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Poinsettia
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Poinsettia

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Basic Details
Description
Floral Formula
Features
Translations
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Basic Details

NamePoinsettia
DescriptionIconic Christmas plant with showy red, pink, or white leaf-like bracts surrounding tiny yellow flowers. What looks like petals are actually colorful modified leaves (bracts). True flowers are small yellow button-like structures in center. Native to Mexico, now world's most popular holiday plant. Easy to keep alive year-round with proper care. Blooms triggered by short days (long nights) in winter.
FamilyEuphorbiaceae
GenusEuphorbia
TribeEuphorbioideae

Floral Formula & Features

Floral FormulaBr ⊕ ♂/♀ K0 C0 A1 or G(3)

Bracteate (showy colored bracts), radially symmetrical, unisexual (male and female flowers separate in same cyathium), no sepals, no petals, male flowers with 1 stamen each, female flower with 3 fused carpels and superior ovary. Cyathium (cup-like structure) typical of Euphorbia

Features
  • Named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, first US ambassador to Mexico who introduced plant to US in 1825. Called 'Flor de Nochebuena' (Christmas Eve Flower) in Mexico. About 100 Euphorbia species. Poinsettia is E. pulcherrima meaning 'most beautiful.' Wild plants grow 10-15 feet tall in Mexico
  • Showy parts are bracts (modified leaves), not petals. Bracts 2-6 inches long in red (most common), pink, white, cream, orange, marbled, or speckled. True flowers tiny yellow cyathia (cup-shaped) in center, 0.2 inches across. Blooms December-February. Needs 12-14 hours darkness nightly for 6-8 weeks to color up
  • Semi-evergreen shrub or small tree in nature. Houseplant form compact and bushy. Dark green leaves 3-7 inches long, lobed or smooth-edged. Milky white sap (latex) in stems and leaves - mildly toxic, causes skin irritation. Not deadly poisonous as myth suggests, but keep away from pets and children
  • Grows 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) as houseplant, 10-15 feet (3-4.5 m) in ground in warm climates. Spread 2-3 feet. Lifespan 20+ years with care. Propagated from stem cuttings in spring. Can rebloom yearly if given proper light cycle (long nights in fall)
  • Native to Mexico and Guatemala, particularly Pacific coastal regions. Found in tropical dry forests at 1,000-6,000 feet elevation. Now cultivated worldwide as ornamental. Thrives outdoors in zones 10-12, grown as houseplant elsewhere
  • Requires bright indirect light (6-8 hours) as houseplant. Tolerates low light but won't rebloom. Needs well-drained soil. Water when top inch dry - don't overwater. Prefers 60-70°F. Keep away from cold drafts and heat vents. Sensitive to temperature changes. Hardy zones 10-12 outdoors
  • World's best-selling potted plant - 70+ million sold yearly in US alone. Popular Christmas gift and decoration. Used in holiday displays, centerpieces. Excellent houseplant year-round. Attracts hummingbirds in warm climates. Deer resistant. Symbolizes good cheer, success, celebration
  • To rebloom: Give 12-14 hours complete darkness nightly starting October 1 for 8-10 weeks. Even streetlights prevent blooming. Fertilize monthly spring-fall. Prune to 6 inches in spring for bushier growth. Pinch tips until September. Common myth: NOT deadly poisonous - mildly irritating sap only

Names in Different Languages

Latin / ScientificEuphorbia pulcherrima
English (Alternate)Christmas Flower, Christmas Star, Lobster Flower, Mexican Flameleaf, Painted Leaf, Flor de Nochebuena
HindiLal Pata (लाल पत्ता), Lalpatti (लालपत्ती)
Tamil இலை பாடி(Ilai pāṭi), போலி செடி (Pōli ceṭi), கிறிஸ்துமஸ் மலர் (Christmas Malar ), கிறிஸ்துமஸ் நட்சத்திரம் (Christmas Natchathiram )
Teluguకృష్ణచూర (Krishnachura)
Malayalamപോയിൻസെറ്റിയ (Poinsettia)
Kannadaದೊಡ್ಡ ಪತ್ರೆ (Doddapatre)
Sanskritपाटलं पुष्पम् (pāṭalam puṣpam)
Bengaliক্রিসমাস ষ্টার (Christmas Star), লালপাতা (lal-pata)
Frenchétoile de Noël, euphorbe écarlate
Russianпуансеттия (pu-an-SET-ee-ya), молочай красивейший (mo-lo-CHAI kra-see-VEE-shee)
SpanishFlor de Nochebuena
GermanWeihnachtsstern

What is Floral Formula?

A floral formula is a symbolic representation of a flower's structure using letters, numbers, and special symbols. It provides a concise way to describe the arrangement and number of floral parts.

Example Formula
% K(6) C1+2+(2) A(9) G2

This formula describes the flower's symmetry, sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels in a standardized format.

Formula Sequence

  • Bract: Br or Ebr
  • Bracteole: Brl or Ebrl
  • Symmetry: % (Radial) or ⊕ (Bilateral)
  • Sex: ♀ (Female), ♂ (Male), or ⚥ (Bisexual)
  • Calyx/Sepal: K<number> (Free or Fused)
  • Corolla/Petal: C<number> (Free or Fused)
  • Androecium: A<number> (Free or Fused)
  • Gynaecium: G<number> (Superior or Inferior Ovary)

Symbol Meanings

  • Numbers: Indicate quantity of parts
  • Parentheses (): Parts are fused together
  • Plus (+): Parts in different whorls
  • Underline: Superior ovary position
  • Overline: Inferior ovary position
  • ∞: Numerous parts (too many to count)

Understanding floral formulas helps botanists quickly identify and classify flowers based on their structural characteristics.