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By Lmy Ixtz
Poinsettias, mistletoe and bocs of holly ere plants
that deck the hiUs exduvt Jy t Christmas Urns.
Local plant and nursery experts said those tie unique
because they only generate public interest durisg the
Christmas season.
Mistletoe is perhaps the best example of aa exclusively
Christmas plant. It is a shuA, native to Europe, which
grows as a parasite oa their trees. It is fhcr.d most
frequently oa apple, thorn, maple and poplar trees, but
seMom on oak trees.
f.:al powers
. The Celts and southern Europeans believed mttlctoe
had msical powers, and from this comes oar tradition of
4issi233 under the mistletoe at Christmas tine. -
Nursery owners said ib& of the mistletoe H in this
- country is really American or false mistfefce and cot the
authentic European variety. It is grown from New Jersey
to Indiana and southward from FteMa to Texas. -.
Another plant purchased almcst exclusively at Christ- -
mas time is the poinsettia, a shrub, with vslvety red leaves
asi smil yellow Gofers. It is a csirye of the damp, -tropical
climates in Central America and Mexico.
It was first cultivated by Joel Poinsett of Charleston,
S-C-,who later had it distributed commercially.
,; Sliced in ;
It frows from 3- to 6- feet tall and can be grown out
side in Bermuda and southern California. However, most
poinsettiis purchased locaUy aie pawn as hybrids in green
, houses and shaped in before Christmas.
Another perennial Christmas favorite is the plant
popularly known as the Christmas Cactus. The plant has
smooth, oblong leaves. When cared for properly, its
annual blooming of bright pinkish-red fbwers wO occur
during the Christmas season. "
- Nurserymen said the plant needs to establish a cycle
r and, once it has, it wO bloom around Christmastime
every year. The plant wO fSauridi ; iaside during the '
winter, but can be set outside during Lincoln's summer
months.
" Toxkdeccsssas "
Another traditional favorite is holy, a plsnt ussd for
. decorarion at Christmas since the MMdle Ages. Small
- holh plants can be purchasdbcally.bsttopt thesmai
red berries, which chsracterize the holly plant, a male and
female plant are eeeded. -
. setting the two plants neaf each ether, nurserymen"
said genneaslioa is possible, resaltiiig ia brifjt red berries
Im misfletoe,fesaSss..sdl,'poaaettia fayss, holy,
berries can be toxic to hessss. .'"
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