December 12th is National Poinsettia Day, December 12th is National Poinsettia Day. It used to be that Poinsettia's added that bright red touch we needed in our holiday decorating. Now you can find Poinsettias in shades of pink, yellow and even white. An interesting fact is that the bright petals we see are actually leaves, not flowers.... but we all call them flowers so I will as well!

History
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. In Mexico, the first to use the brilliant flowers were a group of Franciscan priests who were settled near Taxco, Mexico in the 17th century. They used the flowers for decoration during the Fiesta del Santo Pesebre, a nativity procession.

There are some notable greenhouses in the Southwest where you can see how these beauties are grown and select some of these gorgeous plants to decorate your home.


Arizona
Gardener's World in Phoenix holds a Poinsettia Festival during December. There are tours and plenty of photo opportunities with the beautiful Poinsettias. A percentage of sales during this time will benefit those in need. Gardener's World is at 3401 East Baseline Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85042

Texas
Ellison’s Greenhouses in Brenham are a center for celebrating the beautiful poinsettia. Each November Ellison’s hosts a huge Poinsettia Celebration. Ellison’s Greenhouses provides a plant-lover’s Eden of color and variety. Thousands of celebration visitors tour the greenhouses brilliantly filled with mums, kalanchoes and other blooming and foliage plants, as well as embrace the wonder of more than 80,000 multicolored poinsettia blooming poinsettia varieties in sizes ranging from 3″ to 6′ tall. When we toured, we saw huge poinsettia plants being grown especially for use at the White House. Ellison’s provides tours of the greenhouses year-round.

New Mexico
Payne's Nursery in Santa Fe provides locally grown New Mexico Poinsettias.