The poinsettia's complicated history

Renewed interest in the poinsettia's colonialist roots have led to some people calling the flower by its native name.

DECEMBER 25, 2023
HEARD ON ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
NPR
By Lee Hale & Kathryn Fox

TRANSCRIPT

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

There's one plant that is nearly synonymous with the Christmas season. And no, I'm not talking about trees.

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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a lovely poinsetta (ph) from...

SHAPIRO: The poinsetta, or poinsettia, which typically has deep red-and-green leaves, has been a go-to Christmas gift for generations.

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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: This holiday, surprise your loved one with beautiful poinsetta plants from...

SHAPIRO: In fact, the plant's ties to the Christmas season go way back to the 16th century.

ELENA JACKSON ALBARRAN: It has a history with, you know, Mexico's colonial roots with Spanish Catholicism.

SHAPIRO: Elena Jackson Albarran is a professor of Latin American history at Miami University in Ohio.

ALBARRAN: The Spanish name for it is noche buena, which means Christmas Eve.

SHAPIRO: And the plant inherited another name when it was sent north in 1828 by the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett.

ALBARRAN: And his experience in Mexico and his perception of the Mexican people wasn't all that kind.

SHAPIRO: Albarran says Poinsett established a tense and combative diplomatic tone with the newly independent Mexico.

ALBARRAN: He went on to have a longer history of unsavory political decisions, slave ownership, among other things. And so it is worth kind of questioning where we inherit this name for this plant that we kind of hold as a seasonal icon.

SHAPIRO: There's a growing push to drop both the name poinsetta or poinsettia and its Spanish predecessor, noche buena, and go back to the plant's native roots.

ALBARRAN: The Nahuatl name is cuetlaxochitl.

SHAPIRO: Which means plant that withers, which they tend to do if you are prone to overwatering. And Albarran has noticed a growing interest in the plant's history.

ALBARRAN: So you'll see TikToks and, like, Facebook video reels and Instagram posts...

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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: The untold history of poinsettias.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: Long before they were called poinsettias, they were called cuetlaxochitl.

ALBARRAN: ...Young people encouraging people to learn about the Nahuatl native roots of this plant that globally has become sort of the symbol of Christmas.

SHAPIRO: So just as a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, a poinsettia by its native name looks just as vibrant.

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POINSETTIA PLANT - IS IT POISONOUS TO PETS?

Rosie Lerner, Tom Creswell​, and Gail Ruhl; Purdue University

NOVEMBER 2021

During the holiday season many wonder whether their pets might be harmed if they chew on Poinsettia plants. Many websites include Poinsettia in lists of toxic plants but if you read further reputable sites, those associated with poison control centers or universities, will usually mention that is a skin irritant or has very low toxicity to animals.

Poinsettia photo by Rosie Lerner

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University, provides the following information for Poinsettia, as well as Mistletoe and Holly. "Holiday Health Hazards" (https://hospital.vetmed.wsu.edu/2021/11/23/holiday-health-hazards-for-pets/)

"Poinsettias fill homes with color during the holidays. Poinsettias have received bad publicity in the past whereas in fact, poinsettias are not very toxic to pets. They do contain a milky sap that can irritate the mouth but if signs develop they are usually mild.

"Mistletoe can be very toxic to animals and you should seek veterinary consultation immediately if your pet has potentially ingested any part of the plant. Mistletoe can cause vomiting, severe diarrhea, difficult breathing, shock and death within hours of ingestion.

"There are many species of Holly (genus Ilex). Berries and leaves can be a problem although signs of poisonings are generally mild, and include vomiting, belly pain, and diarrhea."

The Colorado State Extension site has an extensive review of poinsettia history and cultural requirements at: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/poinsettias-7-412/

They include a section that discusses research indicating that poinsettia is not toxic but if eaten may cause discomfort. Those sensitive to the natural latex in the plant should, of course, avoid contact with it.

Regarding pets:

"Although commonly assumed to be poisonous to animals, Poinsettia plants are not harmful to household pets unless the leaves and bracts are eaten in very large quantities. Some cats that chew on the leaves may salivate and can vomit if the leaves are swallowed. Since cats and puppies frequently chew on new plants introduced to the home, it is prudent to place the plants out of reach!"

Additional articles on holiday plants from Purdue:

https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/how-to-care-for-poinsettia/

https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/the-mystery-of-mistletoe/

More in-depth information on poisonous plants:

https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/some-plants-are-poisonous/

https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?itemID=15946