Nov 18th, 2023 - Jan 7th, 2024
Floral Showhouse, Niagara Falls
Annual Poinsettia Show
Annual Poinsettia Show
Celebrate the holiday season with Niagara Parks’ Annual Poinsettia Show, inside the Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse. This iconic show features traditional holiday landscapes with modern touches of brilliant colours and lights that make the warmth and magic of the holiday season come to life.
Whimsical and inviting, you’ll find beautiful cyclamen, amaryllis, orchids and at the centre of attention, poinsettias! Immerse yourself in a winter wonderland of vibrant colours and enchanting holiday displays, as hundreds of meticulously cultivated poinsettias transform the space into a festive paradise. From traditional reds to unique, eye-catching varieties, these festive blooms will inspire holiday cheer.
Always in Bloom
The Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse is a lush oasis, just a short walk south from Niagara Falls and Table Rock Centre. Collections of orchids, succulents, and other tropical plant species are on display throughout the year, along with floral shows that reflect the changing seasons. With seven shows per year, something new is always in bloom.
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The Design
More than 1500 poinsettias and 1000 display plants are grown to create the Annual Poinsettia Show. These beautiful, festive plants are complemented by cyclamen, caladiums and orchids.
This year’s theme of Discovery features over 35 varieties of poinsettias accentuated by whimsical fresh floral trees. In the heart of the Showhouse, the Centre and North houses showcase a stunning array of red and white poinsettia displays that will leave you spellbound. Admire the rich, velvety reds and pristine whites as they mingle in perfect harmony, creating a breathtaking symphony of holiday colours.
Highlights include a large red poinsettia tree in the Centre house and large Victorian urns draped with luxurious red tulle throughout the Showhouse. A ribbon of marbled poinsettias flows throughout both the Centre and North houses.
Caring for poinsettias
Poinsettias are tropical plants that enjoy adequate amounts of sunlight. These plants are sensitive to extreme low or high temperatures, which is why they perform so well inside our greenhouses, where conditions are consistent.
The biggest challenge of growing poinsettias is ensuring they have sufficient daylight and nighttime hours. They are naturally short-day bloomers and set their flower buds only after daily sunlight has gone below eight hours a day, sometimes less. They need to be in complete darkness during the night; not even a flashlight can be set on them!
About 10 weeks prior to the show, the Niagara Parks horticulture team darkens the greenhouses to make sure the poinsettias are not disturbed by even the slightest amount of light.
Where do poinsettias come from?
Although poinsettias originate in Central America and Southern Mexico, they can also be found around the equator, in places like the Canary Islands. In such tropical regions, these colourful plants can grow as large as a tree!
The poinsettia was adopted in North America in the late 19th century, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that these plants became a household holiday tradition. Today, it is a celebrated plant and a symbol of good cheer and success.
What happens to the plants when the show is over?
Once their colours begin to fade and the bracts or leaves start to fall off the plants, our horticulture team maintains the special varieties for the following year. They carefully cut back the stems just below the flowers.
Poinsettias can be grown indoors during the winter and transplanted outdoors in the summer. See if you can keep your poinsettia growing all year, then transplant it outside in the summer where it will enjoy the warm temperatures and all-day sunshine!
Winter Festival of Lights
From November 18, 2023 to January 7, 2024, the area surrounding the majestic Horseshoe Falls is transformed into a captivating palette of brilliant colours. Enjoy spectacular, interactive displays featuring more than three million lights along the Niagara Parkway, including Table Rock Centre, Queen Victoria Park and Dufferin Islands.
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