POINSETTIA

Although widely used as a Christmas decoration, the colorful poinsettia plant can be seen growing in the wilds in Southern California and throughout much of tropical America.

A native of Mexico, the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is named for American diplomat Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the United States.

When found outdoors, the poinsettia is an erect shrub that reaches heights of 10 feet. It needs lots of sunshine and adequate moisture to grow in the wilds.

The shrub’s lower leaves grow on stiff, cane-like limbs. The leaves are dark green and up to 6 inches long. They fall in late winter or early spring.

What most people mistakenly think of as flowers are actually the poinsettia’s petal-like upper leaves, also called bracts. They are usually bright red or pink and, occasionally, white. True flowers of the poinsettia are inconspicuous, small greenish or yellowish clusters in the center of the bracts.

A similar variety of poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla) also grows wild in the United States. It commonly is called the Mexican fire plant, has upper leaves that are blotched bright red and white and reaches heights of 3 feet.

Pictured here are poinsettia shrubs growing along Camarillo Springs road near Camarillo Grove County Park.