December's flower, the Narcissus

 

December is represented by the Narcissus in The Language of Flowers. It reflects respect, modesty and faithfulness.


 







 If we go back further in time, to the origin of the name Narcissus,   we learn that the Greek myth claims Narcissus as the beautiful hunter who fell in love with his own image in a pool of water. Apparently he was attracted to the pool of water by Nemesis and was so enamoured by his reflection that he couldn't leave it and died there. Hence we have narcissicism, which according to wikipedia is a fixation with oneself.


The Christmas association with the poinsetta originated in Mexico in the 1500s, where this Euphorbia grows in the wild. The American horticultural industry's use of poinsetta is tied to the development of grafting techniques in the early 1900s.
For those wishing to grow the plants after the holiday season, "the poinsettia can be induced to reflower after the initial display when purchased. The red blooms should be pruned, and the plant moved outdoors after the last frost. It should be returned indoors in the Fall, before the first frost, to a room which is not lighted after sunset. The plant requires a period of uninterrupted long, dark nights for around two months in autumn in order to develop flowers. Incidental light at night during this time will hamper flower production. When watering it is important to allow the plant to drain out any excess water. Having a poinsettia sit in water can do harm to the plant as it prefers moist soil to direct water."

quotes from Wikipedia.