Poinsettia

As I mentioned in my last post, pine trees are not the only plant commonly used in the US to decorate for the Christmas holiday.  Poinsettia are also very popular this time of year.

I visited a local greenhouse that sells thousands of these beautiful plants.  Originally from Mexico where  they grew wild, Poinsettias were brought to the United States in 1828 by the US Ambassador to Mexico Joel Robert Poinsett.  And that is also how they got their name.

Originally these plants only came in red.  But today plant breeders have introduced many different colors including white, pink, and a mixture of the two.  But these red and white colored parts are not actually the flower of the Poinsettia.  They are a special type of leaf and the true flower is the little tiny yellow centers.

If you are in the United States for the Christmas holiday and you are invited to someone's house for a party or dinner, a Poinsettia makes a nice gift to bring for the host.

Thanks for stopping by.  This has been Cassie Brenn for Fastfoodenglish.blogspot.com.