Pointsettia

The Christmas flower!

The Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly known as the Pointsettia, is a flower native to Central America. Its common name was in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first minister to Mexico from the USA, who also introduced the plan to the USA in 1825. The plant became associated with Christmas in the 16th century when a legend had it that a poor Mexican girl, too poor to afford a present to place on the altar of Jesus, placed some weeds on it at the behest of an angel. According to legend, the weeds sprouted into pointsettias.

Your Favorite Names