The poinsettia is one of the most recognizable plants associated with the American winter season. Its striking appearance, featuring large, brightly colored leafy structures, has made it a seasonal staple in homes and businesses. The plant’s true flowers are the tiny, yellowish buds nestled in the center of the foliage, which are botanically known as bracts. This ornamental species, Euphorbia pulcherrima, is now an international symbol of celebration, with millions of plants sold in the United States during the holiday period. Its introduction to the U.S. is tied directly to an early American statesman and his passion for botany.
The Diplomat Who Introduced the Poinsettia
The poinsettia was brought to America in 1828 by Joel Roberts Poinsett. Poinsett, a South Carolina native, was an accomplished amateur botanist who served as the first U.S. Minister to Mexico from 1825 to 1829. While traveling through the country, he spent time observing the local flora.
He discovered the plant growing wild as a tall, rangy shrub along the hillsides near Taxco de Alarcón in Southern Mexico. Impressed by its fiery red color and natural winter blooming, he sent cuttings back to his greenhouses in Charleston, South Carolina. The samples were successfully propagated and shared among horticultural enthusiasts.
In 1829, the plant was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Philadelphia Flower Show, marking its first public display in the U.S. It quickly gained popularity and was initially known as the “Mexican fire plant.” A European botanist later formally named it Poinsettia in Joel Roberts Poinsett’s honor, linking the plant to the diplomat who first recognized its potential.
From Mexican Flora to Holiday Icon
Before its arrival in the U.S., the plant held significance in its native land. The Aztecs cultivated the plant, calling it cuetlaxōchitl, which means “mortal flower that perishes and withers.” They utilized the plant for practical purposes, extracting a purplish-red dye from the bracts for textiles and cosmetics. The Aztecs also used its milky white sap in traditional medicine to treat fevers.
The plant’s association with Christmas began in 17th-century Mexico, when Franciscan friars incorporated the shrub into their Christian celebrations. Since it naturally bloomed around the winter solstice, it was renamed Flor de Noche Buena, or “Christmas Eve Flower.” Its star-shaped pattern was said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, linking its vibrant color to the religious narrative.
A popular Mexican legend tells the story of a poor girl named Pepita who had no gift for the Christ child at Christmas Eve services. An angel instructed her to gather humble weeds from the roadside and place them at the church altar. These weeds miraculously burst into the brilliant red blooms of the Flor de Noche Buena, cementing the plant as a symbol of simple, heartfelt gifts.
Modern Cultivation and Commercialization
The poinsettia’s transformation from a wild shrub to the compact, potted plant is largely attributed to the Ecke family, who established a commercial operation in California in the early 20th century. The wild species grows tall with an open, unkempt appearance, unsuitable for mass market potted sales. The family pioneered horticultural techniques that created the multi-branched, dense, and uniform shape consumers expect today.
Paul Ecke Sr. developed a method of grafting two different poinsettia varieties together to create the desirable bushy appearance. This innovative method ensured that every seedling would branch profusely, resulting in a fuller plant ideal for shipping and display. They also employed sophisticated marketing strategies, including sending free plants to television stations to ensure the poinsettia was a fixture in holiday broadcasts.
This combination of specialized cultivation techniques and aggressive marketing established the poinsettia as a worldwide holiday phenomenon. Although the family’s virtual monopoly ended when their grafting secret was published in the late 1980s, their legacy created the modern market. Today, the poinsettia is the most popular holiday crop globally, with numerous varieties available beyond the original striking red.