There are only 3 days until Christmas! Our plant of the week is the Poinsettia, a very special Christmas flower.
Did you know that Poinsettias are native to Mexico? The Aztecs used them to make red dye, and they turned to Poinsettia sap to control fevers. They were brought to the US by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the Ambassador to Mexico. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure recognizing National Poinsettia Day as December 12, the day of Poinsett’s death.
It’s popular belief that Poinsettias are dangerous to people and pets. However, only some humans and pets are sensitive to the plant’s milky white sap, which contains latex. It can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, mucus membranes or digestive system (if many leaves are consumed). Another fun fact is that in their native tropical environment in Mexico/ Central America, Poinsettias can grow as high as 10 to 15 feet tall! Lastly, while traditional Poinsettia leaves are red, they also come in shades of white, cream, pink, purple, orange and yellow. There are also marble and bicolor varieties!
Let us know if you have any questions!