Red poinsettias

© Yarygin/Getty Image

Poinsettias

During the holiday season, poinsettias are often seen adorning homes and festive displays, serving as symbols of goodwill and community spirit. Poinsettias can be found in nature from Mexico to Guatemala, and the ancestors of the modern, commercially available version have been traced to the Mexican state of Guerrero. The crimson-leaved plant was used by the Aztecs as a red dye and as a fever-reducing medicine. It is also referred to as 'Flor de la Noche Buena' or the 'Flower of the Holy Night' due to its resemblance to the Star of Bethlehem.