I have taken a few moments to discuss holiday plants with my scientists. We learned that mistletoe is a parasite that takes water and nutrients from the tree on which it lives. Poinsettias are indigenous to Mexico and were brought to America by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S Ambassador to Mexico. Pine trees and holly are both evergreen. Christmas cacti bloom in December and are found in the rain forests of Brazil. God provides the berries on mistletoe and holly for animals during the winter, but people and pets should not eat them. The leaves on pine trees are called needles. The small yellow flowers of the poinsettia are found in the middle of each leaf bunch. The red leaves (bracts) are often mistaken for flowers.