12/12/2025
In Mexican tradition, the poinsettia, known as “La Flor de Nochebuena” (Flower of the Holy Night), symbolizes the spirit of giving and miracles. According to Mexican lore, a young child, Pepita, did not have a gift for the baby Jesus at a Christmas Eve service. She was penniless, so all she could do was pick a bouquet of weeds to offer. The angels felt compassion for her plight. So, after Pepita set the flowers at the crèche of the Nativity on Christmas Eve, the angels transformed the weeds into beautiful red flowers. This is why red and green are the colors of Christmas today.
The Aztecs call the poinsettia cuetlaxochitl which translates to brilliant flower. They used the bright bracts and the bark to make a colorful red/purple dye.
The Mayans refer to the poinsettia as k’alul wits, meaning ember flower. They used the colorful plants to liven up gardens and decorate homes.
Today, poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plant (after Christmas trees) and the best-selling potted plant in the United States and Canada, contributing over $250 million to the U.S. economy at the retail level. California remains the top U.S. poinsettia-producing state.
