Poinsettias, also known as the Christmas Star and Christmas Flower, it’s said that poinsettias’ association with Christmas comes from a Mexican legend. The story goes that a child, with no means for a grander gift, gathered humble weeds from the side of the road to place at the church alter on Christmas Eve. As the congregation witnessed a Christmas miracle, the weeds turned into brilliant red and green flowers.
Named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, first United States ambassador to Mexico and the amateur botanist who introduced the plant to the U.S. in 1825, the poinsettia is also known as Mexican Flame Leaf, Winter Rose, Noche Buena and, in Turkey, Atakurk’s Flower, because it was the favorite flower of Atakurk, the founder of modern Turkey.
While considered by the ancient Aztecs to be symbols of purity, in today’s language of flowers, red, white or pink poinsettias, the December birth flower, symbolize good cheer and success and are said to bring wishes of mirth and celebration.
Poinsettia Care
Poinsettias often have a reputation for being a little tricky to care for, but they really only have a few basic needs. These simple tips will help keep your Poinsettia looking lovely for months to come!
1) Limit exposure to the cold when transporting your plant in your car.
2) Inside your home, put the plant in a warm location with bright, indirect light. Avoid placing it near heating vents or cold drafts.
3) Water when the top layer of soil feels dry. Remove foil sleeves when watering to allow full drainage, do not let your Poinsettia plant sit in saucers of water.
Are Poinsettias Poisonous?
Over the years, somewhere along the way, Poinsettias got a bad name. Toxic. Poisonous. Even deadly. ☠️ The good news for you and for them is that isn’t true! Research now shows that ingesting a few leaves likely will not kill you. The POISINDEX (Poison Control Index) estimates that a 50 pound person would have to eat approximately 500 Poinsettia leaves for the plant to be toxic. The same is true for pets—you should always watch your pets around plants and monitor them if they eat even non-toxic varieties, but again depending on their size they would have to eat a lot of Poinsettia before you would need to really worry.
