The poinsettia, also known as the "Flame Leaf" in Central America or "Flower of the Holy Night", was brought here over a hundred years ago by Dr. Joel Poinsett,
ambassador to Mexico.  Most of the poinsettias used now come from California.

     The legend of the tells of a girl named Maria  and her little brother Pablo.  They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival.  Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties.  The two children loved Christmas but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents.  They especially wished that they could give something  to the church for the Baby Jesus.  But, alas, they had nothing.

                  One Christmas Eve, as Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service, they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene.  Of course they were teased by other children when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could.  Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers.  This flowering plant is what we know today as the poinsettia.