POINSETTIA THE FLOWER OF THE HOLY NIGHT
The Poinsettia is named after the USA's first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett, who served from 1825-1829.
He saw and was greatly taken with the colorful indigenous plant which was the Mexican Christmas flower.
The Aztecs called Poinsettias "Cuetlaxochitle." And between the 14th and 16th centuries the sap was used to control fevers and the red leaves were used to make dye.
Montezuma, the last of the Aztec kings was particularly fond of Poinsettias and had them brought especially to what is now Mexico City because the shrub could not be grown at high altitude.
Poinsett took some specimen plants with him on one of his trips back to America in 1828 and they flourished.
Despite an outstanding career as a United States Congressman and an ambassador he will always be remembered for introducing the Poinsettia into the United States.
the Mexicans believed the plants were symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem because of the star shapes created by the bright red leaves Thus the Poinsettia became associated with the Christmas season.
The Mexicans call the poinsettia "Flower of the Holy Night".
POISONOUS POINSETTIAS
Since the early part of the 20th century a rumor has persisted that Poinsettias are poisonous.
For over eighty years this rumor has continued to circulate because of an alleged incident in 1919 when the two year old child of an Army office allegedly died after eating a Poinsettia leaf.
It was never proved by medicine or science and no other incidents have been reported but the rumor persists.
Even if they are not poisonous don't eat them anyway not at Christmas on any other time.
THE PEASANT GIRL AND THE POINSETTIA ANGEL
A Mexican legend tells of the reason for the Poinsettia becoming the Christmas flower.
There was a poor peasant girl really wanted to take a gift to honor the Virgin Mary at the Christmas Eve service but she had nothing to give.
Although she was very upset and disappointed she knew she still had to go to the service and she decided that she would have to go with nothing.
On the way to the church she was met by an angel, who asked her why she was sad.
The peasant girl told the angel it was because she had no gift for the virgin.
The angel told the girl to pick some weeds.
The girl was a little unconvinced that weeds would be suitable but she did it anyway.
She turned back towards the angle to show her the bunch of weeds she had picked as saw that they had been transformed into the bright scarlet 'flowers'.
Ever since that miracle poinsettias have graced churches and homes during the Christmas festival.
