Researchers at the University are turning their research pink – at least in the horticulture department.

For October, the national breast cancer awareness month, the horticulture department has grown and tested a hybrid variety of poinsettias- pink poinsettias, which will be marketed by the industry this month as a symbol of the fight against breast cancer.

The pink poinsettias were grown and tested in a greenhouse near the campus by Horticulture Professor John Dole and Floriculture Technician Ingram McCall.

When the company, Paul Ecke Ranch, developed the bright pink hybrids they thought of associating it with breast cancer awareness month, Dole said.

“We specifically tested the plants for Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Dole said. “The bright pink of the new hybrids made the company instantly think of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”

Shikha Singh, a freshman in textile engineering, said it’s a unique way of raising breast cancer awareness.

“It’s a creative and beautiful way to raise breast cancer awareness. I appreciate the efforts taken by the horticulture department,” Singh said.

Dole said this is the first time the hybrid poinsettias have been grown off season.

“They are unique because they are hybrids between the popular and beloved red ‘Christmas’ poinsettia and another species that is white. The two together produced the pink. This is the first time that these varieties have been grown and tested off season,” Dole said.

Dole said getting the pink poinsettias ready for the October release was a challenge because they usually flower during late fall and early winter.

“Poinsettias are short-day plants, which means that they flower naturally in the late fall and early winter when the nights are long and the days short. To get them to flower for October 1, which is much earlier than normal, we had to plant them early and black cloth them,” Dole said.

“Black clothing means pulling a heavy black cloth over them in the late afternoon every

day to block out the light and make the long nights and short days typical of fall. This caused the plants to start flowering much earlier,” Dole said.

Dole said black clothing can sometimes have adverse effects; two varieties could not withstand the high temperature.

“Black clothing is commonly used, but we often run into problems with the

high heat of summer. We started black clothing in August – remember how hot it was then. Plus, heat gets trapped under the cloths, because we have to pull them over the plant at 5 p.m. when the sun is still very strong. The high temperatures often prevent plants from flowering normally at that time. In fact of the three varieties that we tested, only one tolerated the high temperatures and flowered normally. Luckily, it was the cultivar with the brightest pink color – almost fluorescent pink,” Dole said.

Dole said students can buy them as they are easy to care for. “[Pink Poinsettias] are easy to care for and could last for months if watered as with any normal houseplant. Bright light is good as long as the plants don’t get too hot,” Dole said.

Willysha Jenkins, a senior in animal science, said she hopes some of the proceeds from selling the flowers go toward raising breast cancer awareness.

“Poinsettias are usually associated with Christmas. It is great to know that N.C. State can grow pink poinsettias. It is such a unique idea. Genetic engineering is awesome, who knows what other colors they can come up with next,” Jenkins said. “The horticulture department is doing it for a good cause and I hope some of the proceeds obtained from selling the plants go towards raising breast cancer awareness. If I have a pink poinsettia plant at home, it will remind me of going for my regular check-ups.”

The varieties have not been named yet but Dole said he hoped they would be named after the late-Kay Yow.

“I am sure many of us would like to see the varieties named with some connection to Couch Kay or breast cancer work,” Dole said.