The History of the Poinsettia

Nothing says merry Christmas — or should we say feliz Navidad — like the vibrant red poinsettia. Though this plant has been adopted as a popular holiday decoration across the United States and Europe, it’s actually native to Mexico and Central America. Learn more about the history of poinsettias, how they were introduced to the world and the many poinsettia varieties in this quick guide.

Origins of the Poinsettia

Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America and feature colored bracts — a type of leaf — that resemble flower petals. These fiery “flowers” have been given a variety of names by local peoples across Latin America. For instance, the plant is called Cuetlaxóchitl in the Nahuatl language of Central Mexico. This name translates to “mortal flower that perishes and withers like all that is pure” in Nahuatl. According to some legends, the Aztecs harvested poinsettias, using them in war rituals as well as to produce dyes for textiles and cosmetics and to make medicine such as fever reducers.

After the Spanish conquest, Franciscan friars also utilized the plant to decorate altars and nativity scenes. They nicknamed it “flor de Nochebuena” (Holy night flower) since it blooms around Christmastime.

Other names for the poinsettia across Latin America include “pastora” (shepherdess) and “flor de Pascuas” (Easter flower).

See more: 8 Holiday Plants You Can Grow That Aren’t Poinsettias

Poinsettia History

America’s poinsettia history goes back to an amateur botanist and statesman named Joel Roberts Poinsett. Following Mexico’s independence, Poinsett served as the first U.S. minister to the country after being appointed by President John Quincy Adams in 1825. In 1828, during his tenure in the country, he stumbled across this chile-red plant in Taxco, Guerrero. He sent clippings back to his home in South Carolina and to a botanist in Philadelphia, who gave the flower its English name in honor of Poinsett.

Though he was cast out of Mexico within a year, Poinsett soon gained international fame for his “discovery” of this fiery flower. The Vatican soon began using it for Christmas decorations, and other Catholic churches followed suit.

The poinsettia was first offered commercially in the U.S. in 1836. It became so trendy that Sarah Childress Polk, wife of newly elected president James K. Polk, wore a dress with embroidered poinsettias to the inaugural ball in 1845. By the early 20th century, mass cultivation of poinsettias in the U.S. had reached an industrial scale thanks to Albert Ecke, a German immigrant who began growing them. His son inherited the business in 1919 — the family soon held nearly 100 patents for poinsettia modifications. 

Commercial Poinsettias Today

The poinsettias we see today are a result of years of breeding and engineering — modern day commercial varieties are much different than the tall, leggy red plant that grows wild in Latin America. Hybridizing has also resulted in new colors such as cream, yellow, pink, peach, salmon and marbled. However, red poinsettias still account for 70% of sales.

In the 1960s, USDA Agricultural Research Service horticulturalist H. Marc Cathey discovered chemical treatments that growers could use to help keep their poinsettias more compact. He also found a way to keep the plants from flowering until growers were ready to ship them for the holidays by exposing them to specific intervals of light. Other advances by USDA scientists have included discoveries that have helped growers produce virus-free plants and the development of poinsettia breeding lines that are able to grow in non-greenhouse conditions while staying naturally compact.

In Mexico, poinsettia agriculture and export is an important economic activity. For instance, in 2021, poinsettia production in the country totaled more than 17.3 million plants. The state of Morelos leads in production, followed by Mexico City, Puebla, Jalisco, Mexico State, Michoacán and Oaxaca. These poinsettias are exported to countries like the United States, Spain, Japan, The Netherlands, Germany, France and Canada.

Due to sanitation laws in the U.S., there are restrictions on poinsettias being imported from certain regions of Mexico. This means that the majority of the nation’s poinsettias are grown domestically. In fact, poinsettias are now America’s No. 1 potted plant, with more than 80 million sold for more than $250 million each year.

It should also be noted that the widespread adoption of poinsettias in American culture without acknowledgment of their Latin American roots has led some scholars to call out the erasure of Mexicans and Indigenous peoples from America’s poinsettia history.

See more: How to Care for Poinsettias and Keep Them Fresh Through the Holidays

Poinsettia Varieties 

There are more than 100 varieties of poinsettias to choose from, with varying sizes, colors and patterns to boot. Here are a few to check out this winter:

Ice punch

This poinsettia variety sports classically crimson bracts with dark green leaves that are heavily pointed. These rosy red bracts feature a streak of frosty white color along their center.

Sonora white glitter

This poinsettia is looking to get the party started with confetti-like white speckles across its red bracts.

Mars pink

If you’re looking for something that’s pretty in pink, this is the variety for you. Its spade-shaped bracts vary in hue from plant to plant, from dark reddish pink to pastel pink.

Biancaneve white

This variety’s beautiful white bracts — reminiscent of Santa’s beard — are the perfect companion to complement the deep red hues of more classically colored red poinsettias.

Christmas season pink

Here’s another fun variety that features light pink bracts with neon green edges and veins.

Prestige red

If you’re looking to keep it simple, opt for this classic combination of bright red bracts and dark green foliage.

Lemon glow

Who says lemons are only for summer? Brighten your holiday scene up this season with this bright yellow poinsettia variety.

Christmas beauty

This poinsettia’s petals feature a splash of salmon-pink at their center with a creamy yellow edge.

Plum pudding

This deliciously named poinsettia’s bracts come in an eye-catching shade of plum. This unusual choice is sure to stand out among your other decorations this holiday season.