UNH Hosts Poinsettia Trials Open House

The Macfarlane Research Greenhouses, a facility of the NH Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire, will host the popular Poinsettia Trials Open House Thursday, Dec. 10 to Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015. Visitors to the free event, now in its 10th year, will enjoy more than 100 poinsettia varieties and assist in ongoing research.

Poinsettias on display will go far beyond the traditional red to shades of pink, apricot, and deep burgundy; variegations of red, white, and pink shades; and those with names like Red Soul, Prima Donna, North Star, Autumn Leaves, Christmas Wish, Harlequin Red, and Pink Candy. Visitors to the trials will assist in research by recording their favorites from among new and different varieties. Completing this survey will enter visitors into a drawing to win a poinsettia. In addition, while on the UNH campus visitors may view the 12-foot poinsettia tree in the lobby of the Whittemore Center.

The Poinsettia Trials is a collaborative event to bring research to breeders, growers, and the public. Similar trials take place at universities and commercial greenhouses across the country, allowing breeders and growers to evaluate regional differences in the growth and performance of new cultivars. This valuable information provides a basis for choosing the best cultivars for a particular growing environment and market.

A broad selection of the many poinsettia varieties will be available for purchase from Thompson School students on all three days and throughout the holiday season. The Thompson School Horticulture Club will again host a wreath decorating activity. Fresh wreaths will be available for purchase, and visitors will be guided by Horticulture Club students to create their own holiday wreath. All proceeds will benefit the Horticulture Club.