The Poinsettia, in the Shadow of the Christmas Tree

From USDA:

Posted by Carolyn Miller, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Connecticut, on December 18, 2014 at 3:00 PM

The beautiful poinsettia stands as a decoration on its own. NRCS photo by Analia Bertucci.

The poinsettia – academic types may call it by its binomial name, and biologists might refer to its species. But how many of us are guilty of calling it that red flower with the pointy leaves used to decorate during the holidays?

In the world of holiday shrubbery, the poinsettia has always taken a backseat to the Christmas tree. With its lights and ornaments, the tree has become the icon of the holiday in contrast to the poinsettia, which is usually placed in a nearby corner.

Perhaps it’s because we don’t fully understand it. For example, did you know the color portion is not the flower? They aren’t petals, they’re leaves called bracts. The flower portion is actually that tiny button-shaped piece in the middle of the top.

Have you ever spent quality time with a poinsettia? I mean, really looked at the rich, deep green of the bottom leaves, the unique shape and layering of the bracts – that vibrant and full-on beauty of its intense coloring. Its flower may be small, but it is darned regal-looking surrounded by the brilliant hues of its foliage.

The poinsettia, native to Mexico and Central America, was introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was the first U.S. Minister to Mexico. Since then, the number of American poinsettia producers has grown. According to the Connecticut Greenhouse Grower’s Association’s Buyer’s Guide, the state has 17 poinsettia growers.

One of those is Grower Direct Farms of Somers, a family run wholesale greenhouse operation that produces annual and perennial ornamental plants. Owners Leonard and Elaine Van Wingerden are constantly striving to be on the forefront of leading edge technologies.

Several years ago, they noticed their electric bills climbing at an astronomical rate. One factor driving up those costs was the amount of heat required to grow poinsettias and other plants. The Van Wingerden’s knew they couldn’t continue status quo and stay in business, so they began looking for serious and effective ways to conserve and cut costs.

The Van Wingerden’s decided to take advantage of several USDA programs, including a conservation program offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, (NRCS). The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, helps farmers and ranchers conserve natural resources while improving their operation.

Grower Direct Farms has worked with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in installing micro-irrigation watering systems in its farm’s greenhouses. NRCS photo by Analia Bertucci.

They worked with NRCS to complete an energy audit. And with financial assistance from NRCS, they installed a micro-irrigation system on four acres of land. A micro-irrigation system targets water to a plant’s root zone more efficiently and with less waste. They are also now in the process of installing insulation and solar curtains in the growing space to improve their operation’s energy efficiency.

With the help of NRCS and other USDA agencies, the Van Wingerden’s farm now grows acres of beautiful poinsettias in a more efficient way.

As for the holiday rivalry, the Christmas tree and poinsettia are beautiful and perfect examples of Mother Nature at her finest. But a poinsettia is a masterpiece with no need for extraneous adornment. It stands bright and shiny on its own.

Poinsettias being grown in Grower Direct Farms just in time for the holidays. NRCS photo by Analia Bertucci.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How Do We Count Thee?

From USDA:

Posted by Amanda Dawson, NASS Census Administrator, on December 18, 2014 at 11:00 AM

According to the 2012 #AgCensus there were 12,079 farms in the U.S. that harvested a total of 17.3 million cut Christmas Trees. What will the 2014 Census of Horticulture reveal?

Just as millions of Americans venture out this time of year to purchase a fresh cut Christmas tree, I too am busy visiting and talking with Christmas tree growers. However for me, the visits are important outreach opportunities with producers to prepare for the 2014 Census of Horticulture, which we at USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) just mailed this week.

This special study will help us do more than just count Christmas trees. It will look at the entire horticulture sector in the United States and gather a full count of this $14.5 billion industry. The Census of Horticulture will paint a detailed picture of U.S. producers nationwide – those who grow all those cherished holiday trimmings, from fresh cut Christmas trees, to poinsettias, holly and more.

As I visited with producers, industry associations, and stakeholders to gather their input in the horticulture census, I heard one message repeated over and over again. They need and value this data. For a specialty industry such as theirs, a study like this provides detailed and unbiased data to help them advocate for their industry, whether for decisions on funding, policy, or research, this information is an invaluable tool.

So if you are a grower and you receive a Census of Horticulture form in the mail this holiday season, please respond! While the results may be a year away, this is the prime opportunity for you to help ensure the continued sustainability of your industry.

And, if you are like me and heading out to get fresh holiday decorations take note! These 40,000 growers impact our lives around the holidays and also bring us fresh cut flowers throughout the year; plants, fruits and vegetables to grow in our gardens; landscaping for our yards and parks; and more. If you are purchasing a fresh cut decoration this season (from a farm or even from your local retail store) remember there was a farmer who planted and nourished that seed!

Amanda Dawson, NASS census administrator, visited many nursery and floriculture operations when planning for the Census of Horticulture, including this greenhouse in Maryland filled with poinsettias.

Providing the Gift of Water for Poinsettias and Other Ornamental Crops

From USDA:

Posted by Scott Elliott, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, on December 12, 2014 at 10:00 AM

How much do you know about this iconic plant that brightens lots of homes this time of year?

Happy Poinsettia Day!

Of the countless iconic holiday season images in American homes, perhaps the most popular and colorful of them started off as a humble bush from our neighbors to the south.

The poinsettia was introduced to this country in the late 1820s by Joel Poinsett, the first American ambassador to Mexico, but only started on the path to holiday season superstardom in the early 1900s.  By 2013, poinsettias accounted for 23 percent of sales for flowering potted plants – to the tune of $146 million.

Floriculture, the aspect of horticulture than relates to ornamental crops, ranks fifth in U.S. agriculture.  Production of these crops – which includes cut flowers, both potted and landscape plants, and green roofs – occurs in open fields, nurseries, greenhouses, and high tunnels.

The high demand of these crops for irrigation water is a major challenge for growers, with household use and traditional agriculture as the major competitors for water.  This competition is especially severe when coupled with drought.  Growers must have effective and efficient ways to both provide the quality and quantity of water they need to ensure the health of their plants and to limit the flow of nutrients and chemicals through runoff into watersheds.

That’s where USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) comes in.  NIFA has provided funding for several floriculture research projects that address a variety of irrigation concerns.  One example is a $2.7 million project in which researchers from Virginia Tech have developed protocols to manage pathogens in reclaimed water sources.  As of August 2014, researchers have categorized nine new species of Phytophthora – a primary cause of plant root and crown rot – from nursery irrigation systems in Virginia and Mississippi.

Right outside of our nation’s capital, University of Maryland researchers are using a NIFA-administered grant of more than $5.1 million to develop a wireless sensor network capable of supporting the intensive production system requirements of field nurseries, container nurseries, greenhouse operations, and green roof systems.  After only three years, the system has helped growers make more informed irrigation scheduling decisions and reduced average water applications by more than 50 percent.  Smarter scheduling decreases runoff and means better production with less water.

Better production means more flowering plants, including the pink, white, red, or multicolored beauties that bring so many added holiday cheer.   The next time you gaze at a poinsettia, you can thank Joel Poinsett, America’s nursery industry, and NIFA for adding color to the season, reducing the demand on U.S. water supplies, and protecting the nation’s waterways.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education, and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.