In Santa Fe, New Mexico, the poinsettia has long been a symbol of the holiday season, alongside Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and reindeer. However, as the plant approaches its 200th year in the United States, attention is turning to the checkered history of its namesake, Joel Roberts Poinsett, a slaveowner and lawmaker who played a role in the forced removal of Native Americans from their land. This has led some people to question the use of the name “poinsettia” and instead embrace its Indigenous origin in southern Mexico.

The name “poinsettia” comes from Joel Roberts Poinsett, an amateur botanist and statesman who discovered the plant in 1828 during his tenure as the first U.S. minister to Mexico. Poinsett sent clippings of the plant to his home in South Carolina and to a botanist in Philadelphia, who named the plant in his honor. Poinsett's legacy is still celebrated in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, where a life-size bronze statue of him stands.

However, Poinsett's time in Mexico was short-lived, as he was expelled within a year due to his reputation for political maneuvering, secret masonic lodges, and schemes to contain British influence. He was also a slaveowner and played a role in the forced removal of Native Americans, including the infamous "Trail of Tears." In a new biography titled Flowers, Guns and Money, historian Lindsay Schakenbach Regele describes Poinsett as a political and economic pragmatist who justified the expulsion of Natives from their homes due to his connections and influence.

As more people become aware of Poinsett's complicated history, the name “poinsettia” is losing its luster in the United States. Unvarnished accounts of Poinsett's actions reveal him as a disruptive advocate for business interests abroad and a slaveowner. Historian Lindsay Schakenbach Regele argues that Poinsett's involvement in learned societies and art collections allowed him to justify the expulsion of Native Americans.

The poinsettia's Mexican roots can be traced back 500 years to the Aztec empire, where it was known as "cuetlaxochitl." In Nahuatl-speaking communities of Mexico, the plant is still referred to by this Indigenous name, meaning "flower that withers." In Latin America, the plant is known as "flor de Nochebuena" or "flower of Christmas Eve," and it is intertwined with the holiday celebrations. The name “Nochebuena” can be traced back to early Franciscan friars who arrived from Spain in the 16th century. Other nicknames for the plant include “Santa Catarina” in Mexico, "estrella federal" or "federal star" in Argentina, and "penacho de Incan" or “headdress” in Peru.

In recent years, Mexican biologists have traced the genetic stock of U.S. poinsettia plants to a wild variant in the Pacific coastal state of Guerrero. They are also researching other wild variants to protect against plant poaching and theft of genetic information. The poinsettia still grows wild along Mexico's Pacific Coast and parts of Central America.

Despite Poinsett's troubled history, his legacy as an explorer and collector continues to loom large. Thousands of poinsettias are delivered from greenhouses in Maryland to museums in Washington, D.C. affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution each November and December. Poinsett's efforts also contributed to the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution through the bequest of British scientist James Smithson.

As the debate over the name “poinsettia” continues, some Mexican youths, including those in the diaspora in the U.S., are embracing the Indigenous name "cuetlaxochitl." However, most ordinary people in Mexico do not use the name “poinsettia” and are not aware of Poinsett's history. The flower holds deep cultural significance for many, associated with ancestral traditions and offerings to maternal goddesses.

In conclusion, the poinsettia, once a beloved symbol of the holiday season, is now facing scrutiny due to its namesake's troubled history. As more people become aware of Joel Roberts Poinsett's involvement in slaveowning, political maneuvering, and the forced removal of Native Americans, the name “poinsettia” is losing its appeal. Instead, some are embracing the Indigenous name “cuetlaxochitl” and reconnecting with the plant's Mexican roots.