Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was then the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, imported the first poinsettia plant from Mexico in 1828. According to Encyclopedia Britannica:
In warm climates, the poinsettia grows outdoors as a winter-flowering
leggy shrub about 3 metres (10 feet) high; as a potted plant in
northern areas it rarely grows beyond 1 meter. What appear to be petals
are actually coloured leaflike bracts that surround a central cluster
of tiny yellow flowers. A milky latex in the stems and leaves can be
irritating to persons or animals sensitive to it, but the claim that
poinsettias are deadly poisonous is greatly exaggerated.
Poinsettias have grown to be tremendously popular at least in America and at least one can be seen in most homes, in commercial establishments, and most certainly at places of worship throughout the Christmas season. If cared for properly, they can even last through most of the winter. Because of their beauty and red and green coloration, they make a popular image for Christmas cards.
