Poinsettia Day Dec. 12, 2024

Poinsettia Day

Here"s the red poinsettia, one of the plants synonymous with the holiday season across North America. With its striking star-shaped leaves, the poinsettia has become a symbol of Christmas cheer, brightening homes and public spaces during winter. National Poinsettia Day in the United States celebrates the legacy of Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico, who introduced these vibrant plants to America in the 1820s. He discovered them while exploring the Taxco region in Guerrero and, so taken by their beauty, sent clippings back to his home in Charleston, South Carolina.

© David Hosking/NPL/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

Holiday hues
Dec. 12, 2023Poinsettia Day
Dec. 12, 2025Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Vancouver, British Columbia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr. 30, 2026Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Netherlands
The oldest way to fly
Jul. 13, 2025International Rock Day
Apr. 4, 2026Black grouse males, Estonia
Feb. 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, Utah, United States
May 3, 2025Happy International Astronomy Day!
Jan. 26, 2026Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany
Jun. 24, 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Jan. 28, 2025Short-eared owl
May 31, 2024Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
Its puffling season!
Mar. 31, 2026Paradise Cave, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
Jun 2, 2026Highway through Xitai Jinaier Lake, Qinghai Province, China
Mar. 13, 2025Holi celebration in Jaipur, India
Nov. 15, 2024Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Apr. 22, 2025Earth Day
Nov. 24, 2023Green Friday
Hangin around
Sep. 13, 2025Point Reyes National Seashore, California, United States
Feb. 22, 2024Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
Red rock country
Jan. 26, 2024Northern hawk-owl
You can take a refreshing dip here any day of the year
Past below, future ahead
Sep 18, 2026Winnats Pass, Peak District National Park, England
Aug 2, 2026Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Aug. 4, 2024Friendship Day
Chasing summer in the art world
Mar. 5, 2026Evening over Göreme, Cappadocia, Türkiye
Stepping back in time