The Poinsettia is one of those plants that have become a staple during the holiday season, but many are unaware of how it found its place in Christmas tradition.  Unlike other Christmas elements, the Poinsettia comes to us by way of the New World—Mexico to be specific.  The Aztecs, who recognized its beauty and usefulness called the plant “cuetlaxochitl,” commonly translated from the Nahuatl as “star flower.”  Not only did they use it for adornment and decoration, but its color was extracted for dye and its milky-like sap (latex) was used to treat fevers.  It is in Mexico where the beginnings of our tradition started.

Joel Robert Poinsett, from whom we get the name Poinsettia, was the first US minister to Mexico, 1825 to 1830.  It was during the Christmas of 1828 in Taxco de Alarcón that Poinsett came in contact with the plant given the scientific name, “the most beautiful Euphobia.”  As an amateur botanist he sent a few plants home to his plantation in South Carolina where they flourished and by 1836 the plant was known as the Poinsettia. Later, in the 1900s, the Ecke family of California, due to their trade secrets, had a monopoly on Poinsettia production that still continues today, with the control of 70% of the domestic market.

In Mexico, the Poinsettia or Flores de Noche Buena as it is known has its own folklore associated with Christmas.  There is a tale of a young girl, sometimes named Pepita, sometimes nameless that wanted to provide a gift to Jesus on Christmas Eve.  She was poor and saddened by her inability to provide a gift, when along the way to the chapel her cousin (or an angel by some accounts) suggested a humble gift.  On the side of the road, she knelt down and gathered what looked like weeds.  Upon presenting them to the Nativity, these weeds bloomed into a brilliant red plant. Those who saw this were sure that a Christmas miracle had occurred and the plant became a part of the holiday celebrations.

The Poinsettia is a perennial shrub that if left to grow can reach heights of 10 feet or more.  They can be grown indoors and if the climate is right, outdoors.  Though red is the most common (and preferred color), new colors are gaining popularity.  The red parts of the plant, which most people take to be petals are actually modified leaves called bracts.  The flowers are actually the small yellow parts found in the center of the plant.  Regarding the warnings about Poinsettia’s toxicity, while the plant is not something people or animals should eat (it can cause diarrhea and vomiting), it’s not as dire as some make it out to be.  According to the POISINDEX, the plant was found to be non-toxic and a child of 50 lbs would have to ingest over 500 leaves to reach toxic levels.  While it’s not a good idea to let children or pets eat the plant (or any house plant),  it’s not the deadly killer some have made it out to be.  The idea of its toxicity came from the 1919 death of a child, who was thought to have eaten a Poinsettia bract, yet there was never any medical basis proving the Poinsettia did in fact kill the child.  The one exception is found in people who have latex allergies.  They should be careful when touching the Poinsettia as the milky sap contains a compound similar to rubber latex.  It has been found that 40% of people with latex allergies react to the plant.  Those that show no sign of latex allergy as well as pets should have no problem with the plant.

Though the Poinsettia’s history is linked to Christianity, they can make a wonderful edition to any home, giving color and life throughout the wintertime.  In America, we have a special day set aside for the poinsettia called National Poinsettia Day.  It falls on December 12^th, marking the death of Mr. Poinsett (died 1851) who was fundamental in introducing the plant and tradition into our homes. And since the Poinsettia is mostly remembered during the holiday season, hopefully this article has shed some light on its interesting history.

Various sources:
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20031124/latex-allergy-beware-poinsettias
http://www.ellisonsgreenhouses.com/poinsettia_toxicity_myth.asp
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/poinsettia.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poinsettia

http://www.ecke.com/HTML/h_corp/corp_legend.html

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Agaliha is 24 years old and has a wide array of interests. She lives in Washington state with her family and pets. She spends a lot of her time reading, researching and when inspired, being creative.

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