What are the floral meanings and legends of the poinsettia?

I. Floral Meaning Introduction

The floral meaning of the poinsettia is "my heart is burning." This flower is native to Central America. At first glance it appears to have huge petals, but those are actually its bracts. The bracts grow at the top and are bright red, as if they were burning. Because its ornamental season is in winter, it can also serve as a Christmas flower, especially in red-and-white combinations, which have a particularly distinctive charm.

II. Legend

The poinsettia is also called the cuetlaxochitl flower. Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a village south of Mexico City. It originally had fertile land and abundant water, but a mudslide disaster suddenly occurred, cutting off the water source, and the land gradually cracked and dried. In the village there was a young man named Cuetlaxochitl. In order to restore life to the land, he risked his life to chisel through rock and channel water. He finally broke through, but, exhausted, he was swept away by the current. People never saw him again, but by the water grew a red flower. Because Cuetlaxochitl had liked to wear red when he was alive, they named this flower the cuetlaxochitl flower in his memory.

III. Can It Be Kept at Home?

The poinsettia looks very beautiful, but it is somewhat toxic. The white latex in the plant can irritate the skin, and if ingested it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. If it gets into the eyes, it may cause temporary blindness, so keeping it at home is not very advisable. If you do keep it, you must be careful to prevent children from touching it.