The Poinsettia Pages: from the University of Illinois

"The Poinsettia Pages"
University of Illinois Extension

The U. of I. has a pretty good website on this traditional Christmas-season plant, with pages on the history of the poinsettia, facts and FAQ (they're nothing if not thorough, it seems), how to select a plant, how to care for it, and a link page.

It looks like a pretty good one-stop place to get acquainted with the poinsettia.

I think I've found out why you don't see all that many poinsettias grown outside, here in Minnesota: the plant is native to Mexico, where it's a perennial that can grow ten feet tall.

We have plenty of bushes and trees that get that tall in Minnesota: but they're able to last out our winters.