David Vandermast, associate professor of biology, shared his insights about the plant that becomes particularly popular during the holiday season.
A recent article by the Burlington Times-News featured insights from David Vandermast, associate professor of biology, into the botanical properties of poinsettias, which become popular during the holiday season.
Vandermast addressed perceptions people have about the plant, which is indigenous to Mexico. As part of the article, Vandermast explained the process used to bring out the rich red color that many associate with the plant that's commonly found in Christmas decorations.
“The plant has to go through some specific light and dark periods for about two weeks in order for those leaves to turn red,” Vandermast explained. “What they do in these big greenhouses is that they are able to cover the greenhouse to put the plants in dark for 12 hours and then uncover them in order to have them in the sun for 12 hours.”
Read the entire article here.