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Colorful Poinsettia

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch) is a flowering plant in the Euphorbiaceae family, native to Mexico and Central America. Known for its red and green leaves, it is commonly used in Christmas decorations. The plant became a symbol of Christmas, thanks in part to European missionaries and an American diplomat named Joel Poinsett. Cultivated varieties feature white, pink, mottled, and striped bracts, although solid red varieties are most popular during the Christmas season. Poinsettias change color in response to shorter winter days. The plant has hairless branches, thin leaves, and produces tiny, petal-less flowers. The leaves are typically 12-20 cm long with pointed tips. The flowers are surrounded by male flowers in a cup-shaped series of bracts called a cyathium, with each cyathium featuring two-lipped, yellow glands. The cyathia are green and yellow, surrounded by large, bright red bracts. The plant produces tri-lobed capsules, about 1.5 x 1.5-2.0 cm in size, and the seeds are oval and pale grey. Poinsettias are the bestselling potted plant in the United States and Canada. While not harmful to animal or human health, the plant's sticky white sap can cause skin rashes. Poinsettia plants with colorful red and green leaves were observed in the Tehatta, West Bengal, India, garden on March 29, 2024. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)

Photo Details

Photo ID	#11108033
Date Taken	29 March 2024
Location	N/A
Photographer	Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2025 NurPhoto - Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto

Related Keywords

poinsettia Euphorbia pulcherrima Euphorbiaceae Mexico Central America Christmas decorations Joel Poinsett cultivated varieties white bracts pink bracts mottled bracts striped bracts red bracts color change winter days hairless branches thin leaves petal-less flowers pointed tips male flowers cyathium two-lipped glands yellow glands tri-lobed capsules oval seeds pale grey seeds bestselling potted plant United States Canada white sap skin rashes Tehatta West Bengal India Soumyabrata Roy NurPhoto Christmas symbol European missionaries American diplomat plant cultivation holiday season ornamental plant horticulture garden plants plant biology.

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