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Every holiday season, the poinsettia takes center stage—bright, bold, and unmistakably festive. At North River Greenhouse, it’s one of our favorite traditions to fill our Garden Center with these brilliant blooms. But behind that splash of red is a story that stretches from ancient cultures all the way to modern Christmas decorating. Beyond their festive color and beauty, poinsettias carry a rich history and a beloved Christmas legend that has been told for generations.
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are native to the warm, hillside regions of southern Mexico, where they grew long before they became holiday favorites.
The Aztecs prized them for practical uses:
They called the plant cuetlaxochitl — meaning “flower that withers,” a nod to its short blooming cycle in the wild.
One of the most cherished parts of poinsettia history is the Mexican Christmas legend often known as “The Legend of Pepita.”
The story goes like this:
A young girl named Pepita (or María, in some versions) was heartbroken because she had no gift to bring to the Christmas Eve celebration. As she walked to the church, she felt embarrassed that she had nothing to offer the Christ Child.
Her cousin encouraged her, saying, “Even the smallest gift, given with love, will be appreciated.”
Wanting to give something meaningful, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of simple green weeds. She tied them together into a small bouquet, feeling unsure but determined.
When she entered the church and placed the humble bundle at the altar, a miracle happened:
The weeds burst into brilliant red blooms — the first poinsettias.
Because of that moment, the plant became known in Mexico as Flores de Noche Buena — Flowers of the Holy Night — and it became forever tied to the spirit of Christmas giving.
In the 1820s, Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and an avid botanist, encountered the plant and fell in love with its stunning color. He sent cuttings back to his greenhouse in South Carolina, and soon the plant began making its way throughout the United States.
His name eventually became tied to the plant, giving us the modern word poinsettia.
In the early 20th century, the Ecke family of California helped shape the poinsettia into the compact, full, decorative plant we know today. Through innovation and clever marketing — including showcasing poinsettias on television and in magazines — they turned the plant into a Christmas staple.
Today, poinsettias are the most popular holiday plant in America, with millions sold every year.
Those iconic “petals” aren’t petals at all — they’re bracts, which change color in response to long nights and shorter winter days. The actual flowers are the tiny yellow centers called cyathia.
This natural rhythm is what makes the poinsettia shine during the Christmas season.
Here at our Garden Center in Alamosa, we provide a wide selection of Colorado grown premium poinsettias — from traditional red to unique speckled, marbled, pink, and snowy white varieties. We put care into each one so you can bring home a plant that’s full, vibrant, and ready to brighten your holiday décor.
Whether you love poinsettias for their beauty, their history, or the legend that surrounds them, they’re a timeless reminder that even the simplest gifts can bring the greatest joy.
