The Poinsettia Project
Robert “Mateo” Rubio
Following a decade-long hiatus, we were ecstatic to again see The Poinsettia Project come to life in Leimert Park. In December 2022, several hundred bright red poinsettias were lovingly planted, watered and maintained during the Holiday season and through January, courtesy of Leimert Park Garden Tour Association member, Robert Mateo Rubio (who goes by Mateo). As Mateo began planting the poinsettias, many passing-by neighbors stopped to contribute both their labor and money, which ultimately enabled him to plant even more than planned. Residents and visitors to Leimert Park were treated to sight of the festive red poinsettias planted throughout the neighborhood, including the medians along Stocker, Degnan and Leimert Boulevards and in front of the Crenshaw U.S. Post Office.
Mateo was inspired to resurrect The Poinsettia Project as a tribute to his father, Hector Rubio, a life-long 90-year old Los Angeles resident who passed away from COVID in 2022. Hector, a graduate of Loyola High School, Loyola University and a Fullbright Scholar, served as a beloved role model for Mateo and his eight siblings. As commemorated by a special sign adjacent to each planted area, the 2022 Poinsettia Project also served as a memorial to the 500+ residents of Leimert Park and the adjacent Crenshaw-area neighborhoods who lost their lives during the pandemic. In total, over 500 poinsettias were planted, one for each life lost.
The Rubio family has a long history in Los Angeles dating back to 1923 when Mateo’s great grandparents, Federico and Cruz Rubio, and eleven of their children first arrived from Chihuahua, Mexico and settled in the West Adams neighborhood. The Rubio family embraced everything Los Angeles offered and was grateful for the success they were able to achieve through hard work and education. Mateo is a twenty-five year Leimert Park resident and the owner of a delightful vintage store, Casa Victoria LA, which he opened in 1999 in Silverlake and now located in the Angelino Heights neighborhood near DTLA.. www.casavictoriala.com.
Mateo’s Father, Hector Rubio
The Rubio Family, 1923
In addition to running a thriving business and his myriad volunteer activities, Mateo is passionate about giving back and beautifying his Leimert Park neighborhood. He is currently forming “The Leimert Park Green Team,” comprising an informal group of volunteers to help maintain the medians, pulling up weeds and caring for some newly planted succulents he recently added in place of the poinsettias. Honk, wave, or put on your gardening gloves and lend a hand if you see them out there. Mateo’s enthusiasm and love for the neighborhood is both an inspiration and a reminder of just how much joy a few - or a few hundred - plants can bring.
The Origins of Poinsettias
Now you may be wondering just how poinsettias came to represent the holidays. It’s actually quite fascinating, and while the custom originally began in Mexico, commercial cultivation of the poinsettia started in San Diego, California in the 1920s. Paul Ecke started with a native plant from Mexico. That original plant eventually became 180 new varieties. Ecke discovered a grafting technique that caused the seedlings to branch, instead of having long stems. To read more about the origin, the many legends and long history of poinsettias, click here .
