Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly known as poinsettia, is a species of flowering plant indigenous to Mexico. The poinsettia, also known as the Mexican flame leaf or Christmas
star (Euphorbia pulcherrima), is a plant known for its striking red
displays at Christmas time. It is often used as a floral Christmas
decoration because of its festive colours.

The Legend of the Poinsettia
Joel Roberts Poinsett was the
first US Ambassador to Mexico appointed by President Andrew Jackson in
the 1820's. During his stay in Mexico, he wandered into the countryside
looking for a new plant species.
In 1828, he discovered a
beautiful shrub with large red flowers growing next to a road. He took
cuttings and brought them to his greenhouse in South Carolina. You can
guess that it was Joel Roberts Poinsett who brought the poinsettia to
North America, creating a billion dollar industry. Later, the botanical
name, Euphorbia Pulcherrima, was given to the Poinsettia by the German
botanist,
Wilenow.
The plant grew through a crack in
his greenhouse. Dazzled by it's color, he gave it the botanical name,
Euphorbia Pulcherrima meaning "very beautiful." And it is in late
October when the greenhouse Poinsettia changes the color of it's top
leaves while the sunshine diminishes to 8 hour days.
The legend story of the poinsettia is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican
girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve
Services. Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin, Pedro,
her heart filled with sadness rather than joy.
"I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love,
will be acceptable in His eyes," said Pedro consolingly. Not knowing
what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of
common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the
scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than
ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she
entered the small village chapel. As she approached the alter, she
remembered Pedro's kind words: "Even the most humble gift, if given in
love, will be acceptable in His eyes." She felt her spirit lift as she
knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly,
the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who
saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle. From
that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche
Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during
the Christmas season. Today, the common name for this plant is the
Poinsettia!
Pepita, our poor Mexican friend,
felt very humble as she gave her scraggly bouquet of weeds to the
Christ Child. Yet, she gave it in love. That very beautiful gift,
Euphorbia
Pulcherrima, became a Poinsettia.
In the same way, the gift of our lives to the Christ Child this
Christmas can become a meaningful and beautiful display of flowers; God
uses our new lives in Him as we begin to serve our Savior and Lord.
Just as a flower can grow through some crack in a greenhouse, we can be
transformed into an amazing color of light in the darkness if we accept
Him

 (Romans 12:2).

The "flowers" are
actually large bunches of coloured leaves (modified bracts); the
flowers themselves are in the center of each leaf bunch, but rather
small and inconspicuous. Cultivars have been produced with orange, pale
green, cream and marbled leaves. It is essential that the plant
receives no light at night between approximately October and Christmas.
The slightest exposure to light during this critical period will often
prevent "flowering".

 
Poinsettia. Poinsettia Facts

History & Legends

https://urbanext.illinois.edu/poinsettia/history.cfm