Poinsettia shopping?
Now you can ask for your favorite color
By Thea Steinmetz
happenings
Published Dec. 1, 2004

Poinsettias.

What could I possibly say that is new and fresh about this yearly seasonal plant? I anticipated skipping writing about the virtues about poinsettias this year. After 14 years delving into this subject, I could not think of anything new and exciting to write. That all changed with a phone call.

Debbie Dean Espie from Dean's Greenhouse and Flower Shop called with an enthusiastic message that I should come and see what is new this year for poinsettias. Not ever wanting to miss something of interest, her passionate tone told me I'd better go and investigate. It is all about "Fantasy Color" for poinsettias, exclusively from Gloeckner. This is the next wave of introducing a larger color range for holiday decorating.

It was not too many years ago when someone wanted to market yellow poinsettias, and they were truly ugly. They were not a hit, and customers did not rush out to buy them. So, it was natural to think: What next?

I was skeptical when she produced a box of plastic bottles with paint. Yes, I said paint. Actually, not so much a paint as it is an ink product. This new wrinkle for coloring plants is really a never before used method in American greenhouses.

The Fred C. Gloeckner Co. has introduced this new generation of spray dyes, imported from Germany, in time for the holiday sales of poinsettias. At times, importing goods of any kind can hit a snag. In this case, the new product was labeled in German and could not leave the port in New York for distribution.

The shipment had to be returned to Germany. The fact that ethanol is part of the process for coloring made the whole shipment even more suspect.

After the information on the label was translated and the dye was given proper new labeling, the product was allowed to enter the country.

The problem was that so much time had elapsed that the product arrived too late to be applied to immature stock. As the plant grows, the sprayed-on dye would carry the color and provide an overall look of natural coloring.

I watched a demonstration on plants destined for sale and was amazed with the result. Debbie showed me some poinsettias that had been sprayed the day before and they totally lacked the look of having been tampered with. They give the impression of being grown in the selected colors.

Not all colors lend themselves to receiving this treatment. White poinsettias are the best to have "Fantasy Colors" applied to them. Light pink is also a possibility, especially if a darker tint is applied.

The color choices include apricot, orange, plum, lilac, fuchsia, dark rose and even turquoise and blue. Some people, I was told, welcome the blue color because it will fit better with their décor.

Much to my surprise, the light orange poinsettia looked quite pleasant when paired with some gourds in a Thanksgiving Day arrangement.

The plum color looked right out of the Victorian age. To further enhance the plant, an application of laser-cut octagonal gold, silver or iridescent glitter is possible. Sparkling poinsettias. What will they think of next?

It is now possible, with the aid of this latest product, to truly customize this floral addition to the holiday décor. There are several colors that even may be blended to give a mottled effect, much like the "Jingle Bell" poinsettia. Only here, a modification, according to one's taste and color preference, is possible.

Will this be how we select our poinsettias in the future? In the meantime, it is fun to achieve something different and unusual. This new coloring system, undoubtedly, will be applied to other flowers in the future. Most likely it will not find its way into the mass market quickly because of the cost of labor and material.

There now is a plethora of poinsettias available at very low prices in discount stores, but it is not the best place to purchase your plants. Some of them have extremely fragile stems and might even snap before you get them home. The succulent stems are not sturdy and need careful handling. A reputable grower takes care to cultivate the best plant possible.

The Paul Ecke Ranch in California is the world's largest seller of poinsettias and has done so for 75 years. They pass on some dos and don'ts on how to pamper your plants for holiday decorating. Some of their suggestions are not always easy to follow, especially when it comes to light exposure.