Some plants simply sit quietly on windowsills. The poinsettia? It demands the spotlight. Bright, bold, and as red as Rudolph"s nose, this December diva even has its own holiday—National Poinsettia Day, celebrated on December 12. Prior to becoming a popular Christmas decoration, this shrub had quite a journey. Long before it appeared in living rooms, it grew wild in Mexico, where the Aztecs used it for dyes and medicine. Then, in the 1820s, US diplomat Joel Roberts Poinsett spotted the plant, fell for its charm, and sent it home. The rest, as they say, is history—and botany.
National Poinsettia Day
Today in History
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75 years of the United Nations
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Happy birthday to Crater Lake National Park
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World Migratory Bird Day
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A circular celebration
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Black-naped monarch
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Endangered Species Act
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Golden jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, Palau
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Celebrating Mexico in a Cultural Capital
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Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
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Great horned owl
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International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples
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Victory in Europe, 75 years ago
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A century since Tut s tomb was discovered
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Henningsvær Stadion, Norway
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Bridge of Hillsborough County
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It s Mountain Day in Japan
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Aurora borealis
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Desert bighorn sheep in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
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Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
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Is that a buzzing sound?
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
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Hey, don t you guys have somewhere to be?
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‘The mountains are calling’
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Endangered Species Day
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National Napping Day
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Ahh-tumn
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An aviation celebration
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Skógafoss waterfall, Iceland
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Barcelona bids farewell to summer
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St. Patrick s Day
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