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EUPHORBIA pulcherrima 'Marblestar'

Image of Euphorbia pulcherrima 'Marblestar' PP9685

Syngenta

Family

Euphorbiaceae

Botanical Name

EUPHORBIA pulcherrima 'Marblestar' PP9685

Plant Common Name

Marblestar Poinsettia, Poinsettia

General Description

The poinsettia cultivar 'Marblestar' bears pink, cream-edged blooms on bushy compact plants. This 1995 introduction is one of numerous poinsettia cultivars patented by Paul Ecke Ranch of Encinitas, California. Like all modern selections of Euphorbia pulcherrima, it was developed to meet the massive holiday demand for greenhouse-produced poinsettias. These selections grow from unrooted cuttings to bushy, leafy, heavily blooming potted plants in a matter of months. In contrast, their wild ancestors in western Mexico are leggy, medium-sized deciduous shrubs that often shed their leaves before blooming. Plant characteristics cited below are for first-year greenhouse-grown plants. Older plants attain much greater size.

All poinsettias have upright woody stems with large, slightly lobed leaves and milky sap. The leaves of 'Marblestar' are medium- to dark-green. As nights lengthen, clusters of inconspicuous yellow blooms with showy petal-like bracts develop at the stem tips. This cultivar bears salmon-pink flower bracts with narrow irregular creamy-white margins. The well-branched, 14-inch (35-cm) plants retain their leaves through much of winter in mild sunny locations.

Poinsettias require full to partial sun and average to fertile well-drained soil. Purchased poinsettias can be moved to a sunny window or a frost-free garden niche after they bloom.

These tender ornamentals can be reluctant to rebloom because flowering is triggered by long nights. The best method is to site plants in natural daylight, where they will experience shortening days. Professional growers shade their plants at night starting around the autumnal equinox to ensure full bract coloration 6 to 8 weeks later.

Poinsettia is sometimes the subject of health concerns. See http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Euphopu.htm

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    12 - 10

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    9 - 15

  • Sunset Zone

    H1, H2, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

  • Plant Type

    Shrub

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun, Partial Sun

  • Height

    12"-16" / 30.5cm - 40.6cm

  • Width

    14"-20" / 35.6cm - 50.8cm

  • Bloom Time

    Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter

  • Native To

    Mexico

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Acidic, Neutral

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Loam, Sand

  • Tolerances

    Drought

  • Growth Rate

    Medium

  • Water Requirements

    Drought Tolerant, Average Water

  • Habit

    Upright/Erect

  • Seasonal Interest

    Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Showy

  • Flower Color

    White, Yellow, Pink, Salmon, Ivory

  • Flower Color Modifier

    Bicolor

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Green, Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Green, Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Green, Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Winter)

    Green, Dark Green

  • Bark Color

    Green, Tan

  • Fragrant Flowers

    No

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Flower Petal Number

    Single

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Showy Fruit

    No

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    No

  • Foliage Texture

    Coarse

  • Foliage Sheen

    Matte

  • Evergreen

    Semi-Evergreen

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Bark Texture

    Smooth

  • Usage

    Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    No

  • Self-Sowing

    No