The Winter Star - Poinsettia....

'Course des étoiles' Poinsettia

Whilst admiring the bright, flaming leaves of a range of Poinsettia plants this afternoon, I learnt that today, the 12th December, is in fact Poinsettia Day. This honours the first Ambassador from the USA to Mexico, the doctor and botanist Joel Poinsett. who sent specimens of this Central American plant back to California for study, almost 200 years ago.

Here in France, the Poinsettia has proudly been relabelled L'étoile d'Alsace, although this name is largely due to the extensive modern-day cultivation and commercialisation from this region rather than any historical link to its origins or roots, so to speak!

Thousands of these Alsatian potted Poinsettias are now available for the Christmas period; over the last few years they have become the seasonal flower.

The characteristic star-shaped cluster of bracts burst out, but the leaf form and colour range of the foliage have been cultivated to offer quite a variety...

The traditional bright, vibrant red and green are generally taken to be 'the standard' for the Mexican Flame flower, but this has been given a new, rather magical twist with the star-burst flecks of white as seen in the photos above.

Sprayed plants are also on sale, in the gaudiest of artificial shades, complete with a liberal layer of glitter. Hmmm... However, there are also far more subtle varieties of the Painted Leaf plant...

Nevertheless, all the plants share the same delicate leaf motives, with beautiful veins running over the foliage, pouring out colours...

These really are something to observe - and so I did, until I thought I would probably get kicked out of the garden centre, for peering at the plants with little actual intent to purchase!