Poinsettias are sold by the millions every year, almost all of them between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As popular as these holiday flowers are, there still may be a few things about them that could surprise you. Here are five fun facts about poinsettias we wanted to share. 1. Poinsettias are named after that dog, the pointer Uh, no. The poinsettia — pronounced "poyn-SET-ee-ah" or "poyn-SET-ah" — is named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American statesman, physician and amateur botanist. He saw the shrub with its brightly-colored red leaves in Mexico, while serving as the first U.S. Ambassador to that country in the late 1820s. He brought the plant back to his home state of South Carolina, and it was later named "poinsettia" in his honor. 2. Poinsettias have always been small houseplants Wrong again. In Mexico, the poinsettia ( Euphorbia pulcherrima ) is a perennial shrub that can grow up 12 feet high. Here, commercial growers have bred dwarf varieties that can thrive as potted plants.
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