He's been known to grab a few bracts off the nearest poinsettia plant and eat them in front of persistent disbelievers. He describes the taste as far worse than the most bitter radicchio. Frankly, he says, the flavour is indescribably awful. Even if poinsettia is awful to eat, it's still nice to look at. The plant was named after Joel Robert Poinsett, an American ambassador to Mexico.
Mexican legend has it that the poinsettia originated in a miracle.
Having nothing to offer Christ on his birthday, a poor child gathered weeds into the form of a bouquet. Upon approaching the altar, the weeds transformed into brilliant red blooms. The product of a miracle, the poinsettia's colourful bracts became known as Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night.