Poinsettia Flower

Nothing rings the the bell for the holidays like a display of poinsettia flowers. The Poinsettia also known as the (Euphorbia Pulcherrima), is a member of the family Euphoriaceae. The genus Euphorbia contains around 700 to 1,000 different species. The are characterized by there big red leafy flowers (sometime yellow or pink) and there green foliage.

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:  Mangnoliophyta

Class:      Magnoliopsida

Order:      Malpighiales

Family:    Euphorbiaceae

Genus:    Euphorbia

Species: E. Pulcherrima

The poinsettia is a native plant of Mexico and it originated in a rather limited region near present day Taxco, Mexico. The Aztecs of Central Mexico cultivated the plant, and called it Cuetlaxochitl, long before the arrival of the Europeans. The brilliant color of the Poinsettia made it a symbol of purity to the Indians, and it was highly praised by King Netzahualcoyotl and Montezuma. Because of the high altitude climate, the plant could not be grown in their capitol which is now known as Mexico City. The Indians also used poinsettia to make a reddish purple dye, and as a medicine for fever from the plants latex.

The plant was introduced into the United States in1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, who was the first United States ambassador to Mexico. The name was changed from its original Indian name Cuetlaxochitl to Poinsettia, named after Joel Robert Poinsett who first introduced the flower to the United States.

Poinsettia is a subtropical plant, and it will likely die if the night time temperature 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of this it is not a suitable plant for planting in the ground in cooler climates. When day time temperatures reach over 70 degrees Fahrenheit the life span of the poinsettia tends to be shortened. Poinsettias are widely grown and very popular in subtropical climates such as Sydney, Australia. In areas outside of natural environments it is commonly grown as an indoor plant. It prefers good mourning sun and then shade in the hotter parts of the day.