Poinsettia
Poinsettia is the common name for *Euphorbia pulcherrima*, a flowering plant in the spurge family.
Poinsettia is the common name for *Euphorbia pulcherrima*, a flowering plant in the spurge family. Native to Mexico and Central America, it is widely grown as a decorative potted plant, especially during the Christmas season. Its showy coloured parts are modified leaves called bracts, not the true flowers.
Taxonomy and naming
Poinsettia is the common name for *Euphorbia pulcherrima*, a species in the Euphorbiaceae family. Its English name comes from Joel Poinsett, the U.S. minister to Mexico who introduced the plant to the United States in the early 1800s.
Description
The plant is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub or small tree in its native habitat. The showy coloured portions are bracts, while the true flowers are small and clustered in the centre.
Distribution and habitat
Poinsettia is native to Mexico and Central America, where it grows in wooded ravines, rocky hillsides, and dry tropical forests. In natural conditions it can grow into a large shrub or small tree.
Cultivation and seasonal use
Poinsettias are widely sold as potted ornamental plants, particularly for winter and Christmas displays. They are valued because their flowering and bract colouration are triggered by short days and long nights. In Canada, poinsettias are a major holiday plant and are commonly sold in garden centres and supermarkets during the winter season.
Toxicity and safety
The plant’s white sap can cause irritation or dermatitis in some people, but reports indicate it is less toxic than commonly believed. Major authorities note that most exposures cause no effects or only mild symptoms.
Key facts
- The poinsettia is a commercially important ornamental plant, especially associated with Christmas.
- It is native to Mexico and Central America and is part of the spurge family.
- The bright red, pink, white, or other coloured parts are bracts; the true flowers are small structures in the centre.
- Poinsettias bloom in response to shorter days and longer nights, making them a short-day plant.
- The plant produces a milky latex sap that can irritate skin or mucous membranes, but it is generally considered not highly toxic to people.
Poinsettias are a major holiday plant in Canada as well as the United States, and they are commonly sold in Canadian garden centres and supermarkets during the winter season.[7]
Frequently asked questions
What is a poinsettia?
Where are poinsettias native to?
Are the red parts of a poinsettia flowers?
Are poinsettias poisonous?
Why do poinsettias bloom around Christmas?
References
- University of Florida IFAS Gardening Solutions — https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/five-facts-about-poinsettia/Supports: Toxicity, human exposure data, and general poinsettia facts
- NC State University Plant Toolbox — https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/euphorbia-pulcherrima/Supports: Scientific name, family, native range, growth habit, etymology
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/plant/poinsettiaSupports: Species identity, family, native range, ornamental use
- University of Florida IFAS Extension — https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP349Supports: Bracts, true flowers, introduction history, short-day flowering, sap irritation
- University of Minnesota Extension — https://extension.umn.edu/gardening-minnesota/poinsettiaSupports: Bracts, flowering response, care, and non-poisonous characterization
- University of Illinois Extension — https://extension.illinois.edu/houseplants/poinsettiaSupports: Popularity in the United States and Canada as a holiday potted plant
- Clemson University HGIC — https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/poinsettia/Supports: Commercial popularity and sales volume in the United States