The Poinsettia, also known as La Flor de Nochebuena, may be one of the most recognizable flowers in Mexico. It’s one of the most popular in the Christmas season and can be found in nearly every household during this time of year. But how did it get its name? What makes it so special that everyone wants to have one on their table at Christmas? We’ll answer all your questions and tell you about the beautiful Mexican poinsettia tradition in this article.
What is La flor de Nochebuena?
The poinsettia is also known as La Flor De Noche Buena which means the flower of Christmas Eve. La Flor de la Nochebuena is one of the most important parts of the Christmas holiday season for many Mexicans. Most families will have at least one or two plants in their homes during this time. Families often celebrate by giving each other gifts on December 24th, which are often wrapped with poinsettias or another type of flower as part of the decoration.
Poinsettias have been a popular Christmas decoration since 1825 when Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, brought them back from his travels there and introduced them to Americans.
The History of La flor de Nochebuena
La Flor de la Nochebuena is a traditon in Mexico that dates to colonial times. It is said that the poinsettia, was first introduced to Mexico by the Spaniards who landed on Veracruz’s coast on December 24th, 1519. The first inhabitants quickly adopted this new plant and grew it in their homes for Christmas decoration.
Today, La Flor de la Nochebuena plays an important role during Christmastime in Mexico, where it symbolizes hope. Indeed, its red color represents the blood shed by Jesus while his green leaves represent life. Many legends have been told about this flower, one legend says that a group of Mexican Indians found the plant blooming near Totontepec Mountain in Puebla one morning before sunrise when they were hunting deer with bows and arrows.
They believed that this flower had been sent from God to reward them for their good deeds; they baptized the flower Flor de Pascua meaning Easter Flower because they thought it would bring happiness at Easter time just like white lilies do during Holy Week. But most people call it La Flor which translates into flower.
How to Grow Your Own Poinsettia
Potted poinsettias are popular holiday plants to bring indoors during the winter. Here’s how you can grow your own poinsettias this year!
Take a potting mix and fill a container with it. Plant a cuttings about two inches deep in the dirt and make sure it has some space around it for growing. Pour water into the pot until the soil is wet but not soaked. Keep the soil moist but don’t overwater or let it dry out either. Place your plant in an area where it will get plenty of light but not direct sunlight to prevent leaf scorchings.
You’ll want to feed your plant weekly by adding some fertilizer mixed into water once per week – add enough until it starts running out of the top inch of dirt on its own. If any leaves start turning yellow and falling off, simply trim them off at their base. Once your plant flowers, cut the stem off just below the flower itself. To continue growing your poinsettia after cutting off the flowers, place it in an area that gets six hours of indirect sunlight each day while maintaining consistent watering habits.
Caring for Your Poinsettia
It’s important to remember that your poinsettia is a living plant, and will need some TLC as it starts to grow. Here are a few tips for caring for your poinsettia, in order to ensure that it stays alive and beautiful. These tips can also be applied when you receive your plant as a gift during the holidays.
Keep your plant away from drafts and high heat sources such as fireplaces, space heaters, or even candles. The temperature needs to stay between 50°-55°F (10°-13°C) at all times. Make sure you don’t overwater! The soil should only feel slightly moist, not saturated like a wet sponge. When watering make sure the water drains freely out the bottom of pot so there’s no standing water left at all.
There should never be any fertilizer added to the soil because this will likely cause root rot. If you think your plant may have been exposed to something that would harm it, then you’ll want to place it in an area where air circulates well and keep an eye on its progress. You may notice yellowing leaves; if this happens they’ll eventually fall off on their own.
Enjoy Your Beautiful Poinsettia
Mexico is a country rich in tradition, and many of its customs are preserved to this day and the Tradition of La flor de Nochebuena is a beautiful tradition to share with your family this holiday season.
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