Poinsettia

Overview

Euphorbia pulcherrima is native to Mexico and Central America, but it can be found in subtropical areas around the world today. The poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. The plant derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who is credited with introducing the plant to the US in the 1820s. Poinsettia has been used as a hair removal cream in Mexico and Gua.mala. The poinsettia is the national emblem of Madagascar. Aztecs used leaves of Poinsettia as a source of reddish-purple pigment that was used for dying of fabrics.

Vernacular Names

Euphorbe écarlate (French), Weihnachtsstern (German), Flor-de-papagaio (Portuguese), Flor de noche buena (Spanish), Yi pin hong (Chinese), Poinsechia (Japanese), Pascuas (Tagalog-Philippines),Poo kaḷḷi (Tamil), Cheu eun (Thai).

Agroecology

The plant is found growing in moist, wet, wooded ravines, rocky hillsides, deciduous tropical forests and seasonally dry forests. The plant needs well-drained, loamy, peat-based soil for good growth. Place the plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sunlight can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain. Water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch. Don’t overwater your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water.

Morphology

• Stem - sparingly, and laxly branched, green erect stems.
• Leaves - large, dark green, elliptic to oblong-elliptic with smooth edges (entire leaf margin) or pointed lobes and a long, thin tip, 10-18 cm.
• Flower - quite small, egg-shaped and occur at the base of the bracts (they are the yellow structures at the center of the brilliantly colored bracts).
• Fruit - very small and three lobed capsule with each lobe containing seed. Ripe fruit splits to release numerous seed.
• Seed - an oblong seed.

Cultivation

• Generative propagation is by seed - remove seed pods from your plant as soon as they start to brown. Store the pods in a closed paper bag until the seed pods dry completely. When the seeds pop out of the pods, they are ready to plant.
• Vegetative propagation is by stem cutting - to get the best new plants, cut healthy new stems from vigorous plants. Take 7.5 cm. to 15 cm cuttings from parent plants just after their new growth starts in early summer.

Chemical Constituents

Alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, glycosides, reducing sugar, flavonoids, triterpenes, essential oil, and amino acids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Studies have shown cytotoxic, antibacterial, anticonvulsant, antinociceptive, antioxidant properties.
• In Mexico, it is used in the treatment of gonorrhea, respiratory tract infection, malaria, eczema, asthma, and warts cure. Decoction of bracts taken by nursing women to increase the flow of milk, although the practice is considered dangerous by some.
• The latex has been used as a remedy for toothache and anti-vomiting agent. 
• Leaves are applied as poultice for erysipelas and a variety of cutaneous problems.
• Infusion of flowers is used as galactagogue.
• In Indonesia, it is used as emetic, emmenagogue, and galactagogue, for treating tuberculosis, skin infections, and fractures.
• Sap from the plant has been used as a hair remover, and to encourage lactation in nursing mothers and is also used to get rid of warts, pimples and other skin problems.