By Catherine McGeer •
Published: 30 Nov 2024 • 23:48
• 2 minutes read
EL EJIDO has become the national leader in Poinsettia production, growing 72 per cent of the province’s total.
El Ejido: Spain s Poinsettia capital
With more than 2 million of these festive flowers produced each year, the town has truly earned its place as Spain’s Christmas Poinsettia capital.
Semilleros Laimund: Innovation in Poinsettia production
During a recent visit to Semilleros Laimund, a nursery with over 30 years of experience, El Ejido’s mayor, Francisco Góngora, celebrated the company’s remarkable growth and innovative spirit. Semilleros Laimund first began growing Poinsettias in 1989, starting with just 2,000 plants. Today, it produces around 350,000 of these iconic Christmas flowers annually at its El Ejido and Níjar facilities.
Supporting local: The economic impact of Poinsettia farming
Mayor Góngora encouraged local residents to bring the holiday spirit into their homes by purchasing Poinsettias grown right in their own town. With 17 producers in El Ejido, the town leads the way in ornamental flowers, and supporting local production helps strengthen the community s economy.
Poinsettias with purpose: Empowering communities through AgroIntegra
The mayor also visited ‘AgroIntegra,’ a workshop run by the Down El Ejido association, where participants gain skills in this industry. This plan helps boost their independence and social skills, making a real difference in the lives of those involved, especially as the Christmas season draws near.
The History Behind Decorating with Poinsettias at Christmas
Poinsettias have become a popular symbol of Christmas, thanks to their red and green leaves, which evoke the colors of the holiday season. The connection between Poinsettias and Christmas dates back to 16th-century Mexico, where the plant was known as Nochebuena or Holy Night, referring to Christmas Eve. According to legend, a poor girl who had no gift to give to the Christ child on Christmas Eve gathered weeds from the side of the road. When she placed them at the altar, the weeds miraculously transformed into beautiful red flowers. The plant was later named after Joel Poinsett, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico in the early 1800s, who brought the plant to the United States and began cultivating it. Today, the Poinsettia remains a beloved decoration during the holiday season, symbolising the spirit of giving and the beauty of Christmas.
Sign up for personalised news
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our
Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Written by
Catherine McGeer
I am an Irish writer who has been living in Spain for the past twenty years. My writing centers around the Costa Cálida. As a mother I also write about family life on the coast of Spain and every now and then I try to break down the world of Spanish politics!
Leave a comment Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Website
Comment for robots
Known as the PEOPLE’S PAPER, Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain. And it’s FREE!
Covering the Almeria, Axarquia, Costa Blanca North, Costa Blanca South, Costa del Sol , Costa Calida, Mallorca and beyond, EWN supports and inspires the individuals, neighbourhoods, and communities we serve, by delivering news with a social conscience. Whether it’s local news in Spain, UK news or international stories, we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home.
With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month, EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain. The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close.
Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP), Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall). All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers. All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE.
Sign up for personalised news
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Close
