GILROY
– The poinsettia, with its star shape and deep red petals, is
synonymous with the holidays. Bunches of the plant can be seen
around town in store windows, outside Old City Hall, in church
halls and holiday displays.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – The poinsettia, with its star shape and deep red petals, is synonymous with the holidays. Bunches of the plant can be seen around town in store windows, outside Old City Hall, in church halls and holiday displays. It is even celebrated each year on Dec. 12, national Poinsettia Day.
More importantly, for some local schools and nonprofit organizations – including St. Mary School, Rucker and Luigi Aprea elementary schools and a group at Gilroy High School – the plant is also an important source of fund-raising revenue. Due to high demand for the holiday plant, the Gilroy nursery supplying the schools has stepped up production.
Jennifer Speno, who has run the poinsettia fund-raising effort at St. Mary School for three years, says she has sold more plants so far this season than ever before.
“It’s going really well, I’m really excited,” she said.
On Dec. 2, Speno met the total of 700 plants sold in both 2001 and 2002. Now, she estimates that school parents, church parishioners and other community members have purchased more than 850 plants.
Individual poinsettias sell for $8 each and boxes of six go for $45. Any money raised is spent on programs at the school, Speno said.
She will continue to order and sell more plants during the next two weeks to meet demand.
“I have people calling me every day,” Speno said. “It’s been nice to have a bigger demand this year. As long as there are plants available, I’m happy to sell them.”
Speno purchases the plants at a reduced price from Head Start Nursery, at 4860 Monterey Road. The nursery grows thousands of poinsettias each year, mostly to support local fund-raising efforts.
“We grow them here, and then they’re sold to local businesses or nonprofit organizations who would like to turn around and re-sell them,” said Partner Randy Costa.
The nursery stepped up its poinsettia operations this year, growing about 17,500 plants compared to last year’s 14,000.
“We usually sell them all out,” Costa said. “For us, they just seem to be getting popular.”
Some are sold directly to customers but the nonprofits snatch up the majority, Costa said.
Rucker and Luigi Aprea elementary schools and a group out of Gilroy High School are also selling the Head Start plants to raise funds.
Costa said he’s not surprised that the nursery has steadily produced more poinsettias during the past few years.
“It’s the largest potted crop sold by volume in the floral industry,” he said. “Particularly at Christmas time, but I think it is the single largest crop sold all year.”
While the plants are running low – the nursery is “starting to get down to the end” – there is still time to purchase a plant in time for Christmas or Poinsettia Day.
To contact Speno, call St. Mary School at 842-2827 or stop by the office for an order form.
