Poinsettia, the "Euphorbia pulcherrima"

"Euphorbia pulcherrima" - the "most beautiful of the euphorbias" - Poinsettia, Etoile de Noël, Etoile d'amour, Christmas Star, Flor de Noche Buena, Χριστουγεννιάτικο αστέρι, Αλεξανδριανό or Αλεξανδρινό.



The Christmas star has its home in Central America and Mexico. But its world career began where the illustrious career of all stars has its origins: in Hollywood, California.

It was first called "cuetlaxochitl" by the Aztecs. It represented purity, and its name signified "Flower that withers, mortal flower that perishes like all that is pure". The cuetlaxochitl was cultivated as an exotic gift from nature and admired but never touched. Its bright red color had been given by the gods as a reminder of the periodic sacrificial offerings in accordance with the creation of the Fifth Sue. The intense red represented cuetlaxochitl, the precious liquid of the sacrifices offered to the gods. An old legend of the Aztecs says that the plant with the luminous red bracts grew out of a tragic love story. The drops of blood from the broken heart of an Aztec goddess gave rise to the Christmas star.



For more info:
(FR) http://www.le-poinsettia.info/
(EN) http://www.soychicano.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-10971.html
(EN) http://www.starsforeurope.com/gr/article_the_christmas_star_-.html
(GR) http://fe-mail.gr/pages/posts/decoration/decoration3884.php