The popularity of poinsettia means that new varieties are being introduced all the time. But there are some types of poinsettia colors and varieties that have become very popular, others that are just so colorful that we could not leave them out. And here they are:

You will see that poinsettia is more than a “Christmas houseplant” very soon, but first things first, shall we start from the beginning?

1: Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Let’s start with the mother species, which was also the first to become popular, a classic! Native to Mexico and Central America, it is actually a small tree, and a special member of the vast Euphorbia genus, in fact, its “first name” is pulcherrima, which means “very beautiful” in Latin!

2: ‘Green Envy’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Green Envy’)

And now it is the festive time to start getting to know the colorful daughters of Euphoria pulcherrima, and we shall start with a very different cultivar: ‘Green Envy’.

3: ‘Freedom Peppermint’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Freedom Peppermint’)

‘Freedom Peppermint’ is the romantic rebel of poinsettia cultivars! Yes, because it mixes very unusual qualities… To start with, the bracts can be so lush that they take up most of the plant itself, leaving little space to the dark green leaves at the base.

4: ‘Biancaneve White’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Biancaneve White’)

Guess what? “Biancaneve” is the name Italians give to fairy tale superstar Snow White, and this should give you a clue… But it also tells you that this poinsettia variety is really perfect to catch the full spirit (and color) of the winter season!

Yes, of course the bracts are fully, candid, immaculate, luminous white! In fact, it is the variety that has arguably the purest shade ever!

5: ‘Lemon Glow’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Lemon Glow’)

And we move on to a new transformation of Euphorbia pulcherrima: ‘Lemon Glow’ poinsettia! This time, our cultivar diverts from the Christmas theme altogether… In fact, it has a fruity and sunny personality instead!

6: ‘Country Quilt’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Country Quilt’)

We remain in the realm of traditions, but this time we move away from the celebrations of yuletide and into rural traditions, with colorful ‘Country Quilt’!

7: ‘Christmas Mouse’ Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Christmas Mouse’)

And we are pleased to introduce to you two recent children of mother Euphorbia pulcherrima, sweet twins of the ‘Christmas Mouse’ series! And quite original they are indeed!

8: ‘Enduring Marble’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Enduring Marble’)

If you like variegation but you are also looking for elegant and even refined colors, then you will love the ‘Enduring Marble’ variety of poinsettia! The bracts display an irregular splash of pink in the middle, which follows the mid rib with a wavy fishbone pattern.

9: ‘Holly Berry’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Holly Berry’)

Here we come to a cultivar with a spiky, somewhat sharp look: ‘Holly Berry’. This poinsettia keeps the bright and vibrant scarlet coloring of her mother in the bracts that it grows at its top.

However, it adds a very unusual quality with their shape. They present deep lobes that form lots of pointed margins, and in fact, they may look like those of hollies (hence the name).

For this reason, it is a really ideal variety to decorate homes during the Christmas season, and the little flowers are yellow and red, quite glossy, again, following the same theme.

10: ‘Pink Champagne’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Pink Champagne’)

Soft and suave, ‘Pink Champagne’ turns the celebratory theme of poinsettias to a refined, sophisticated and brightly sparkling affair… In fact, the bracts play with a range of pink tonalities, from pale and pastel, even fading to almost white, which offers you the base and overall effect, but blushing to rosy tints in some spots.

11: ‘Alaska ‘ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Alaska’)

The icy queen of Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivars has a very cold name indeed, ‘Alaska’, and for good reason. As you may have guessed, the tuft of bracts at the top is white, and it can be pure snow to ivory or cream in tonality, probably due to light conditions.

12: ‘Robyn Pink’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Robyn Pink’)

Still festive, but more suitable to a hen party is the shockingly bold and bright ‘Robyn Pink’ poinsettia. In fact, you will need sunglasses to look at the crown of bracts at the top of this cultivar, because their bright rose to magenta color is so strong and vibrant that it may be dangerous for your eyesight!

13: ‘Autumn Leaves’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Autumn Leaves’)

We change season, from festive to melancholic fall, where sunlight fades and gives us a glow of delicate, mellow feelings, as does ‘Autumn Leaves’ poinsettia!

14: ‘Orange Spice’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Orange Spice’)

I actually think that ‘Orange Spice’ is one of the most striking cultivars of poinsettia ever! Let me tell you why… To start with it hits an amazing note of fire orange, very bright deep, on the scarlet scale, that almost reaches the red range, only to stop short of it!

15: ‘Polar Bear’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Polar Bear’)

In the season of snow coated fields and trees, ‘Polar Bear’ is the white poinsettia that best fits a picture postcard scene… The name is not random, because its color is really like that of the North Pole plains, and its texture like that of the big mammals that inhabit those regions… And very much so, because the distinctive characteristics of thus small cultivar is the the candid bracts cover the plant almost completely!

16: ‘Strawberries and Cream’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Strawberries and Cream’)

On to another, really surprising variegated poinsettia, meet ‘Strawberries and Cream’! This variety of Euphorbia pulcherrima, has a very distinctive look, and it is not just due to its coloring.

17: ‘Winter Rose Dark Red’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Winter Rose Dark Red’)

Now, ‘Winter Rose Dark Red’ is a poinsettia cultivar that brings in a new dimension to thus genus of popular Christmastime houseplants… The color, well, you guessed that it is red, however, we need to be more specific… Some specimens will develop the typically bright scarlet tonality we find in classic varieties, but others will give you a crimson, even raspberry note!

18: ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Jingle Bell Rock’)

19: ‘Winter Rose White’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Winter Rose White’)

A twin to ‘Winter Rose Red’, ‘Winter Rose White’, of course, is the sister with the color of snow, or rather ivory, sometimes with a pink cream glow… It will form a dense rosette of sinuously folding, lushly soft and gently twisting bracts of different sized at the top that looks a big like a meringue…

20: ‘Ice Punch’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Ice Punch’)

Aptly named ‘Ice Punch’ is one of the most colorful poinsettia varieties you can ever grow. The bracts are quite large, forming rosettes that display a very vibrant palette indeed! In fact, you will see patches of many shades and on the scale from red to white.

21: ‘Prestige Maroon’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Prestige Maroon’)

‘Prestige Maroon’ is a poinsettia variety with an elegance of its own… The bracts have a a very lustrous and plush shade of magenta, which in itself makes it very luxurious looking.

22: ‘Cinnamon Star’ Poinsettia (Euphorbiapulcherrima ‘Cinnamon Star’)

‘Cinnamon Star’ is a very popular variety of Euphorbia pulcherrima, and there must be a good reason for this; let’s try to find out… Maybe the main reason why many people love it as a houseplant is the coloring of its bracts… In fact, they are pink, but it is not as simple as that… The many pastel tonalities that paint them include sift shades of shell, sand, coral and even salmon.

23: ‘Red Elf’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Red Elf’)

And we come to a little, but super energetic cultivar of Euphorbia pulcherrima: ‘Red Elf’. What this variety of poinsettia lacks in size, it makes up in personality! The fact is that its bracts are of the most vibrant, luminous and powerful scarlet red ever!

24: ‘Freedom Marble’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Freedom Marble’)

‘Freedom Marble’ deserves a very special place indeed among poinsettia varieties… In fact, this cultivar hits a balance of colors that makes it stand out… You will see that the bracts seem to be painted by the delicate hand of a luminous soul with lots to express…

25: ‘Early Monet’ Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Early Monet’)

We have seen that Euphorbia pulcherrima is more of a painter than a houseplant… And it is only fair to close this journey with a cultivar dedicated to one of the most amazing artists in history: ‘Early Monet’