By Chaya Kurtz, Networx Poinsettias are a well-loved variety of
houseplant. Their gracious (but bold) red and green leaves
flourish in foil-covered pots in places public and private,
augmenting the holiday spirit. Rumored to be poisonous (they’re
not), and originating in the exotic Mexican state Morelos, they
are simultaneously a plant of intrigue and a common sight. These
six facts about poinsettias will help you to appreciate and
enjoy your poinsettia for years to come. (It can bloom for more
than one season!) 1. The red blooms of the poinsettia are
bracts, not flowers. According to the University of Illinois
Extension, the showy red blooms of the poinsettia are not
flowers. They are modified leaves, otherwise known as “bracts”.
The flowers of a poinsettia plant are the small yellow flowers
in the center of the bracts. According to Iowa State University
Extension and Outreach, the colorful bracts drop off of the
plant after the flowers have shed their pollen. For plants that
are in bloom longer, select a pl