• Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are popular potted plants, particularly during Christmas. Brightly colored, mostly red, it provides effective color in home decor during and after the holiday season. The poinsettia is native to southern Mexico where the Aztecs used it in ceremonies, as a medicinal and to make red dye.

• The newer Poinsettia cultivars are long-lasting in contrast to the cultivars that were available a few years ago.

• The bright petals of Poinsettias, which look like flowers, are actually the bunch of upper leaves of the plant, called bracts. Poinsettia flowers are small, green or yellow, and grow inconspicuously in the center of each leaf bunch.

• In colder climates, Poinsettias are grown as indoor plants. As indoor plants, they need exposure to the morning sun and shade during the hotter part of the day. Poinsettias are one the most difficult to reflower after the initial display when purchased. They need a period of uninterrupted long, light-free nights for about two months in early spring in order to develop flowers.