Poinsettias represent Christmas just as much as Christmas trees. They were first introduced to what is now the United States in 1825 and have remained popular ever since. Poinsettias not only come in a bright Christmassy red: they also come in white, pink, speckled, and yellow. They can be found with double bracts, which are known as “Winter Rose” poinsettias. On the slightly less natural side, some stores are dying their poinsettias a variety of interesting colors and even sprinkling them with glitter. However you like your poinsettias, they are here to stay.
Poinsettias do not like direct sunlight. You can place it near a sunny window, but back at least a foot. They will appreciate the brightest light you can give it as long as the sun’s rays don’t fall directly on it.
Keep your poinsettia away from drafty areas. This is especially important when you are bringing your plant home. While transporting, keep in wrapped in its protective plastic. Poinsettias are very sensitive to cool temperatures and their bracts (red leaves) will drop off with even a short exposure. Night temperatures should not get lower than 55F and your plant will appreciate day temperatures of around 65F. Higher temperatures than this will decrease the plant’s blooming longevity, but of course is normal in homes.
Your poinsettia should never be allowed to dry all the way out. Keep it damp, but be careful not to leave it soggy. You can do this by watering when the soil is dry half an inch down and promptly dumping any water that ends up in the tray.
Do not fertilize your poinsettia while it is in bloom. You can fertilize it after it is done blooming about once a month. This will help the plant build up the strength for next Christmas.
If you would like to re-bloom your poinsettia yourself, you need to start early. In April, cut off the old bracts or flowering portion of the plant. You can continue to prune the plant until the beginning of August, with the final “pinch” at the end of August.
Starting usually the first week of October the plant must be kept in TOTAL darkness from 5pm to 8am every day. This means NO light pollution. Not even for a second. A mistake here could prevent your poinsettia from blooming for you. You can adjust this time period forward or backward however you like, as long as the plant gets its 15 hours of uninterrupted darkness. This must be done for a minimum of 10 weeks. After the 10 weeks, you no longer need to keep the plant in the dark for 15 hours: it will bloom in time for Christmas.
The dark treatment can be given anywhere, but is most often done in homes either in a closet or with a box placed over the plant. Any method you invent on your own will work, so long as no light gets in the cracks.
On a final note, in case you haven’t heard: poinsettias are not poisonous. A person would have to eat several hundred leaves just to get a stomach-ache. You don’t need to worry too much about your pets or children eating them either: they taste terrible! Some people may have a skin reaction to the sap, but it’s nothing serious. Enjoy your poinsettias! They are beautiful and non-toxic: a perfect houseplant combination.
