Traditional Mexican Christmas Eve Flower: La Flor de Nochebuena
Tara A. Spears
The Poinsettia, which originated in Mexico, is considered the floral symbol of Christmas. In Mexico, the Christmas Eve Flower/ La Flor de Nochebuena, is one of the most well-known, long-lasting and favorite plants for the Christmas holidays.
While many plants have come to be identified with the Christmas season such as holly, ivy, and mistletoe, all these plants evolved from the pagan traditions of Northern Europe to earn a place in the holidays. However, it was Southern Mexico that yielded the most colorful and popular Christmas plant of all: the spectacular Poinsettia. Discovered by Spanish missionaries soon after their arrival in the New World, the brilliant red plant has since become a fixture in many churches and homes during the holiday season.
Native to Mexico, Euphorbia pulcherrima, known as poinsettia in the US/ Canada, is native to the tropical regions of Mexico, mainly from the city of Taxco, Guerrero. Today, Mexico occupies fourth place in the world production of poinsettia/ Buenanoche, the vast majority of plants are grown in greenhouses. This agribusiness generates almost 13,000 jobs. The main locations dedicated to its cultivation are Morelos, Michoacán, Distrito Federal, Puebla, State of Mexico and Guerrero.
According to legend, poinsettias made their Christmas debut sometime in the 16th century in the town of Taxco in Southern Mexico. Two impoverished young children picked some weeds as a gift to present to the local church on Christmas Eve. The weeds miraculously transformed into beautiful red flowers, which were later called Flowers of the Holy Night. In the years that followed, Franciscan priests began to use the flowers in their Nativity processions.
Around 1828 the American ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett, for whom the flowers were later named, brought some of the plants back to the United States. As they bloomed well at Christmastime, and were particularly festive looking, poinsettias soon caught on as a holiday decoration in that country, too.
The Mexican government website says this about the Buenanoche: In pre-Hispanic times, the ancient Mexicans called this winter flowering plant, in Nahuatl, Cuetlaxóchitl. For the Aztecs, its red color symbolized the blood of the sacrifices they offered to the sun to renew their strength and was used in some ceremonies.
Long before its use as holiday decoration, the poinsettia had medicinal uses: it is used to relieve respiratory conditions such as angina or cough, mumps, and heart conditions and rabies. In the Federal District, Morelos, Puebla and Sonora, its application is orally or externally to increase or promote milk secretion for nursing mothers.
The poinsettia is a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Its bright red color symbolizes love, joy, and good fortune. It is also a symbol of rebirth and renewal since it blooms during the winter months when nature is seemingly dormant. In Christianity, poinsettia is associated with the Star of Bethlehem. Its bright red color symbolizes the blood of Christ, and its petals remind us of the petals of the star.
Whether you choose a poinsettia for its beauty or for its symbolism, the poinsettia is a lovely example of how something small and simple can have a big impact. Enjoy your holiday!
