Which plant is commonly called the poinsettia and is associated with Christmas?

Euphorbia pulcherrima is the plant commonly called the poinsettia.

The poinsettia is a shrub native to Mexico and Central America. Its most famous display consists of bright red bracts, which are modified leaves, surrounding the plant's small yellow flowers. Cultivars also have white, pink, cream, and marbled bracts.

The plant became linked with Christmas in the United States after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. minister to Mexico, sent cuttings to South Carolina in the 1820s. Commercial growers later developed compact varieties that became popular seasonal houseplants.

Poinsettias are often mistakenly described as highly poisonous. They can cause mild irritation or stomach upset if eaten, but serious poisoning is uncommon. Their colourful bracts are not petals, and the true flowers are the small structures in the centre.