A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.
“I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable,” said Pedro consolingly.
Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.
As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro’s kind words: “Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable.” She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.
Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.
From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.
Today, the common name for this plant is the poinsettia!
(excerpt: Paul Ecke)
**Picture of Poinsettia in my garden.
Poinsettia Facts
Poinsettias are native to Mexico.
Poinsettias are part of the Euphorbiaceae family. Many plants in this family ooze a milky sap.
In nature, poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that can grow to ten feet tall.
The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think are the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves).
Poinsettias are not poisonous.
Poinsettias were introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Poinsett.
December 12 is National Poinsettia Day.
Ninety per cent of all the flowering poinsettias in the world got their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch.
There are over 100 varieties of poinsettias available.
Seventy-four percent of Americans still prefer red poinsettias; 8 percent prefer white and 6 percent pink.
Poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plant even though most are sold in a 6 week period.
An NCCA Bowl game in San Diego is named the Poinsettia Bowl.
Daisy Says: Poinsietta show me your pretty red leaves.
