The most startling departure from the traditional red favorite is the hand-painted (actually spray-painted) plants available in a rainbow of tints.

Colour expansion began in earnest in 2002 with the introduction of shades other than red.

‘Plum Pudding’, arrived in a rich mauve/plum that fit perfectly into Victorian themes.

Now there is ‘Holly Point’, with colorful, variegated green and yellow holly-shaped leaves and red bracts. Green and silver leaf colors characterize the ‘Heirloom’ family as well as ‘Peterstar Silverbells’.

‘Winter Rose’ has rose-like, curled bracts and now comes in shades of pink, and marbled hues.

Spray-painted plants began as white poinsettias, but received their artistic shades at the end of a spray bottle loaded with dye. A company in New York originally sold the dye to retailers only. It’s now available at some stores, including Home Depot, in 10 hues as a Fantasy Colors line, including apricot, blue, dark rose and fuchsia, along with glitter and a recipe book.

I spotted the designer poinsettias from an Ohio, U.S. greenhouse, at Walmart this season.

Amy Morrison, the public relations officer for Avon Valley Floral in Falmouth, Nova Scotia says they are selling novelty poinsettias as well and supplying them to Home Depot, the Co-op, Sobeys and the Atlantic Superstore.

“The ones we are producing this year include ‘Cinnamon Star’, a pale apricot shade. We also grow a 7" pot size that has unique varieties - there are different pink tones and apricots, almost beige so they go with the Christmas trend of decorating with coppers,� she said.

“Home Depot probably has some of the most exciting decorated poinsettias that are out and around. They have curly gold-painting in them with glitter and poinsettia standards like small trees. They're lovely - they're red and about four-feet tall in two varieties and potted in a nice black pot.�

Morrison says there appears to be a demand now for poinsettias decorated with glitter or carrying an accessory.

The hunger for unique colours and varieties is growing, however sales of traditional red poinsettias are by far the greatest.

Avon Valley produces about 100,000 plants for the season.