Washington and you will find larger
acreage under glass than most Washing
tonians wot Of. You will see fertile
tracts as large city squares blazing
with ponsettias. Nearly all the poin-
settias used i'm Washington are grown
under glass in the wales and daies and
souths des roundabout
The poinsetta is a remarkable flower.
Its petals are like its leaves i'm form. but
different in color. 1t Will quickly bleed
to death if the stem is CULTS blood is
white and creamy like the sap of the
milkweed. When the stem is cut ii must
be cauterized by dipping the wound in
hot water or soaring 1T with flame. 1t
is the only flower that warm water fresh
ems instead of willis.
Like the chrysanthemum or the rose.
many blossoms will come forth on the
same plant. but TO produce the largest
blossom possible only one is usually al
lowed to bloom on each plant Poinsettias
are grown in the open In southern Cali
fornia and are shipped as far as Rocky
mountain points, but ii is a poor shipper.
1t belongs TO the family euphobia. IL the
Rambler got it right from John Brady,
who, besides being one of the poinsettia
enthusiasts Of Washington, is the man
who developed the American beauty rose
"a flower that has played a conspicuous
role in love and romance. No flower Of
modern times has had more priceless
caresses kissed upon il or more tender
and ardent notes sent with ii than the
American beauty rose, but this little
story is about the poinsettia and not
about the rose.