Guests to the Cantigny horticulture department annual Shades of Crimson Poinsettia Display and Sale will see 16 varieties of poinsettias in full bloom and about 3,000 plants in all.

The Cantigny horticulture department will host its annual Shades of Crimson Poinsettia Display and Sale on Thursday, Nov. 17. Hours are 12 to 6 p.m. for this popular holiday event at the park’s greenhouse. Admission is free.

Parking ($5) is in the main lot, outside the Cantigny Park Visitors Center, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. From there, visitors can walk to the greenhouse or ride a festive trolley.

Guests will see 16 varieties of poinsettias in full bloom and about 3,000 plants in all. Tours are self-guided, and photography is welcome.

Horticulture staff members will be on hand to discuss the plants and answer questions. Poinsettias in five sizes will be specially priced for sale.

Cantigny’s poinsettias arrive as three-inch-long cuttings, then are carefully nurtured and groomed for about five months. Water, fertilizer, light and temperature are each regulated to achieve the spectacular results that visitors will see at the greenhouse.

Half of the poinsettias go to the Wheaton A.M. Rotary Club which uses them to raise money for its community projects. Another 300 plants will add colorful holiday cheer to buildings throughout the 500-acre Cantigny estate.

After Shades of Crimson, sales to the public will continue at the Cantigny Shop in the Visitors Center and the Cantigny Golf Shop at regular prices. Unsold plants are donated to local nursing homes and care centers.

Also on Nov. 17, visitors are invited to shop for unique holiday gifts from local artists, crafters, and small businesses at Cantigny’s annual Mistletoe Market, in the Visitors Center from 11 am to 7 pm. More than 40 vendors are participating.

Cantigny Park is open daily in November and December from 9 am to sunset. More information is online at Cantigny.org, including a full calendar of seasonal events.