Poinsettias

 

The poinsettia is indigenous to Central America. It is particularly well known for its red flower and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. It derives its common English name from Joel Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who is credited with introducing the plant to the US in the 1820s. Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees, with heights of 2-13 feet.  Two of the best collections around are at the Garfield Park and Lincoln Park Conservatories in Chicago.  These are some of the pictures I took there.

"Rumpelstilskin"

"Gentle Marble"

"Spikey Pink"

"Ice Punch"

"Pink Polly"

"Speckled Red"

Bed of "Enduring Pink"

"Early Autumn"

New varieties in yellow, tan, and brown have now been developed.

Bed of various pinks.

"Pink Elf"

"A Sprinkling of Snow"

"Enduring Pink"

"Fancy Free"

"Blush Pink"

"Featherly's Fancy"

"Polar Ice"

"Melissa"

A bed of pinks.

"Ice Princess"

"Carousel Pink"

"Pink Maiden" with variegated leaves.

Horticulturalists are now working on various colored leaves.

"Cinnamon Spice"

Single "Cinnamon Spice"

"Strawberries and Cream"

"Coral Shell" with variegated pale green leaves

"Polar Queen"

"Priscilla"

Bed of "Coral Shells"

"Daisy Miller"

"Luscious Coral"

"White Christmas"

"Fairy Dust Pink"

"Snow Queen"

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Sandy's Gifts

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

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Mums Galore

 

Interior of the Longwood Gardens Main Conservatory outside Philadelphia

for the annual Chrysanthemum Festival.  Notice the red Mum-balls and white

Mum-balls hanging from the ceiling and the Yellow Blankets of Mums on the columns.

Golden Splendor Spider Mum

Pot of Golden Splendor Spider Mums

Golden Splendor Spider Mum

Red Wing Spoon Mums

Lavender Lucy Spoon Mums.  Notice the tubular petals which open out into spoon-like forms.

White Mum-ball.  Two dozen of these four foot spheres hang from the ceiling

on cables with pulleys.  There are sixteen plants in each ball, and they are

lowered to the ground each morning to be watered.  They come in four colors.

Yellow Mum-Ball

Janet Baker Spider Mums

Pot of Janet Baker Spider Mums

Dome of 500 Yellow Mums

This is a single plant with one stem and one root system, but it has been specially trained.

White Starlite Mums

Pink and White Thistle Mums - quite small

Yellow Thistle Mums

White Thistle Mums

Pink Rain Mum

Exotic White Mum

Pale Pink William Holden Mums.

Bed of William Holden Mums

Pink Anemone Tree Mums.  This is actually just six mum plants which have

been pruned and pinched so that they have a long stalk and then a large cluster

of flowers at the end.  There were also some in white.

Gold and copper "Martine" mum.

The Camellia Greenhouse had a variety of camellias.

A red and white camellia.

A pair of orchids.

Pink Nerines and White Marguerite Daisies along the Garden Path.

Chenille Plant

Bed of Dusky Queen Spider Mums beneath chenille plant.

Dusky Queen Spider Mum

There was also an exhibit of bonsai trees in the conservatory.

This maple is 45 years old.

Pink Flair Spider Mum

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Ball of pink Anemone Mums four feet in diameter.

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