The Poinsettia- Nature Study

The poinsettia is native to Mexico and is named after the first U.S. foreign minister to Mexico, Joel Poinsetts, who introduced it here in 1825. In Mexico, it is called the Noche Buena. The poinsettia has dark green leaves and also colored leaves called bracts. People usually think that these are the petals of the flower (I know that I did) but they are actually just colored leaves, while the flowers are the small yellow buds in the center of the plant called cyathia. The Aztecs used the plant for red dye. The association of the plant with Christmas began with a legend dating back to Mexico in the 1500's. You can read about it in The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie de Paola.