Common name: Christmas bush

[SC] An erect, semi-evergreen shrub that can up to 4 meters in height, but specimens between 2 to 3 meters are more common. Foliage has a rounded form. Flowers are small, white and not particularly showy. Flowering is induced each year as the day length shortens, in the winter months. When the flowers emerge the flower-petal-like bracts around the flower spikes change from green to creamy white and are very showy. After flowering and as the days lengthen, the showy flower bracts fall off and the plant loses most of its foliage for a short time. New foliage emerges but is green and remains so until the day length shortens again. There are reports of a pink variety where leaf brackets change from white to pink as they age. [Jamaica Christmas ornamentals] In contrast to the flaming colour of the Poinsettia at Christmas we can also expect to see the cool peaceful blooms of the White Christmas or snowflake bush, Euphorbia leucocephala. The plant produces small white bracts at the end of the year, which is fitting as its name leucocephala literally means white head. The small flowers produce a fragrance that assists in attracting insects to the plant and as a bonus, provides a pleasing and memorable Christmas scent. Also from Central America, it has become a welcome part of our Christmas heritage.