FORT COLLINS, Colo. — For some Colorado State University students and staff, the holiday season doesn’t start in December. Instead, it kicks off in the summer, when preparations begin to grow an iconic symbol of the season: the poinsettia.
“Christmas in July is a very real thing for us in the greenhouse,” said associate professor Joshua Craver.
Naomi Bilow-Makler is one of the 17 students who tends to the thousands of poinsettias.
"Growing up, I thought poinsettias were mainly just red," Bilow-Makler said. "But there are so many varieties — whites, pinks, and even some unique colors."
The students and staff have 59 cultivars this year.
It’s not just about growing the flowers — it’s about learning through hands-on experience. For the students, this monthslong process is an immersive learning experience. They care for the plants, monitor their growth and experiment with varieties.
As the holiday season approaches, the greenhouse becomes a place of holiday cheer. The culmination of all this hard work? A poinsettia sale, where the public can purchase the plants.
This year, around 1,800 poinsettias will be available for sale on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the CSU Horticulture Center.
The money raised from the sale helps fund next year's poinsettia project, so the tradition can continue. This year, CSU is also working with several companies to trial new poinsettia varieties, exploring how they grow in Colorado’s climate.
