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Photo: Image courtesy of the Biltmore Company
Poinsettia Culture and Colors
Poinsettia is named for Joel Poinsett, the US minister to Mexico who brought the plants home in 1825. In its native climate, bright red poinsettia plants grow into large, colorful shrubs that display the colorful bracts (flower-like leaves) year after year. In the US, though, poinsettias are known mostly as seasonal potted plants used for Christmas displays, such as this one at Biltmore Estate's Conservatory. And they don't just come in red anymore; poinsettias are available at the holidays in shades of red, pink, white, coral and more.
