Cuetlaxóchitl, often referred to as the poinsettia is an iconic red flower that is native to western Mexico and typically used in Christmas displays. While the flower is well-known for being a symbol of the December holiday season, not many know about its Indigenous roots and history. The plant has been a part of Nahua, Mexica, and Mayan cultural celebrations for centuries and was used in several different ways from cooking to medicine to textiles to celebrations, including the celebration of Huitzilopochtli, the Mexica god of war, the sun, and human sacrifice. Cuetlaxóchitl was first introduced to the U.S. by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, after he encountered the flower in the 1820s and began popularizing it in the states. However, Poinsett was a slave owner and key player in overseeing the Trail of Tears, which forcibly displaced around 100,000 Indigenous people from their homes and ancestral lands, so many opt to reject Poinsett and the plant’s colonia...