Poinsettias in Hawaii: From old-fashioned pots to island wonders

How I learned to love poinsettias in Hawaii

I admit it: I used to think poinsettias were just, well, old hat.

A pot with red decorative leaves that appears in every supermarket just in time for Advent. Wrap it in a bit of foil, add a bow on top,

and your festive decoration is complete. I never really paid any attention to it, let alone liked it.

That changed abruptly in Hawaii.

Between lava and sea, they stand, the hedges of poinsettias

I remember the moment clearly: I was travelling on Big Island, the sun was beating down, the Pacific Ocean was glistening, and suddenly I thought I wasn't seeing right. There they were: metres high, in full bloom, whole hedges of poinsettias!

Not in pots, not on windowsills, but growing wild, as if to say: this is our home.

Their red bracts glowed against the deep blue sea, as if someone had brought Christmas to the volcanic islands.

On my tour, I stopped, got out and marvelled. A farmer later told me that Hawaiians call the poinsettia ‘Poinsettia,’ as they do almost everywhere else in the world. And that here it simply grows – up to 3.7 metres tall – without coercion, without care, as part of the landscape.

At that moment, my little love affair with the plant began, which until then I had considered a classic decoration from the garden centre.

The journey of the poinsettia from Mexico to Hawaii, then to Europe

The poinsettia originally comes from Mexico, where it is called “Flor de Nochebuena”, the flower of the Holy Night.

The Aztecs knew it long before the Spanish arrived and used it for medicinal purposes and as a red dye.

In the 19th century, Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico, brought it back to his homeland. From there, the poinsettia began its triumphant march across the world.

It came to Europe via botanical gardens, first to Germany, where plant lovers such as Alexander von Humboldt and other explorers developed a fondness for exotic plants. And so it finally found its way into our living rooms, as a symbol of warmth, light and brightness in winter.

Ironically, in Hawaii it glows in full sunlight, not candlelight.

Why I see poinsettias differently today

Since my trip, I see every poinsettia with different eyes.

Now, when I walk past one during Advent, I think of the tropical breeze, the buzzing of insects and the colours that seem to glow in the sun.

I think about how many things just need a change of surroundings to be seen in a new and beautiful light.

Today, I have a poinsettia every year, sometimes red, sometimes in delicate cream tones, not as decoration, but as a reminder of Hawaii, of the spirit of aloha, that special mixture of warmth, connection and tranquillity, and of the fact that traditions, flowers and music are allowed to travel, just like us.

Anyone who thinks they know the poinsettia should experience it where it grows freely.

Perhaps, like me, you will discover a new story behind the familiar red. One that sounds of volcanoes, aloha, lightness and wanderlust.

My winter travel tip: Advent, Christmas or New Year's Eve under palm trees, or rather under poinsettias

If you want to escape the grey winter, Hawaii in December is a dream.

The islands are festively decorated, the people celebrate with open doors and open hearts, and instead of mulled wine, there are fresh coconuts on the beach.

The islands of Big Island and Oahu in Hawaii are my favourites, and I'd be happy to give you tips and put together your trip to Maui and Kauai. Fancy discovering a few wild poinsettias yourself?

You can find more inspiration and all the details about your Hawaiian music trip to Big Island and Oahu in our section ‘Around the Globe – North America’: Hawaiian music trip to Big Island and Oahu.