A giant poinsettia still grows in N.S. after 26 years. It has become a family heirloom
Frankie Allison's late wife won the Christmas plant in a radio contest back in 1996
When Frankie Allison first shared his giant poinsettia with the world back in 2016, he got a surprise call from a woman in Texas.
"She said, 'I thought we grow the biggest things in Texas … but you've got the biggest poinsettia for being inside,'" Allison said from his home in Hammonds Plains, N.S., earlier this month.
Allison has been growing the traditional Christmas plant in his living room since 1996.
It holds a special place in his heart and home because it belonged to his late wife, Maxine.
She won it on Christmas Eve during a call-in radio contest. But she died suddenly of a heart attack on Boxing Day.
"[Christmas] would be different if she was here. We could celebrate, 'Look at the poinsettia we got,' but I live with it," Allison said.
"I'm a Christian man, so I said, 'Well, that's God's work. We can't do nothing about that.'"
WATCH | The story of Frankie Allison's giant poinsettia:
CBC News first spoke with Allison about his remarkable plant back in January 2016, when its leaves were a vibrant red and it sat comfortably in front of his picture window.
Poinsettias are native to Mexico and live in the wild in Central America. They are a popular Christmas house plant in North America, and rarely outlive other Christmas decorations.
But Allison's plant has survived 26 years. It now stands about 1.6 metres tall and 4.5 metres around, and there's just enough space to walk between the potted plant and Allison's recliner.
"Halifax Seed says this is a rare one because the rest of them don't last," he said, adding that there's no secret to keeping it alive.
He said it just gets some soil — spread evenly — and water a few times a week.
Niki Jabbour, a gardening expert in Halifax, said Allison must be doing something right because people often get rid of the holiday plant in the new year.
"I would say this is very rare in that he's obviously given it ideal growing conditions for over two decades, so that's certainly a big feat," Jabbour said.
"The size of the plant, you know, he's obviously upsized it when it needed to be in a bigger pot. He's fertilizing it, he's watering it properly, so I think all that is pretty rare. But if you do all that, a poinsettia definitely can last for a long time."
The size, however, is not surprising, she said. In the wild, poinsettias can grow up to three metres tall, in the right conditions.
Jabbour commended Allison for his dedication.
"It's a touching story and it is surprising he's kept it this long but ... this plant is not just something that adds greenery to his home, it's something that keeps love alive, and so I understand why he wanted to try to keep this plant going and good on him for giving it the care it needs."
Allison said although the plant usually blooms each winter, it remains green this December. Jabbour said this could be because poinsettias need long periods of darkness to bloom, which could happen in January or February when nights are longer.
Instead of the brilliant red leaves, Allison has decorated the plant with colourful lights and ribbon.
"I don't have to worry about [a Christmas tree]," Allison said.
"One year, we put up a Christmas tree there and I put the poinsettia back there in the corner. Well, we had the tree up for a couple of weeks, and then after that it started to die. I guess it needed to be in the sun — in the window anyway."
Succession plan
Allison said he has considered getting rid of the plant over the years — by donating it to a museum, library or garden centre — but he can't bear to part with it.
"I said, 'No. If I give it away, every time I come downstairs, I'll look at it and go, where's the poinsettia?' So I said, I'll leave it there."
Allison said he has started giving pieces to friends and family, so the poinsettia is continuing to grow elsewhere.
A few years ago, he gave a small piece to his niece, which has since grown a few feet tall. He said the same thing happened when he gave a piece to a family friend.
"It's a legacy, alright, yeah," Allison said with a laugh.
Allison, now 81, said it's likely the plant will outlive him but it will stay with him until he's gone.
"Whatever my granddaughter does with it, that's up to her," he said.
And after 26 years, Allison said the plant still holds a special place in his heart.
"It means that my wife is still with me. That's all I can say. Every time I look at it, well, it reminds me of her."
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
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