Christmas comes alive with poinsettias at NJ greenhouse

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. - In a sea of red, with patches of white and green, one Hunterdon County greenhouse is looking like Christmas.

At Hionis Greenhouse, more than a quarter of a million poinsettias await their home this holiday season.

"You know, without poinsettias, I don't think you can celebrate the right way," said Tim Hionis, vice president of Hionis Greenhouse. "We have whites, we have pinks, you have mixed colors in a pot like Marbles, and Monets … There's a glitter with red with some speckled whites and pinks in there. There's some really interesting colors of poinsettias."

With Christmas flowers in peak demand this week, operation poinsettia is in full bloom.

"We're in the heart of everything right now, getting ready to ship out for the holidays," said Hionis said.

But these poinsettias aren't just for New Jersey. Thousands of them are being packaged in holiday wrapping, ready to ship all across the country.

"That's our goal … by Dec. 25, there's not a poinsettia left in the house," said Hionis.

Hionis has been in the business his whole life, along with his three brothers and mother, Angeliki.