Poinsettia plants
© Elizabeth Fernandez/Getty Image
Holiday hues. Poinsettia plant
It’s been almost 200 years since poinsettias were first brought to the US from their native Mexico, where the Aztecs used the leaves to make dye and the sap to treat fevers. American botanist and government representative Joel Roberts Poinsett introduced the scarlet foliage to the U.S. in 1828. Flash forward to the 1960s, when a breeding program resulted in hardier, fuller plants and many variations. The booming poinsettia wholesale trade in the US brings in a whopping $250 million a year. The House designated December 12 as Poinsettia Day in 2002. Poinsettias are the top-selling potted plant in the US and Canada, brightening holiday tables every December.
Related Images
Aspens near Marble, Colorado, USA
Cottonwoods through an arch in Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon Recreation Area, Utah, USA
African elephants in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya
Giant sequoias, Sequoia National Park, California, USA
Waterfall in Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
Anna's hummingbird, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Ancient beech tree, Glenariff Forest Park, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Rhino mother and calf, Kaziranga National Park, Assam
Today on Bing
Red poinsettias
Dec 12, 2023
Wicker fields in Cañamares, Spain
Dec 12, 2021
Poinsettia leaf close-up
Dec 12, 2020
Icelandic sheep for the first night of the Yule Lads
Dec 12, 2019
Poinsettia flower buds
Dec 12, 2018