Parts Most Frequently Used: Leaf, Flower, Root

Flavors/Temps: Bitter, Acrid, Cold, Toxic

Caution: This is a strong herb, so be careful using it if a person is weak. Do not use with Radix Glycyrrhizae (Licorice Root/Gan Cao).

History/Folklore: The leaves are used to treat skin irritations. The crushed flowers help heal conjunctivitis. The roots can be made into a paste to help ease stomach pain if used in small doses, used in larger doses, it will induce vomiting.

The plant is believed to promote the production of blood platelets.

Poinsettias have been cultivated in Egypt since the 1860s when they were brought there from Mexico. The plant has been called, Bent El Consul, or “the consul’s daughter” referring to the then U.S. ambassador, Joel Poinsett.

It was Paul Ecke Jr., the third generation of Ecke family members who cultivated the plants, who made the association of poinsettias as being a holiday flower in the U.S and around the world. They have been associated in the west with Christmas ever since. The Ecke family still provides 70% of U.S. poinsettia production and 50% of worldwide production.

In Mexico, the plants have been associated with Christmas since the 16th century, where legends tell the story of a poor girl who wanted to gift the baby Jesus at Christmas and was inspired by an angel to gather weeds by the roadside and place them on the church’s alter, where they blossomed into poinsettias. The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem and the red color, the blood sacrifice during the crucifixion of Jesus.

The Aztecs name for the plant translates as “flower that grows in residues.” Today in Mexico and Guatemala it is called Flor de Noche Buena, meaning Christmas Eve Flower. In Chile and Peru, it is known as Crown of the Andes. In Hungarian, it is called Santa Claus’ Flower.

In China, they harvest their varietal, E. pekinensis, in late winter or early spring. Charred poinsettia (E. pekinensis) is better at stopping bleeding while the fresh herb is better for cooling the blood and reducing swelling. The fresh juice of the herb can be used alone for epistaxis, hematemesis and excess menses.

The Chinese say that the plant’s harsh properties are reduced by cooking with honey and red jujubes. Frying in vinegar also reduces toxicity.

Good quality root is firm and not easily broken, fibrous, with a brownish-yellow or whitish cross section if you are using Euphorbia, red if you are using Knoxia.