Mexico’s 8,000 growers are centered mostly in Morelia, Puebla, Michoacan and the Federal District (Mexico City).
Although the red version of this native Mexican plant is the most popular, there are more than 100 varieties available, including pink, white and yellow.
The flower is named after U.S. ambassador Joel Poinsett, who took the plant back to the United States after serving in Mexico in the 1800s. Since then, the poinsettia has become the United States’ best-selling potted plant.
Caring for your poinsettia
To keep your poinsettias alive through the holiday season, be sure to buy plants with dark green leaves, sturdy stems, and fully colored flowers. Avoid buying plants with yellow leaves. Keep the plants in indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day, at a room temperature between 20 and 21 degrees Celsius (68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit). Water the plant when it feels dry to touch, but not to the point that there is standing water. After the holidays, when the poinsettia has stopped blooming, use an all-purpose plant fertilizer to keep the plant strong and healthy.
The cost of nochebuenas varies but a good rule of thumb is that 40-60 pesos for a small plant is a reasonable price to pay. Anything cheaper is unlikely to be of superior quality.