Poinsettas Are Pretty Plants Year Round: Tips for Care
by
Lisa S.
4 Materials
$6
15 Minutes
Easy
My pink poinsettia grew so much from last year and re-bloomed this year!
Now, it was a few months after Christmas. My new red Poinsettia was looking so sad. Time to repot!
The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), originates from Mexico. It is found in wild in tropical forests at moderate elevations and hot seasonally dry forest. The plant was brought to the USA in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico.
Poinsettias began to be associated with Christmas in 16th-century Mexico.
The story is of a poor girl who could not offer a gift for the festivity celebrating Jesus birth. An angel told the girl to gather weeds and put them at the church altar. Red flowers grew from the weeds. These became poinsettias.
The plants are most commonly grown as a houseplant. They like morning sun / filtered sun. Poinsettias can grow from 2 to 13 foot tall. Poinsettias can be kept outside in warmer climates. They prefer temperatures of 68 degrees F. degrees during the day, and cooler at night. Poinsettias should be watered regularly. I water mine 1-3 times a week, checking the soil for dryness. I keep the soil moist. Although they like the soil moist, do not let them sit in water. I water mine in the sink and let it completely drain.
This is my pink plant that I had from the prior Christmas. I was able to get it to re-bloom this past year. It more than doubled it size in a year.
The leaves are referred to as dentate leaves and the bracts are the colored leaves. The bracts can be red, white, pink and other colors. These are not flowers, but leaves that turn color.
To get the color change they require complete darkness at night to change color. This darkness must be 12 hours at a time during a period lasting from October to December. Any light during these nights, even from a lamp in a nearby room or a street light outside can prevent bracts from changing color. During this time period, for bright colors to form, they must get sun during the daytime.
Place in a basement at night, put a box over the plant or place in a closet. I placed mine in a room, where there is no light, and no light coming in from the outside.
For new plants, repot in a rich potting soil in late winter to early spring – after some leaves start to fall. When you receive the plants they are typically planted in poor soil, and a too small pot. I used moisture control, rich potting mix. I keep this on hand.
Pick a pot that is deep rather than wide. Poinsettias have roots that grow down, not across. Choose a pot with good drainage.
I choose a clay pot. I had this from an earlier gardening project. You can scrub these with steel wool soap pads. Just rinse well. If it has mold / mildew, scrub with white vinegar and rinse very well.
I use coffee filters at the bottom of the pot to keep soil from draining out. I have these on hand for my coffee pot!
I take some Styrofoam and break it into small pieces. A great way to recycle Styrofoam used for packing. My community does not recycle this waste product, and it is great to find a use for it. Make sure it is not the bio-degradable type.
You can also use packing peanuts, small stones, small clam shells or broken pieces of old clay flower pots. This going to be for drainage at the bottom of the pot.
Place the coffee filter in the bottom of the pot
Place the broken Styrofoam pieces on top of the coffee filter.
Add a cup or two of soil on top of the Styrofoam. Then remove you plant from the pot. Do not let any soil fall from the roots.
Holdings the plant in the center, add soil around. Pat down gently. Water carefully. Let the water drain into the sink.
If you choose to place the poinsettia pot into a more decorative pot, be sure to let the water drain out. Do NOT let any water remain in the bottom of the pot. If you place a saucer on the bottom, make sure NO water stands in it. Place in a sunny area. In Spain these are called Easter Flowers! So they really are meant to be enjoyed year round.
Frequently asked questions
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