The plant we know as the poinsettia has a long and interesting history.

The fact is that the lovely plant many of us place in our homes during the holidays flourished in an area of Central America and was used as a fever medicine by the ancient Aztecs. From its bracts they extracted a purplish dye for use in textiles and cosmetics.

The poinsettia may have remained merely a regional plant had it not been for the efforts of Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851). The son of a French physician, Mr. Poinsett was appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico (1825-1829) by then President Madison.

While visiting the Taxco area in 1828, he became enchanted by the brilliant red blooms he saw there. He immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina, where he later began propagating them and sending them to friends and botanical gardens.

While the widespread belief that poinsettias are poisonous is false, they are not intended for human or animal consumption. Certain individuals may even experience an allergic reaction to them.

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a species of shrub in the spurge family.

The red bracts are often mistaken for flower petals, but they are actually modified leaves that help attract pollinators to the much smaller, less colorful flowers, the small yellow centers (Cyathia) which appear at the tip of the stem surrounded by the bracts.

Although the traditional/original color was red, nowadays, bracts can be found in almost any color, from blues and deep purples to yellows, oranges, and autumn colors. Reds, pinks and whites seem to be the most popular, with reds making up about 80% of all the poinsettias grown.

In 1992 the poinsettia was included on the list of houseplants most helpful in removing pollutants from indoor air. So, not only is it a safe and beautiful addition to your holiday decor, but it can also even help keep your indoor air clean.

We are told that poinsettias will last for months in our homes so we can enjoy them through the winter months.

To keep the plants happy, water once a week and keep them away from drafty doorways. But some people just prefer to say goodbye to them after the holidays.

Joel Roberts Poinsett died on December 12, 1851, and an Act of Congress has declared the day as “National Poinsettia Day.”