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I read your article, extremely informative I must say. I live in the Caribbean on the island of Barbados and bought some imported poinsettia early this year 2008. The plant nursery was selling them cheap as it was passed the season and they were turning back green, so I figure I would purchase some for the heck of it. As time passed they started to grow vigoruosly, I was surprised that they looked so pretty even thou they were almost fully green. But one did something very unexpected, I notice that is was baring seed pods. Now I was not expected anything from them as they would fall off in few days but after time I realized one was growing bigger and not looking to fall off.
I can't remeber how long it took but as it turn brown in colour I figured the seeds would be ready. So I picked the seed pod and carefully cut it open to find "if memory served me correct" about 4 chambers but only 2 had a seed each and one seed was badly malformed. The single good seed I took and planted immediatly. In about 8 days a seedling grew, I was so excited and they the worst happened. Some insect eat the top off, man I was so mad, but I just left the little stem there to die off. Cause that I didn't move it was still getting water as I wet the other plants I had growing and to my surprise the stem was not dying but getting thicker. I was like hmm thats weird should be dead by now. On closer inspection a small leaf bud was coming out near the top I smile and said to myself ...you was meant to live.
Well I continued to care for it and the cuttings of some other poinsettia I made as well. It about 7" tall now but I have been so busy that I was not able to bring it inside to cut down on light, even thou a friend of mines that bought some of the same poinsettia that were selling cheap...one of his is changing colour with no assistance, I just wanted to see what colour its goin to be. Oh the mother plant is Pink, forgot to mention that.
I have a question, I would really like to do my own cross pollination of pointsettia, do you know how its down or have a description of poinsettia flower. I would greatly appricated any information you may have on this as I'm trying to become an ameture plant breeder. At this time I'm working on caladium crosses with the help of LariAnn Garner who treated me with some helpful tips and I was successfull and presently caring for over 200, 1 month old caladium seedlings.
Any information or knowlegde you can to share I would truely be greatful for.
boy... I have never done any cross pollinating.. need to ask someone else those questions. the college in Orange County California grows a lot of Poinsettias and do a lot of research on them... I bet they could answer your questions.
