NATIONAL POINSETTA DAY, DECEMBER 12TH

Poinsettias are very popular Christmas decorations across North America. The plants are used to decorate homes, churches, businesses and can be found adorning the studio sets of most game and talk shows during the season.

The "poinsettia" is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the United States in 1828.  The son of a French physician, Poinsett was appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico by President Madison. Poinsett had attended medical school himself, but his real love in the scientific field was botany. (Mr. Poinsett later founded the institution which we know today as the Smithsonian Institution).  By an Act of Congress, December 12 was set aside as National Poinsettia Day. The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett.

The plant's association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a young girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias.  Beginning in the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations.  The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus.

Technically known as Euphorbia pucherrima, the poinsettia is a species of flowering plant indigenous to Mexico and Central America, also cultivated in Egypt and Sydney, Australia and is found in the wild, in deciduous tropical forest at moderate elevations from southern Sinaloa, down the entire Pacific coast of Mexico to Guatemala.  Considered a shrub or small tree ranging in height from 2 to 16ft, bearing dark green leaves that can measure 3 to 6 inches in length.   The colored bracts (which are also considered leaves) are most often flaming red, but can be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white or marbled.  The actual flowers of the plant are grouped within the small yellow structures found in the center of each leaf bunch, and they are called cyathia.  In order for the leaves to change color, they require darkness for 12 hours at a time during the night, and lots of light during the day to achieve the brightest colors.  There are over 100 cultivated varieties of poinsettia available.

In the United States and perhaps elsewhere, there is a common misconception that the poinsettia is highly toxic. This is not true; it is mildly irritating to the skin or stomach and may sometimes cause diarrhea and vomiting if eaten.  Sap introduced into the human eye may cause temporary blindness. An American Journal of Emergency Medicine survey of 22,793 cases reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers showed no fatalities, and furthermore that a strong majority of poinsettia exposures are accidental, involve children, and usually do not result in any type of medical treatment.