Poinsettias in the Wild

The poinsettias in the wild, untouched by man looks like these. The hybrid ones have darker/brighter colors, bigger leaves and leaves are shaped almost like holly.  The leaves of these wild poinsettias have a  couple of curves but not sharp and pointed like the cultivated ones.

These bushes are dense and can reach up to ten feet in height. They multiply easily and can become like a dense forest. Thankfully the branches though thick and woody are fragile and break easily which keeps these bushes in check.

The wild poinsettias may dry up in the hot summer months but with the rains they spring back to life and put out their colorful bracts in winter around Christmas time when the temperatures drop and we have longer nights.

I have noticed that when I keep my poinsettias in the balcony they never bloom because of the street lights right next to our balcony. When I shift them out if the lights into a darker place they bloom within a week if the temperatures are right.

You can force bloom poinsettias just by manipulating the light conditions and the temperatures.  Just a little use of ice and  black umbrellas to cover the light is enough to do the trick.