The poinsettia was cultivated by the Aztecs of Mexico, in the area near present-day Taxco, long before Christianity came to the Western Hemisphere. The brilliant flower was loved by natives and their kings as a symbol of purity. The flower was also processed by the Aztecs to make dye and the latex was used for a medicine against fever. Because poinsettias typically bloom during the Christmas holiday season, a group of Franciscan priests who were settled near Taxco in the 17th century began to use the brilliant flowers in the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre, a nativity procession. This is the first known incidence of poinsettias being used for holiday celebrations.
The poinsettia got its name from Joel R. Poinsett, who became the first American Ambassador to Mexico in 1825. He introduced the plant to the United States on one of his trips home.
The legend of the poinsettia dates back several centuries, to a Christmas Eve in Mexico when a little girl named Pepita had no gift to present to the Christ Child. Her cousin Pedro urged her to give a humble gift. So, on her way to church she gathered up some weeds she found along the road. As she approached the altar, a miracle happened. The weeds blossomed into brilliant flowers. Then they were called Flores de Noche Buena (Flowers of the Holy Night). Now they are called poinsettias.
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