Back
Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch
| Family Name: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Common Name: | Poinsettia, Easter Flower, Christmas Star, Christmas Flower, Painted Leaf, Lobster Plant, Mexican Flameleaf, Puring Bangala, Pohon Merah, Mexican Flame Tree |
Every year around late November, the nights in Central America become longer, triggering the leafy bracts of the Poinsettia to turn a lovely shade of red. This change in colour helps the tiny, yellow flowers of the plant to attract nectar-seeking birds and insects for pollination. Always a popular Christmas plant decoration, they add a cheerful splash of colour to the home for the holidays!
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
|---|
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Mexico |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Temperate |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Perennial shrub that grows up to 3.3 m tall in the wild. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Dark green, thin leaves are broadly ovate with smooth edges (entire leaf margin) or pointed lobes and a long, thin tip. |
| Flowers | The colorful, petal-like structures are bracts (modified leaves). Poinsettias typically have bright red bracts, but there are also cultivars with pink or white bracts. The true flowers are small, egg-shaped and occur at the base of the bracts. The flowers initially have red or green tips, but later releases yellow pollen. |
| Others - Plant Morphology | There is a common misperception that the poinsettia bracts are toxic. They are, in fact, not toxic, but also not edible. They are said to have a very bitter taste. |
| Cultivation | When the plant has colorful bracts, avoid fertilizing and water only when the soil becomes dry. The colorful bracts will eventually turn green. To get them to return to their colorful state, place the plant in complete darkness from 5PM to 8AM. In 2-3 months, the bracts should become colorful again. This species grows best in cool nighttime temperatures of about 13-16 degrees Celsius, while night temperatures of 21-24 degrees Celsius or more may prevent the bracts from becoming colorful again. When the bracts are green, the plant should be fertilized once a month with a soluble fertilizer for houseplants. |
| Etymology | The specific epithet 'pulcherrima' means very beautiful. The common name Poinsettia is derived from Joel Robert Poinsett, American ambassador to Mexico who first introduced the plant to the US. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: The Aztecs used the colorful bracts to make a reddish dye. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Terminal |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Individual Flower Shape | Urceolate / Urn-shaped |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 712 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2007 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
