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Poinsettia Care: How to Take Care of Poinsettia Flowers

How do you take care of poinsettia flowers to keep these holiday plants going strong? See our tips for keeping poinsettias happy and healthy. (Hint: Do NOT overwater!)

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) do need special care to keep blooming—and can be kept year after year to rebloom if you give them proper care.

By the way, the showy red parts of Poinsettia plants are not flowers; rather, they are modified leaves known as bracts. A poinsettia plant’s actual “flower” is the yellow bloom at the center of the bracts. They are plants that bloom when the days are shorter, making them perfect Christmas plants.

Choose plants with little or no yellow pollen to get the longest-lasting poinsettias. To get off to a good start, protect your new plant from cold temperatures and chilling winds on the way home from the store. As this is a tropical plant, don’t leave it in a cold car while you run other errands!

At home, follow these plant care tips:

The plants require bright, indirect light during the day for the brightest color (at least 6 hours a day), so place yours near a well-lit window. East-facing windows are best. However, keep it out of direct sun, which could fade or burn the leaves.

Avoid spots near heating vents and doors. Cold drafts will cause leaves to drop. No part of the plant should touch the cold glass. Excess heat can dry out the plants too much.

Poinsettias favor semi-cool conditions. Keep temperatures between 65° and 70°F, ideally. Basically, maintain temperatures that are comfortable to people. Be sure to lower the thermostat at night so that plants cool off.

Keep the soil moist, but be careful not to overwater, which is the most common cause of death. Only water when the top inch or two of soil feel dry to the touch. If underwatered, plants wilt and shed leaves.

Don’t let the plant sit in water or water-filled sauces which causes root rot. Be careful to remove any foil which may gather water. Treat the saucers like water catchers and 30 minutes or so after a good watering detach it in the sink and let it all drain out.

Fertilizer is never recommended while the plant is in bloom. Fertilize only if you decide to keep them after their holiday bloom.

Poinsettias like humidity. Add plants nearby to aide humidity. Use a humidifier or place plants on a tray filled with pebbles and water to increase relative humidity.

https://www.almanac.com/caring-for-poinsettias