Mexico City – Flower growers in seven Mexican states are preparing for the start of the poinsettia harvesting season.
The well-known deep red Christmas flower will begin to be marketed in November, the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat reported Sunday.
According to the secretariat, producers of the decorative plant, one of the country’s most important agricultural crops, in May began preparing their fields for sowing the poinsettia cuttings, and during the next six months the plants matured and the flowers developed just in time for the yearend celebrations.
During 2021, poinsettia production in Mexico totaled a little more than 17.3 million plants valued at 688.5 billion pesos (some $34.2 billion) grown on some 257 hectares (about 643 acres), according to the Agricultural and Fishing Information Service (SIAP).
The agency also emphasized that the state of Morelos led the nation in poinsettia production, turning out a little more than 6.97 million plants, followed by Mexico City with 3.6 million, Puebla with 3.1 million, Jalisco with 1.7 million, Mexico State with some 954,000, Michoacan with 766,000 and Oaxaca with 19,600.
The secretariat said that the decorative flower originated in Mexico, although not necessarily in a single one of today’s states, given that the flower also grows wild in Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan, Mexico State, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas, a situation the provides genetic diversity and distinguishes the flowers from different regions.
Throughout Mexico, more than 30 varieties of the lovely flower are produced but about 90 percent of the production and consumption involves the crimson flower, with 5 percent being the white or yellow variety and the rest being the pink, striped or marbled varieties.
In addition, the secretariat said that poinsettias are in significant demand in the United States, Spain, Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, Canada, China and France, among other countries.
Source: La Prensa Latina