What flower is known as the 'Christmas flower'?

The flower known as the “Christmas flower” is the poinsettia, scientifically called Euphorbia pulcherrima. Its vivid red-and-green appearance and winter display season made it a popular Christmas symbol.

Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America. In Mexico, the plant is commonly called flor de nochebuena, meaning “Christmas Eve flower.” Franciscan friars in Mexico incorporated it into Christmas celebrations, and its star-like form became associated with the Star of Bethlehem.

The colorful parts are not petals. They are modified leaves called bracts, which turn red, pink, white, cream, or other shades when the plant receives long, uninterrupted periods of darkness. The actual flowers are the small yellow structures, called cyathia, at the center of each bract cluster.

The English name honors Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States minister to Mexico, who sent cuttings to American greenhouses in the 1820s. Poinsettias are often mistakenly considered highly poisonous, but serious poisoning is rare; their sap can irritate the skin or stomach.