Image Credit: The Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.

By Heather Bolen

No Christmas holiday scene in the U.S. would be complete without the poinsettia, available in vibrant red, pink, white, and marbled hues. It is the best-selling potted plant in the country, generating $250 million annually, with most sales occurring in the six weeks leading up to Christmas. However, its journey to becoming a seasonal icon is as layered as its brilliant bracts.

Ancient Roots: The Poinsettia in Mesoamerican Cultures

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) boasts a rich history that predates its association with the holiday season. Native to Mexico and Central America, Indigenous peoples highly valued it across Mesoamerica for its practical and symbolic significance. The Aztec emperor Montezuma prized them so much that he had them shipped to Mexico City. The Aztecs called them cuetlaxochitl (brilliant flower), while the Maya called them k’alul wits (ember flower).

The poinsettia’s vibrant red bracts were seen as symbols of purity and were used to create natural dyes. Its sap had medicinal applications, such as treating fevers, aiding nursing mothers in milk production, and even serving as a natural hair removal remedy. Today, descendants of the Maya in Mexico continue to use the plant’s leaves to prepare remedies for obstetrical or gynecological bleeding, preserving a tradition that dates back centuries.

Spanish Missionaries: Integrating Flor de Nochebuena into Christmas Tradition

When Spanish missionaries arrived in Mexico in the 16th century, they observed the bright red poinsettia blooming around Christmas, a plant that captured their attention for its natural beauty and seasonal timing. Recognizing its vibrant red color and star-like shape, they incorporated the poinsettia into their nativity scenes and Christmas celebrations. For the missionaries, the poinsettia symbolized the Star of Bethlehem, guiding the Wise Men to the manger, and the red bracts represented Christ’s sacrifice.

As they spread Christianity throughout the region, the Spanish missionaries encouraged using poinsettia in holiday decorations. The plant’s new name, flor de NocheBuena —“Holy Night flower”—reflected its special place in these celebrations. By the 1600s, poinsettias had become a Christmas tradition in Mexico, adorning churches and nativity scenes during the holiday season. This association with Christmas was deeply rooted in Mexican culture long before it became a holiday staple in the United States.

Joel Roberts Poinsett: Bringing Flor de Nochebuena to America

While celebrated for centuries in Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia’s rise to holiday fame is tied to Joel Roberts Poinsett, the 19th-century U.S. ambassador to Mexico who introduced the plant to American greenhouses. Yet Poinsett’s legacy is far from simple, marked by both scientific curiosity and political controversy. The plant’s story, like its namesake, is rooted in cultural intersections, remarkable achievements, and uncomfortable truths.

In the 1820s, Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico and a passionate amateur botanist, encountered the poinsettia while visiting the Mexican state of Guerrero. Drawn to its vibrant red bracts, lush green foliage, and its ties to Christmas celebrations, he brought clippings of the plant back to his estate in South Carolina. Though notoriously tricky to grow, Poinsett successfully propagated the poinsettia in his greenhouses, garnering international acclaim and interest.

One of Poinsett’s poinsettias made its way to Robert Buist, a prominent Philadelphia botanist, and member of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. In 1829, Buist exhibited the plant for the first time at a flower show, drawing considerable attention to this striking tropical specimen. By the 1830s, Buist—a successful floral importer and exporter—had introduced the plant to Europe, giving it the name Euphorbia Poinsettia in honor of his friend. Though the Latin name didn’t stick, “poinsettia” quickly became popular with American and European consumers alike.

The poinsettia’s connection to Christmas deepened when the Vatican began using the vibrant red flowers for holiday decorations in the 19th century. Catholic churches worldwide followed suit, making the poinsettia an enduring symbol of the holiday season.

*Étude de Poinsettias Rouges* (Study of Red Poinsettias), 1890, Sophia L. Crownfield. Crownfield (1862–1929) was an American textile designer renowned for her floral patterns, which were widely used in women's dress silks and wallpapers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Poinsett’s Complicated Legacy

Though he’s credited with bringing the poinsettia to American shores, Joel Roberts Poinsett’s legacy is far more complex than the festive plant that bears his name. A passionate advocate for education and science, his life was also marked by his role as a slave owner, his controversial political actions, and his involvement in espionage that shaped U.S. foreign policy in the Americas. Poinsett was born into a wealthy family in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1779. He inherited not only privilege but also enslaved individuals who provided the foundation for his plantation economy, which built and sustained his wealth as a planter, a reality that financed his travels, diplomatic career, and passion for botany. Historical records indicate he owned plantations where enslaved people cultivated crops like cotton and rice, enduring the brutal conditions typical of the time.

Poinsett’s ambitions extended far beyond South Carolina. In the 1810s, he undertook secret missions to South America as an agent for the U.S. State Department. His task was to gather intelligence on the independence movements sweeping the region and assess how they might align with U.S. interests. Far from acting as a mere observer, Poinsett became actively involved in Chile’s fight for independence, even joining the revolutionary army to combat Spanish colonial forces. His reports back to Washington informed the development of the Monroe Doctrine. This landmark policy declared the Western Hemisphere off-limits to European colonization and set the stage for U.S. dominance in Latin America.

In 1825, Poinsett became the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, a position that solidified his reputation as a controversial figure. Rather than maintaining diplomatic neutrality, he openly meddled in Mexican politics, supporting liberal factions and securing land and resources for American investors and himself. His actions sparked widespread distrust, and his name became a byword for unwelcome U.S. interference—a legacy that lingers in U.S.-Mexico relations.

Indeed, in 1828, Poinsett played a controversial role in a presidential coup in Mexico City. He and his allies opposed the election of moderate Manuel Gómez Pedraza, favoring Vicente Guerrero, who aligned with Poinsett’s financial interests. During the Acordada Revolt, Guerrero’s supporters seized an arsenal and looted markets, leading to days of clashes with government forces. Pedraza eventually fled, and Congress installed Guerrero as president.

Guerrero’s rise benefited Poinsett’s ally, Lorenzo Zavala, who became treasury minister and gained significant political and economic power. Zavala also secured a large Texas land grant, which he and Poinsett used to establish the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company, a real-estate venture.

Poinsett's involvement in Mexican politics sparked widespread criticism. Newspapers in Mexico accused him of malicious interference, and a document titled La Conducta de Mr. P from the Mexican legation in Washington formally requested his removal. Even Vicente Guerrero, who had once benefited from Poinsett's support, appealed to President Andrew Jackson to recall him.

Rather than face dismissal, Poinsett was allowed to resign in 1830, the same year Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act into law. Poinsett’s political career reached its darkest chapter upon his return to the United States when he served as Secretary of War under President Martin Van Buren, overseeing the brutal implementation of policies that led to the Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation from their ancestral lands to territories west of the Mississippi. Thousands perished during this harrowing journey, a tragedy that remains a stain on U.S. history and on Poinsett’s record.

Yet, Poinsett’s life wasn’t solely defined by controversy. He was a dedicated advocate for science and education, co-founding the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, a precursor to the Smithsonian Institution. His efforts to secure funds from British scientist James Smithson’s bequest were instrumental in the Smithsonian’s establishment in 1846, ensuring a lasting legacy in the pursuit of knowledge.

Poinsett’s legacy defies simple categorization. He was a man of ambition and intellect, but his achievements were deeply tied to the exploitation of enslaved individuals and the aggressive expansionism of the United States. His role as a botanist, diplomat, and advocate for science cannot be divorced from the human cost of his actions, making his life a reflection of the contradictions of his era.

*The Trail of Tears,* 1942, by Robert Lindneux, Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Lindneux dedicated approximately six months to researching this tragic event and an additional three months to creating the painting, aiming to provide an accurate and heartfelt representation of the Cherokee's ordeal.

The Poinsettia’s Path to Christmas Fame

While the poinsettia garnered attention and admirers in the United States from the 1830s onward, its rise to holiday stardom didn’t occur until the 20th century. In the early 1920s, California nurseryman Paul Ecke Sr. saw the plant’s potential to become a Christmas icon and revolutionized its cultivation.

A key innovation led by the Ecke family was the development and popularization of vegetative propagation through cuttings. This technique allowed for the mass production of uniform plants and produced bushier, fuller poinsettias that were far more appealing than the early leggy varieties prone to leaf drop. This breakthrough transformed poinsettias into the compact and vibrant plants we recognize today, making the plant more attractive and practical for holiday decorations. The Ecke family soon held about 500 plant patents in the U.S., nearly a fifth for the poinsettia modifications the family patriarch crafted.

Paul Ecke Jr. transformed the poinsettia into a Christmas icon through innovative media and marketing strategies. Recognizing the power of visibility, he arranged for poinsettias to appear on holiday television programs like The Tonight Show and Bob Hope Christmas Specials, embedding the plant in the holiday imagination. Collaborating with florists, retailers, and event organizers, he ensured poinsettias became a visual hallmark of festive displays. This combination of strategic placement and cultural association elevated the poinsettia from a botanical curiosity to a global symbol of Christmas, with the Ecke family nursery controlling over half of the world’s poinsettia market when it sold in 2012.

Modern Breeding Breakthroughs & Home Care

In the 21st century, poinsettia breeding has focused on innovation, introducing a stunning array of colors, including yellows and marbled varieties, and improving bract longevity for year-round versatility. This is beneficial to retailers who wish to sell poinsettias as early as Thanksgiving. Today, consumers can choose from hundreds of poinsettia varieties, reflecting decades of evolution and creativity in cultivation. Sustainability has also become a priority, with growers adopting eco-friendly practices like reducing water and chemical use.

While cultivated poinsettias have thrived through innovation and commercial popularity, their wild counterparts face a very different reality. Native to the tropical dry forests of Mexico, wild poinsettias struggle against habitat loss and fragmentation caused by unregulated deforestation.

Poinsettias are ever easier to grow at home, thanks to modern breeding innovations. Moreover, while poinsettias have a bad reputation as poisonous, the truth is they’re mostly guilty of causing mild tummy troubles for curious cats—not the deadly drama they’re often accused of!

Here are a few other home care tips:

Light Cycle: Poinsettias are photoperiodic and require a balance of bright, indirect light during the day and 12–14 hours of complete darkness each night to maintain their vibrant bracts during the holiday season. Keep them away from artificial light sources at night to preserve their color.

Temperature: Ensure a consistent room temperature of 65–75°F and, importantly, protect from drafts or heat sources.
Watering: Water when the soil feels dry, ensuring proper drainage. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.

After the holiday season, you can keep your poinsettia healthy and encourage it to rebloom the following year by following these steps:

After the Holidays: Maintain bright, indirect light and water when the soil is dry. Avoid overwatering.

Prune (Late Winter): Trim the plant to 6 inches in February or March for a compact shape.
Repot (Spring): Refresh the soil in spring and place it outdoors in a sunny, sheltered spot when temperatures are above 60°F. Fertilize biweekly.
Bring Indoors (Fall): Before the first frost, move the plant indoors.
Light Cycle (Fall): Starting in late September, ensure 12–14 hours of darkness each night and bright daylight to encourage bract coloration for the holidays.

With this care, your poinsettia can bloom beautifully year after year!

Smithsonian Gardens grows more than 20 varieties of poinsettias at its greenhouses, including close to 4,500 cuttings across 2,000 pots. Image Credit: The Smithsonian, Washington D.C.

Celebrating National Poinsettia Day

The poinsettia has become so beloved that, in 2002, Congress designated December 12 as National Poinsettia Day in the United States. This day honors Joel Roberts Poinsett, the botanist and U.S. diplomat who introduced the plant to the United States from Mexico and who died on December 12, 1851. The annual observance celebrates both Poinsett’s legacy and the poinsettia’s cultural significance, particularly during the holiday season.

Each year, poinsettias take center stage in some of the largest holiday displays in the United States. Walt Disney World decorates its parks and resorts with over 100,000 poinsettias, creating a magical holiday atmosphere. The Brookwood Community in Texas cultivates around 50,000 poinsettias annually, showcasing their vibrant colors in an inspiring display supporting adults with disabilities. Smithsonian Gardens regularly grows more than 20 varieties of poinsettias at their greenhouses—this can include close to 4,500 total cuttings across 2,000 pots—all used to decorate the Smithsonian Museums during the holiday season.

These extraordinary efforts underline the poinsettia’s cherished place in holiday traditions nationwide. But as we enjoy their festive beauty, it’s worth remembering the plant’s layered history—from its sacred role in Aztec culture to its complicated journey to prominence in the United States.

The poinsettia is more than a decoration; it’s a living reminder of how history, culture, and nature intertwine. As you admire its vibrant hues this holiday season, take a moment to reflect on the stories and connections that brought this iconic plant into your home.