Poinsettia length. The colored bracts—which are most often flaming red but can be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white, or marbled—are often mistaken for flower petals because of their groupings and colors, but are actually leaves. The colors of the bracts are created through photoperiodism, meaning that they require darkness (12 hours at a time for at least five days in a row) to change color. At the same time, the plants require abundant light during the day for the brightest color. The flowers of the poinsettia are unassuming and do not attract pollinators. They are grouped within small yellow structures
Heliotrope (color) a colour name in English was in 1926. Heliotrope (color) Heliotrope is a pink-purple tint that is a representation of the colour of the heliotrope flower. The first recorded use of heliotrope as a color name in English was in 1882. The color heliotrope gray is displayed at right. The first recorded use of "heliotrope gray" as a colour name in English was in 1912. The source of this colour is: "ISCC-NBS Dictionary of Colour Names" (1955)--Colour Sample of Heliotrope Gray (color sample #227) At right is displayed the colour old heliotrope. Another name for this colour is "old helio".