ABOVE: Some of the many poinsettias inside Dee’s Floral and Designs in Fairmont. Many of the other plants have gone on to area churches where they’ll look nice and bright during Christmas services.

FAIRMONT– Widely used in Christmas floral displays, the poinsettia is a plant many will notice adorning the sanctuaries of local churches during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. Dee’s Floral and Designs in Fairmont has delivered dozens of poinsettias to about eight local churches over the holiday season.

Along with Christmas, Dee’s also provides a variety of spring flowers, including Hydrangeas, Lilies and Tulips, to many local churches for Easter. At Christmas though, it’s all about poinsettias.

“It’s a standing tradition,” DeAnn Eversman, owner of Dee’s Floral, said, adding that the vibrant plants look nice in a church.

She said that some of the churches opt to have their poinsettias out at the start of the Advent season, while some wait until just before their Christmas services. Dee’s then has been busy delivering poinsettias to area churches for the past few weeks.

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Dunnell got a large amount of poinsettias, about 20, ahead of Glenn Henriksen’s annual Christmas concert on Dec. 21. Holy Family Catholic Church in East Chain, which does not hold weekly services but a special Christmas Eve service, received about 18 poinsettias and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fairmont will have 24 of the vibrant plants adorning its sanctuary.

The standard, natural poinsettias include red, white and pink. However, there are also some hybrid versions that mix pink and white or red and white. Any other varieties that are purple or blue, some even with glitter, are spray painted likely by the grower.

Eversman explained that the colored leaves on a poinsettia, sometimes mistaken for petals, are actually called bracts, and that the small yellow center of a poinsettia is actually the flower.

Poinsettias are indigenous to Mexico, which is something that should be kept in mind when watering them.

“We water by weight. If you pick it up and it’s really light, it needs water. If it’s heavy, it’s probably okay. You can put your finger in and feel the dirt and if it’s dry I’d add water. Once a week, maybe,” Eversman said.

She added that poinsettias have the ability to live for quite a while, well past the Christmas season.

Dee’s has been putting together plenty of other holiday floral arrangement for businesses and private homes. She said other Christmassy flowers and plants generally used for these include red and white carnations and mums, Amaryllis bulbs, Star of Bethlehem and greenery including holly and flax leaves and other items like pinecones and berries.

Christmas is a busy time for arrangements, along with Easter, Memorial Day, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.