Baltimore's Own 'Jingle Bells' Adorn Rawlings Conservatory Poinsettia Show

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A trip to the Rawlings Conservatory in Druid Hill Park is a great way to brighten the season.

Ron Matz reports what's blooming there now will put you in a holiday mood.

All the buzz at the Rawlings Conservatory in Druid Hill Park is about a beautiful plant native to Mexico.

It's show time.

"We have poinsettias for sale from $4-$18, various sizes and different colors. We have pinks, reds and multi-colored ones. They're great and they make great presents," said Sandy Reagan, horticultural assistant.

Everything's right about the poinsettia, brought to the United States in 1825.

"The plant is native to Mexico, and in its native environment can grow quiet large. An ambassador to Mexico by the name of Joel Poinsett came back with a cutting of this plant. It's become one of the largest cash crops in the country," said Kate Bloom, Rawlings Conservatory supervisor.

The show is bursting with colors and a lot more.

"I came to see all the poinsettias. It brings back memories when we were children and we used to come over here and spend days just playing in the area," said Lee Gudeman, of Perry Hall.

Pick one up for a great gift.

"They're gorgeous," Gudeman said. "One is more beautiful than the other. They're lovely."

Baltimore has its own poinsettia, called the jingle bells.

"John Phantom, a horticulturist, discovered it. It has color breaks. It was different from anything he was growing in his greenhouse. It caught his eye, and he started growing more of them," Bloom said.

For poinsettias, it's their time of year.

"This is a fantastic time of year," Bloom said. "So many people come to see these poinsettias that we've grown with great love for months and months. It gives us a chance to show off the conservatory."

The holiday poinsettia show at the Rawlings Conservatory continues through Jan. 1.