The poinsettia, a plant of the Aztec culture.

According to an ancient codex, the Aztecs left  the mythological place  of Aztlān to settle permanently on small islands of the Texcoco Lake. Subsequently, they built the city of Tenochtitlan, which later became Mexico City. These people established an important empire that ruled the valley of Mexico. The empire ended in 1521 with the Spanish conquest.

This civilization cultivated several species of plants. Among the plants cultivated by the Aztecs, there were squash, corn, tomatoes, avocados and guavas. The Aztecs were also interested in another plant that symbolized virginity and purity. In the Aztec language, this plant was called Cuetlaxochit. It was used to dye clothing and its latex had medicinal properties. According to the Aztecs, the latex of the plant had the ability to reduce fever. King Montezuma made cultivate this small shrub in the gardens of Oaxtepec. This amazing plant is now known as Euphorbia pulcherrim which means "the most beautiful Euphorbia."