There isn’t a flower that says Christmas more than the poinsettia. They come in a wide variety of colors and styles.
The poinsettia is native to Central America, and it flourished in an area of southern Mexico. The Aztecs used the plant for decorative purposes as well as for dyes, cosmetics and the white sap was used to treat fevers.
Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Ambassador to Mexico, was enchanted by the brilliant red blooms. He first brought them home to his plantation in South Carolina in 1825, where he began propagating them.
It is believed that its was named the poinsettia around 1836, recognizing the man who first brought the plant to the United States. Aside from bringing the poinsettia to the United States, Poinsett founded the institution which we know today as the Smithsonian.