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【POINSETTIA】 (botanical name: euphorbia pulcherrima) When December comes, you will see deep-red flowers at a height of two or three meters here and there in the yards of private homes. They are poinsttias whose place of origin is Central or Midwest America. They were first introduced to Japan in the middle of the Meiji era. What looks like red petals are in fact bracteal leaves and very tiny flowers concentrate in the center. On mainland Japan, poinsettias becme plentiful as a winter foliage plant. Their potted flowers, or cut flowers, are widely used especially for Christmas and New Year. They are mostly grown in greenhouses. In Amami and Okinawa they are usually grown outdoors, and tourists who have never seen outdoor poinsettias are surprised to find them grow, even above the roofs of houses. The plants I photographed at the Sono residence (designated as an important cultural property by Kasari-town) were taller than five meters. Mejiros, or Japanese white-eyes, seem to like poinsettias. They often visit the flowers. |
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