Poinsettia plant named Christmas Blush

#The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of poinsettia plant known by the cultivar name Christmas Blush, and botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima.

#Christmas Blush was discovered as a mutation by applicant on Dec. 15, 1985 in a commercial greenhouse in Freeland, Md., growing in a bed of the parent cultivar V-14 Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,808. The new cultivar was immediately recognizable by its lighter salmon pink bract color, as opposed to the deeper pink bract color of the parent.

#The first act of asexual reproduction of Christmas Blush was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection on July 8, 1986 in a controlled environment in Radebaugh's North greenhouses in Freeland, Md. by applicant. Horticultural examination of selected units initiated after propagation has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Christmas Blush are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

#The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence and foliage characteristics of Christmas Blush, with colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type. The photograph at the top of the drawing sheet is a perspective view of the new cultivar, and the photograph at the bottom of the sheet is an enlarged showing of the bracts and cyathias. The photographs were taken in early January in late afternoon in Freeland, Md.

#In the following description color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Jan. 29, 1987 under natural light conditions at Alexandria, Va.

#Classification:

#Botanical.--Euphorbia pulcherrima.