Many of us decorate our homes with poinsettias during the Christmas season, but what do you know about this plant?

Poinsettias grow wild in Central America and Mexico.

In their native environment, poinsettias are shrubs that grow as high as 10 to 15 feet tall.

Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first ambassador from the United States to Mexico, brought the plants to the United States in the 1820s, and they were named after him.

The colorful parts of a poinsettia aren’t flowers, but modified leaves, called bracts. The flower is the yellow center of the plant.

Click here for the Safeshare link for the following informative video.

Visit a nursery or greenhouse with your child to examine different varieties of poinsettias.

The Legend of the Poinsettia, from Mexico, is an excellent choice if you are studying Christmas around the world. Legends are traditional stories regarded as historical but with little or no evidence to prove them.

Click here for the Safeshare Link.

Click here for details about a poinsettia art project for kids of all ages. This would make a beautiful card!