Poinsettias ready for Christmas at Dublin nursery

STORY: Eight acres (3.2 hectares) of the seasonal blooms have been growing for six months at the Uniplumo nursery, Grimes added.

Often bought to decorate homes at Christmas, the nursery workers were potting the plants and packaging them ready for the short selling season on Wednesday.

"Typically we'd grow about 2 million plants a year, and we'd be emptied out in about two weeks. So the 15th of December, this place will be empty and we'll all go home and enjoy Christmas," explained Grimes.

The poinsettia has distinctive red leaves and is native to Mexico, where it is also displayed at Christmas.