Holiday Plant Lore

Poinsettias

Poinsettias are the number one flowering potted plants sold in the US, which is especially impressive since almost all of them are sold in the six weeks before Christmas.

It is a native of Mexico and Central America and the red “flowers” are actually leaves.

Joel Robert Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico was an amateur botanist and brought the poinsettia to the US in the 1830’s and began cultivating it in his South Carolina greenhouses. The plant was classified as a new species and called Poinsettia pulcherrima; the genus name honored Poinsett, and the species name translates to “very beautiful”. Later botanists agreed that the plant belongs in the genus Euphorbia but the common name has stuck.

Myths and rumors about the toxicity of the poinsettia plant are common. While the genus (Euphorbia) to which the poinsettia plant belongs does contain some highly toxic plants, the popular poinsettia itself is not toxic.

According to the POISINDEX information source – the primary resource used by the majority of poison control centers nationwide – a child who weighed 50 lbs. would have to eat over 500 poinsettia leaves to reach an even potentially toxic dose of compounds in the poinsettia plant.

Even though accidental ingestion of poinsettia leaves will not damage your body or kill you, it may lead to nausea and vomiting in some cases. Since the taste of poinsettia leaves is reportedly very unpleasant, it is unlikely that a child or animal who attempts to eat or chew the leaves will continue to do so after the first taste.

Poisonous plant lists can be misleading, as some plants on these lists will cause rapid death, whereas others will induce only mild irritation. Poinsettias fall into the latter category.

The milky sap of poinsettias can cause irritation of the mouth and digestive tract. A cat that has consumed portions of a poinsettia may experience excessive salivation and vomiting due to irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, but this should clear up on its own.

Christmas Cactus

Although a true cactus, the Christmas cactus seems to break all the rules of cactus culture. In its native environment the Christmas cactus is an epiphyte. Which means it is a cactus that grows in trees!

These forest or jungle cacti grow their roots into the bark of their host tree. Their only access to moisture and nutrients is from rain and droppings that fall from above.

When we think of cacti, we automatically think of the desert and bright sunlight. These forest cacti always grow under a canopy of trees and are never exposed to the full sun of the desert. The environment that these cacti have adapted to is that of the warm, humid jungle with sunlight filtered through the canopy of the forest; making it an excellent houseplant.

Ever wonder why your “Christmas” cactus blooms too early? It’s possible that it’s a Thanksgiving cactus. Although similar in appearance there different plants. To tell them apart, examine the leaf pads. Lease segments of Christmas cactus are gently lobed; those of Thanksgiving cactus have spikes on the side of the stem segments.

Holly

Holly was revered in ancient times as promises of rebirth and renewal, because they remain green throughout the dark gray winter. Holly was brought into the house for its shiny green leaves and berries, which reflect the light and add color to the dark days of Yule. It is also believed to allow faeries to live in the home without friction between them and the human occupants.

In old England unmarried women would tie a sprig of holly to their beds to protect them from ghosts and evil spirits. It was thought that Holly had magical powers of protection.

Holly trees were traditionally known for protection from lightning strikes, for that reason they were planted near a house. In European mythology, Holly was associated with thunder gods such as the Thor and Taranis. We now know that the spines on the distinctively shaped Holly leaves can act as miniature lightning conductors, thereby protecting the tree and other nearby objects.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that attaches itself to tree limbs and sends out roots that penetrate into the tree and take up nutrients. It is capable of growing on its own but it’s more commonly found growing as a parasitic plant.

Kissing under the mistletoe was first associated with the Greek Festival of Saturnalia and later with primitive marriage rights. It was believed to have the power to bestow fertility. In Scandinavia mistletoe was considered of plant of peace in which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses could kiss and make up.

Mistletoe fruits were considered the seeds of life, since the plant appeared to arise spontaneously in treetops. The Anglo-Saxons observed that mistletoe would often appear on a branch where birds had left droppings. “Mistel” is the Anglo-Saxon word for “dung” and “tan” is the word for “twig”. So, mistletoe means “dung-on-a-twig”. Romantic huh?