The bright petals of Poinsettias, which look like flowers, are actually the bunch of upper leaves of the plant, called bracts. Poinsettia flowers are small, green or yellow, and grow inconspicuously in the center of each leaf bunch. The ancient Aztecs (the Mexican Indians) prized the Poinsettia as a symbol of purity . Centuries later, Mexico’s early Christians adopted the Poinsettia as their prized Christmas Eve flower. The Mexican Poinsettia, known as the Christmas flower in North America , is used in most Christmas decorations, owing to its bright red color and its blooming season coinciding with the Christmas holiday season.