Postharvest Evaluation of Winter Rose® Series Poinsettia Stems under Consumer Conditions

The Winter Rose® family of poinsettias (Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch) has been identified as a suitable poinsettia for use as a cut flower.  With curly bracts that resemble rose petals, they may add welcome variety to florists’ holiday repertoire.  They are considered late season poinsettias and come into full color from cuttings.  The objectives of this study were to determine the suitability of Winter Rose® poinsettia as a cut flower crop for consumer use by evaluating quality each day following the cut, stem conditioning treatments, and preservative treatments.  Held at room temperature under circumstances mimicking a consumer’s home’s conditions, this study indicates a long vase life of two weeks or more for Winter Rose® poinsettias with or without heat treatment.  Preservative treatment did not significantly affect vase life