The Not-So-Deadly Poinsettia

I ’m a huge fan of the poinsettia ( Euphorbia pulcherrima ) , and I savour choose a novel color or shape that the botanical breeders come in up with every year . Even my Christmas dishes carry a lovely Christmas star pattern . Let ’s get veracious to it and dispel with the poisonous myth , shall we ? In the early 1900s rumors begin to broadcast about the poinsettia ’s purportedly sinister side — some arrogate the works was poisonous if ingested . Then in 1919 the poinsettia ’s fate was varnish when a story circulate that a two - year - old boy died after eat on a poinsettia leaf .

The story was disclose as untrue , but the harm was done . Caring mothers would certainly never bring a death - works willingly into their domicile . Although it is still seen as a holiday symbolic representation , the poinsettia fell out of favor as far as dwelling decoration . Still , some argued that the winter flower did n’t clear this atrocious repute that it had been saddle with .

In the 1970s , Ohio State University did a studyfor the Society of American Florists to come up with the toxic resolution once and for all . The study examine that the poinsettia plant was , indeed , not poisonous . They further reason out that if a 50 - pounding child ate somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 leaves , they would maybe suffer an upset belly . Poinsettias were officially off the toxic hook , as it were , but the public proceed to baulk . To this day ( thirty years later ) , I ca n’t tell apart you how often I hear hoi polloi reduplicate the same untrue hearsay , then fleet these adorable winter ladies by because of an old wives ’ tale . So I ’m determine to do my part in hopes of encouraging the great unwashed to work Christmas star back into their home without fright that they ’ll kill the family blackguard — or worse .

Another interesting piece of poinsettia trivia is that it is n’t the brightly coloredflowersthat spiff up up the holiday season . In fact , most hoi polloi hardly notice the flower at all . No , it ’s the poinsettia’sbractsthat have become the yuletide custom . The bract are beautiful leaves that are there to lure pollinators to the true scandalmongering and green bloom in the center of the plant .

It ’s these bracts that plant breeders fiddle with , give us poinsettias with various shades of red , pinkish , white , cream , over-embellished , light jet , and even orange . They offer us bracts that are huge and open , some that are tangerine tree - sized , and others that are rose - shaped and wear dainty affray . The next metre you find yourself star at a beautiful display of festal poinsettias , you’re able to bring one base and do so with a clear conscience.*While poinsettias are n’t toxic , those individuals raw to latex could have a allergic skin chemical reaction to the plant . A weenie ’s mouth could be irritated by the sap , as well — so if your frank tends to manducate , consider this aspect .

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