If you stumbled upon such a plant in a green field, you might think you had discovered something of interest to modern science. But if you saw a field of these in a grocery store, you might do what I tend to do. I touch the petals to see if they seem real, or if they have the consistency of silk. I always suspect that people pull them out of boxes year after year for the big event. These, it turns out, are real. The vast majority, I suspect, after touching many of them through the years are real. The white spots are not flecks of dust on the lens or on the petal, but flaws in coloration. Some have more than others. I like the festive color, but the truth is that I detest the plant itself. I would much rather have spider mums in a tall vase, as I now have, than anything that looks like a Poinsettia. They feel like a genetic experiment perpetrated by retail monsters seeking to trigger purchase patterns deeply imbedded in the subconscious. They say to me, “Buy… buy… buy….” So look carefully at this picture and ask yourself: Isn't there something else I could buy? It's Saturday. Time is running out.