Poinsettia

The poinsettia is a commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family native to Central America. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas holiday decorations. In the wild, it is a shrub or small tree reaching up to four meters in height. The plant's brilliant red, pink, or white colors are not flowers, but rather bracts, which surround the actual yellowish-green flowers grouped in small structures called cyathia. Poinsettias require careful attention regarding light exposure and watering to thrive indoors during the winter season.