Euphorbia pulcherrima

Common Poinsettia, Christmas flower, Christmas star, Lobster Plant, Mexican flame-leaf, Painted Leaf, Poinsettia, Christmas-flower, Christmas-star, Mexican flameleaf, Lobsterplant, Paintedleaf, Garden Poinsettia, Poinséitia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Poinsettias

Description

A perennial ornamental plant, often cultivated as an annual in relation to the environmental and climatic conditions present, with an erect habit, abundant branching and very striking and decorative bracts; the bright green to dark green foliage also gives the plant a scenic value. The poinsettia, a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, is native to Mexico where it grows to the size of a tree. In Europe, it has been predominantly used since the 20th century as a flowering pot plant for indoors, to decorate homes or offices. The colouring of the bracts, which occurs in late autumn, makes it the typical ornamental plant for the Christmas season, hence the common name poinsettia. Easy to grow, it prefers well-lit spaces but away from heat sources and draughts, in a substrate free of water stagnation.