Plant hybridizers are turning out new plants faster than at any time in history. One of the recent developments comes from the breeding labs of Paul Ecke Poinsettias. ‘Dulce Rosa’ is notable as the first commercially available poinsettia interspecific hybrid. Until now, the increasingly phenomenal array of colors and shapes in poinsettias have all been derived from one species, Euphorbia pulcherrima.
Attempting to bring the pure white color into poinsettia genetics, the poinsettia from Mexico was crossed with another species, Euphorbia retusa from Africa. The resulting interspecific hybrid was ‘Dulce Rosa’, a vigorous landscape plant that withstands the rigors of the garden. The almost fluorescent pink bracts make this exciting introduction the first in line of what is sure to become a series of poinsettias that will function well in the landscape.
In Japan and Korea, 'Dulce Rosa' already has gained approval as a year-round potted plant and is a steady seller. Growers in the US are hoping that future color choices will include pastel-colored bracts for spring and orange, red, purple and yellow ranges for fall. The less formal “flowers” of ‘Dulce Rosa’ lend better to garden settings than the more formal Christmas poinsettia, but still provide needed color during the short day months of the year.
While ‘Dulce Rosa’ holds this new promise as a more versatile potted plant, it is the garden potential that is its most exciting feature. While the common poinsettia was first grown for outdoor use as a landscape plant by the Ecke family in the early 1900’s and eventually became an indoor potted plant, the ‘Dulce Rosa’ hybrid has actually been developed for landscape use. In the garden it is self-branching, however, it should still be pruned back in the spring after the winter color has faded. This will help to keep the eventual 5-6 foot plant more compact and less leggy.
Once new growth has started, start adding in some water-soluble, well-balanced plant fertilizer every 2-4 weeks. Although this is a Euphorbia, it is not a desert plant and should be given occasional watering. Plant in evenly moist soil that drains well and receives at least half day sun.
