Nancy E. Adams

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Q. Can you tell me how the poinsettia became associated with the holiday season? –M. Cairns, Strafford, N.H.

A. The modern-day story begins in the 1820s in the region of southern Mexico known as Taxco del Alarcón. Our first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinset, who was also an amateur botanist, brought cuttings back to his greenhouse in Greenville, S.C., of a shrub bearing large, red flowers. His propagation efforts were shared with friends and colleagues in the botanical community and by 1829, the poinsettia was introduced into the commercial trade. In 1834, it found its way to Europe under its botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima. As it became more popular, William Prescott, a historian and horticulturist, was asked to provide a common name for this plant. He chose poinsettia as a tribute to the “discoverer” of this beautiful plant.

The story might have ended there, but in the early 1920s, the Ecke family in Southern California recognized the tall, gangly, red plant, which grew wild throughout the area and flowered around the holiday season, as a potential plant for Christmas season sales. Single-handedly the Eckes transformed the poinsettia into a holiday blockbuster. Their plant-breeding efforts resulted in poinsettia cultivars suited to pot culture in an indoor greenhouse setting.

Today, poinsettias are available in a wide array of colors, sizes, and forms. Recent statistics show that the poinsettia represents more than 85 percent of potted plant sales during the holiday season, truly deserving its status as the most popular flowering plant this time of year. In 2002, an estimated sixty-eight million poinsettias were sold!

One final comment regarding the poinsettia: Please disregard the warnings about poinsettas. Although the plant is not fit for human consumption, it is not poisonous. Researchers at Ohio State University dispelled this widely believed myth more than twenty years ago.

Q. Please tell me about terrariums. Are they hard to create and maintain? –Karen Spencer, Litchfield, N.H.

A. Terrariums trace their ancestry back to Dr. N. B. Ward of London who studied the growth of plants in a closed bottle, and in 1842 published the book On the Growth of Plants in Closely Glazed Cases. Long-distance adventurers found his glass-enclosed “Wardian cases” ideal for transporting tender plants safely across oceans, greatly expanding the intercontinental trade in plant material.

Modern-day terrariums containing plants and soil offer a wonderful example of a self-sustaining ecosystem. Water, oxygen and carbon dioxide remain in balance through the marvels of photosynthesis and respiration. Once established, a completely enclosed terrarium may not need additional water for up to six months!

Before you start, select a specific habitat to mimic, such as desert, tropical, temperate woodland, etc. The habitat you choose will dictate your plant material as well as the temperature and light requirements. A little planning with paper and pencil before planting will ensure a pleasing result that also accommodates the growing needs of the plants. For example, some folks enjoy creating miniature landscapes complete with running water, pathways, and fallen logs.

A terrarium culture starts with clean, sterile glass containers. In general, about one quarter of the terrarium’s volume will be used for soil and drainage material. The first layer of pebbles, marble chips, crushed pots or charcoal creates a base for excellent drainage. Over this is placed a porous layer, such as sphagnum moss or nylon stockings, that allows water to pass but prevents soil particles from reaching and clogging the drainage area. Sterilized soil and potting media are added next followed by the selected plant material. Be sure only disease-free plants are chosen.

After planting, mist the plants to remove any remaining soil particles, allow the leaves to thoroughly dry for a couple of days, and then cover the top with glass or plastic wrap. If you see any evidence of diseases forming, simply remove the affected plants. Within a few weeks, the system should stabilize and you’ll be well on your way to creating a flourishing mini-landscape.

Q. I’m told that aloe plants are useful for healing burns. Is this true? Are aloes difficult to grow? –Pat Joyce, Rowley, Mass.

A. Aloe Veras (Aloe babadensis) are members of a wonderful group of plants called succulents. Succulents survive in very hostile environments by storing moisture in fleshy leaf, stem or root tissue.

Aloes have a vase-shaped open habit of growth with soft, thick, spiky leaves that have a course texture and are arranged in a spiral formation. In nature, they may grow up to one to two feet with a spread of two to three feet with the aid of horizontal, underground stems called rhizomes. As a houseplant, aloes are easy to grow in a south- or west-facing window and require minimal maintenance.

The plant’s healing agents are produced in the green skin and yellow sap, but not in the gel, a colorless and tasteless jelly-like center portion of the leaf. Due to the complex interaction of these various active ingredients, some of the most effective products are made from the entire leaf.

The proven health benefits of aloe read like a piece of science fiction. No single agent is responsible for all the healing properties of the aloe plant. At least six antiseptic agents have been isolated, including salicylic acid and Lupeol, substances known to kill or control molds, bacteria, fungus, and viruses. Further, at least three anti-inflammatory plant sterols are found in aloe leaves that are highly effective in treating burns, scrapes, allergic reactions, arthritis, ulcers and many more conditions. If that weren’t enough, at least 23 polypeptides have been isolated that help control a broad spectrum of immune system diseases and disorders such as HIV and AIDS.