We often associate the poinsettia with the holiday season and Christmas, but did you know that today is a day that we not only celebrate the plant but the man who this flower is named for.
The poinsettia is native to southern Mexico and Central America; it was Joel Roberts Poinsett that brought the plant to America. Poinsett was the first Ambassador to Mexico in the early 1800’s and his interest in Botany inspired him to bring back samples of the red flowers that grow wild in Mexico. The Aztecs called the flower Cuetlaxochitl, the botanical name is Euphoria pulcherrima, and other names have included “the lobster flower” and the “flame-leaf flower.” It was in 1836 that William Prescott was asked to name the plant and he chose to honor the Ambassador by naming the plant poinsettia.
On December 12, 1851 Joel Roberts Poinsett died, and poinsettia day was enacted by congress to honor the amateur botanist. Likewise in Mexico December 12th is the Dia de la Virgen, and the poinsettia is displayed as a symbol of the day.
So to celebrate today here is a craft to make poinsettias and learn more about the parts of a plant.
You will need:
Red and green felt
Gold sequins or beads
craft glue, or glue gun
Cut a five point flower out of the green felt, then cut the same flower out of the red felt. We used this pattern from the Shabby Art Boutique
Glue the red on top of the green with both colors showing.
Then cut five petals and curl them up and glue the two sides together at the wide end.
Glue the petals onto the red and green base.
Then in the center glue the sequins or beads
Your poinsettia is complete! Now download the For Creative Minds section of The Tree that Bear Climbed to learn more about the parts of a flower. Then do your research the poinsettia is not ordinary flower.
Learn more about flowers and plants with Count Down to Fall, Daisylocks and The Tree that Bear Climbed.
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