With its festive scarlet colour and star-shape leaves (bracts), the poinsettia is sometimes thought of as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Wise Men to Jesus, making it the perfect plant for the Christmas season.

O’Connor Nurseries has been growing poinsettias for almost 20 years – a decision that was purely practical at the beginning.

“We grew poinsettias to extend the season because traditionally the season would have been for summer-grown plants,” explains Jim O’Connor. “We decided to grow the plant so that we could utilise the glasshouses in winter time.”

Humble beginnings

O’Connor Nurseries, located on the outskirts of Gorey in Co Wexford, was established in 1967. They produce premier-quality Irish-grown plants, and have become one of the leading growers and providers of wholesale bedding plants in the southeast. Their success, however, did not come overnight.

“Originally my father would have grown strawberries on a small 30-acre farm. Then the farm got bigger but it wasn’t going to be sustained by just doing conventional farming, so that was why he started growing strawberries. Eventually in 1970 he built glasshouses and started to grow tomatoes,” says Jim.“It would have been tomatoes and salad crops up until 1994, then we changed over to flowers.”

The multi-award winning family run business has over six acres of glasshouse, including four acres of state-of-the-art climate-controlled houses. Their growth has enabled them to offer employment throughout the year.

“We are a very family oriented business. My wife and I own the business and my sister works with us,” says Jim.

“We have between 16-45 employees between the busy summer months and the quieter period in January and February.”

Poinsettias

Poinsettia plants are native to Mexico and Central America where they are known as “flor de la noche buena”, or “flower of the holy night”. They are one of the most popular Christmas decorations, but their appeal is time sensitive.

“Late November and December would be the buying time for poinsettias because they are used only for Christmas. If you have any poinsettias left on the 26 December you are in trouble. Even the guys with turkeys can still eat them after Christmas,” says Jim.

Grown in glasshouses, Poinsettias require care and attention but there is no text-book rule. Their maintenance depends on the weather conditions of any given week, watering varies on temperature and the trick is to ensure that they are never left sitting in water for too long.

“Poinsettias would be planted in the beginning of July, until now (December). They would be quite a big plant, ranging between 40cm to 50cm in height. Poinsettias take a good bit of heat to grow.”

Business

O’Connor Nurseries has to work in collaboration with the seasons, which is why poinsettias take the lead at Christmas.

“The season contributes to what we grow, we produce what is needed and what is required at that time of year. We are driven by the market and what people want,” says Jim. Alongside festive poinsettias, O’Connor Nurseries grow a few other plants at this time of year.“We would grow winter bedding, primroses and cyclamen at this time of the year,” says Jim.

O’Connor Nurseries distribute its plants nationwide and these are available to purchase in garden centres and supermarkets. CL