3 March 15

Yesterday I celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday, which postponed recognition of Joel Roberts Poinsett until today. Poinsett, who was born on 2 March 1779, was the first U. S. official minister to Mexico (under President James Madison). In 1828 he found some beautiful flowers in the Taxco region, and sent some plants back to his botanical greenhouses in Greenville, SC. By 1836 these flowers had gained the popular name "Poinsettia."