Poinsettias from the Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, California

The poinsettia (/p??n's?ti?/ or /p??n's?t?/) (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a commercially important place types of the diverse spurge family. The varieties is indigenous to Mexico. It really is particularly popular because of its renewable and red foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral shows. It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett,[3] the first United States Minister to Mexico,[4] who introduced the plant to the US in 1825.

Euphorbia pulcherrima is a shrub or small tree, achieving a height of 0 typically.6-4 metres (2 ft 0 in-13 ft 1 in). The flower bears dark green dentate leaves that measure 7-16 centimetres (2.8-6.3 in) in length. The shaded bracts--which are most flaming red but can be orange often, pale green, cream, pink, white, or marbled--are often mistaken for blossom petals because of their groupings and colors, but are actually leaves.[citation needed] The colors of the bracts are manufactured through photoperiodism, and therefore they require darkness (12 hours at the same time for at least five days in a row) to improve color. At the same time, the crops require numerous light during the day for the brightest color. The flowers of the poinsettia are unassuming and don't attract pollinators. These are grouped within small yellowish structures within the center of each leaf bunch, and are called cyathia. The poinsettia is indigenous to Mexico. It is found in the untamed in deciduous exotic forests at modest elevations from southern Sinaloa down the complete Pacific coast of Mexico to Chiapas and Guatemala. Additionally it is found in the interior in the hot, dried out forests of Guerrero seasonally, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Accounts of E. pulcherrima growing in the wild in Nicaragua and Costa Rica have yet to be established by botanists. You can find over 100 cultivated varieties of poinsettia.

The plant was utilized by the Aztecs to produce red dye and as an antipyretic medication. In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, the plant is named Cuitlaxochitl, meaning "flower that grows in residues or soil" Today it is known in Mexico and Guatemala as Flor de Noche Buena, meaning Christmas Eve Flower. In Spain it is recognized as Flor de Pascua or Pascua, indicating Easter flower. In Chile and Peru, the seed became known as Crown of the Andes. In Turkey, it is called Atat?rk's bloom because Atat?rk, the founder of the Republic, liked this flower and made a substantial contribution to its cultivation in Turkey.[citation needed] In Hungarian, it is called Santa Claus' Flower, and it's widely used as a Xmas decoration.

The plant's connection with Christmas started out in 16th-century Mexico, where star tells of a woman, commonly called Pepita or Maria, who was too poor to provide a gift idea for the special event of Jesus' birthday and was inspired by an angel to assemble weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the chapel altar. Crimson blossoms sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plant life in their Xmas activities. The star-shaped leaf structure is said to symbolize the Celebrity of Bethlehem, and the red colorization represents the blood vessels sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus. Poinsettias are popular Christmas decorations in homes, churches, offices, and across THE UNITED STATES elsewhere. They can be purchased in good sized quantities from grocery, drug, and hardware stores. In america, 12 is Country wide Poinsettia Day dec.

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Joy pink poinsettia, at the Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch in Encinitas

of modern poinsettia cultivars click image for larger view