Poinsettia
The Poinsettia tree is renown world wide
as the Christmas plant that puts colour
and a feeling of effervescence in and
around one`s environment during the
Chrismas season.
*
Poinsettias originated from Mexico and
The Aztecs used the leaves which produces
a reddish purple dye used for coloring in
textiles and cosmetics!
When the stem is cut, the white liquid
extracted was used as a medicine to bring
down high fevers if one was suffering!
*
In the 17th century when The Saint Francis
Monastery was established and priests
started living in Mexico they believed that
the redness of the tree resembled Jesus Christ`s
blood, the green leaves were a sign of
good harvest and the white liquid from the
stem signified purity!
*
In the 19th century and American ambassador
`Joel Roberts Poinsett visited Mexico and
was captivated by the gorgeous plant. He sent
them out to his friends who were botanist in
the United States when he arrived back and
this is how the plant became the Christmas plant
with the name of Poinsettia.
