Flower of the season

The zócalo (main plaza) of Oaxaca is all dressed up for Christmas! The plant grows as a tree here, and in the surrounding villages it is common to see their brilliant red faces peeking over tall fences. 

 Poinsettias have an interesting history - below are a couple of links. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poinsettia

http://www.proflowers.com/blog/history-of-the-poinsettia