Poinsettia Day Dec. 12, 2023

During the holiday season, poinsettias are often seen adorning homes and festive displays, serving as symbols of goodwill and community spirit. Joel Robert Poinsett, a botanist and former minister to Mexico, introduced the plant to other countries to spread appreciation of its beauty. Poinsettias can be found in nature from Mexico to Guatemala, and the ancestors of the modern, commercially available version have been traced to the Mexican state of Guerrero. The crimson-leaved plant was used by the Aztecs as a red dye and as a fever-reducing medicine.

© Yarygin/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Holiday hues
Dec. 12, 2024Poinsettia Day
Dec. 12, 2025Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Vancouver, British Columbia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep. 22, 2025Autumn equinox
May 8, 2024Marseille welcomes to Olympic torch
It’s time for the Calgary Stampede!
Look, but don’t touch
Jul. 17, 2025Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France
Aug. 25, 2023Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Jan. 20, 2024Macaroni penguins, Drake Passage, Chile
Nov. 20, 2024World Childrens Day
Jan. 11, 2024Eurasian lynx
Aug. 11, 2025Village of Santa Maddalena, Dolomites, Italy
Feb. 25, 2024Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island
Spring is coming
Jun. 16, 2025World Sea Turtle Day
Centuries of time in a Delicate Arch
Nov. 17, 2023Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin
Aug. 3, 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong National Park, China
World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
Jul. 1, 2024Canada Day
Jun. 3, 2025World Bicycle Day
A butterfly’s best friend
Jun. 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
A puzzle for giants
Mar. 3, 2025World Wildlife Day
Mar. 26, 2025Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
May 27, 2025Mona Vale rockpool, Sydney, Australia
A convocation of eagles assembles
Jun. 1, 2024Pride Month
May 11, 2024World Migratory Bird Day
The Coast of Death
If given Menton, make lemonade