(EAST GREENWICH TOWNSHIP) - New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher visited Powell’s Greenhouses in Gloucester County this week to highlight that poinsettias are now being shipped by New Jersey greenhouses and nursery growers. December 12 was National Poinsettia Day.

New Jersey ranked 11^th in the U.S. in wholesale poinsettia plants sold in the USDA’s Floriculture Crop Summary released earlier this year. The summary reported 43 producers sold 1.3 million plants with a total value of $7.7 million. Nursery is the largest commodity group in New Jersey agriculture with an annual value of nearly $500 million.

“The bright and beautiful colors of poinsettias enhance any holiday setting or celebration,” Secretary Fisher said.  “New Jersey producers take great care in growing plants that are tailored to meet the needs of individual homeowners, businesses and institutions. When you purchase poinsettias from a local nursery it helps the state economy and supports local farm families.”

Powell’s Greenhouses is a family owned and operated horticultural grower that has been in the same location since 1975. Powell’s is a wholesale dealer and delivers its products locally as well as along the East Coast. Powell’s has 50,000 square feet of greenhouse under cover and offers a variety of poinsettia colors including traditional reds, whites, and pinks. This specific holiday crop is used as decoration in the home, at the office, in many churches, and for holiday parties and events throughout the northeast.

Poinsettias are easy to care for and should be watered only when dry to the touch.  Locate the plant in a bright, cool place, avoiding drafts. Also, poinsettias should be kept away from heating vents and other sources of heat, such as fireplaces and radiators.

Today’s poinsettia plant has a storied history in New Jersey. The ‘Oak Leaf’ poinsettia was introduced by Mrs. Enteman in Jersey City in the 1920s and dominated the field for the next 40 years as it was the first cultivar suitable for growing in a pot.

To find a local business that sells poinsettias and other Jersey Grown products, go to jerseygrown.nj.gov/.

National Poinsettia Day was created by an Act of Congress to enjoy the beauty of the plant, first introduced in the United States by Joel Roberts Poinsett.

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