The Nahuatl (Aztec) name for this plant is Cuetlaxochitl, which means "flower that withers" and it was believed to represent the new life that warriors attain in battle. Perhaps the best known of Mexican flowers, the Noche Buena flowers in November and December. It grows at its best in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, where it can reach up to twelve feet in height!
There is a legend surrounding the Poinsettia. A poor peasant girl was going to mass on Christmas Eve ("Noche Buena" in Spanish, which literally means a "good night"). She was very sad because she didn't have a gift to present to baby Jesus. On her way to the church she gathered a few plants to take with her. When she arrived at the church she presented the plants she carried and they turned from green to bright red.
For information on caring for your Poinsettia plant, consult the article Caring for Holiday Poinsettias from About's Guide to Gardening, Marie Iannotti.
