There is an urban legend following the traditional Christamas pointsettia plant. Originating in Mexico, there is a long-told story that a youngster, having no gift for the baby Jesus, picked a handful of weeds. These weeds were transformed into the beautiful red poinsettia plant.
Joel Roberts Pointsett is credited with bringing cuttings of the plant back to his South Carolina home in the 1820's. The plant was then named after him. The red part of the plant is not really the flowers, but modified leaves. The yellow part in the center is the actual flower.
Though this plant is not very palatable as it is rather bitter, it is not poisonous. So feel free to use these beautiful flowers in your home each Christmas.
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