The vibrant red and green foliage of the poinsettia are familiar sights in homes around the world during the Christmas holiday season. But have you ever wondered how this exotic flowering plant from Mexico became a quintessential symbol of Christmas?It is a series of intriguing stories full of human drama, mysteries, secrets, challenges, and world domination. One story involves searching out wild poinsettias in the middle of two drug cartel-controlled territories.Craig McManus, your host of "The Garden Question Podcast", delves into the captivating history, cultivation, selection, and care of poinsettias with Dr. Jim Faust a Professor of Floriculture Physiology from Clemson University in South Carolina.He does research in greenhouse production of various flowering crops, teaches hydroponics, and greenhouse production courses. He grew his first poinsettia crop in 1986.Time Line00:00 Introduction to the Garden Question Podcast00:38 The Intriguing Story of the Poinsettia02:02 The History of the Poinsettia02:09 The Journey of the Poinsettia to the United States02:50 The Role of Joel Poinsett in the Poinsettia's Journey07:02 The Evolution of the Poinsettia07:16 The Shipping Process of Plants in the 1800s09:56 The Commercialization of the Poinsettia15:13 The Development of the Modern Poinsettia18:47 The Challenges of Growing Poinsettias20:10 The Marketing and Sales of Poinsettias22:15 The Future of Poinsettias27:49 The Process of Reblooming a Poinsettia30:07 The Development of Multi-Branching Poinsettias34:34 Understanding Plant Patents and Genetic Control35:06 The Mystery of Free Branching Characteristic in Plants35:41 The Role of Phytoplasma in Plant Branching36:06 The Discovery of Grafting Technique for Free Branching37:15 The Secretive Business of Poinsettia Breeding38:49 The Impact of Phytoplasma on Poinsettia Breeding40:02 The Challenges in Poinsettia Breeding42:19 The Journey of Poinsettia from Cutting to Market47:26 The Impact of Heat Delay on Poinsettia Growth49:40 The Adventure of Seeing Poinsettia in Its Native Environment54:29 The Controversy of Biopiracy in Poinsettia Commercialization57:53 The Future of Poinsettia Breeding59:09 Tips for Selecting and Caring for Poinsettias01:01:47 Debunking Myths about Poinsettias