Today we are going to go over some inforamtion and a few care tips for keeping your poinsettias looking amazing throughout the holiday season!
Poinsettia Care
Poinsettias are naturally a tropical plant, and are actually trees in their native habitat of Mexico! They bloom in December there, which is part of the reason they have become such an iconic Christmas plant. Since these colorful plants are native to a tropical area, they need to be treated as such. They like the sunlight, humidity, and warm temperatures.
Sunlight
Poinsettias we sell at Green Valley were grown in a greenhouse where we can control the amount of light they get. This is because we want them to bloom eariler than they would in the wild.
Since the plants you bring home are used to less sunlight, it is okay if they aren't getting as much light as they would in the Mexican wild. Really any light conditions will keep your poinsettia colorful throughout the holiday season. Just keep it in mind if you are going to put it in a room with very little light, they may get leggy or lose some color.
Temperatures
Given that these plants thrive in a much warmer environment than Minnesota, don't put them outside. You're going to want to keep the plant between 60 and 75 degrees for the best results. If you have yout plant near a drafty window or a heat register, keep an eye on it for signs of stress, and you may need to move it to optimize its conditions.
Make sure you cover the poinsettia with a plastic sleeve or plastic shopping bag when transporting your plant to and from the car or house to house to protect it from any harsh temperatures or wind.
Watering
You want to water your poinsettia when the soil starts to dry out.
You don't want to overwater your plant, because the leaves will turn yellow and it will be difficult to come back from. You also don't want to let your plant get stressed from underwatering, as it will start to lose its leaves and it will be difficult to come back from that as well.
I find that checking your plant based on what the pot weighs is the best way to determine if it needs water or not. Feel the weight when it needs water and when it has just been watered and you should get the hang of when you are needing to water it.
In general, 1 cup of water every few days is enough, but it does depend on the plant and the conditions, so make sure to check it before watering it.
Other Tips
The goal for these plants are short term beauty, as they will stop blooming between 1 and 3 months anyway, depending on the care. If your plant gets a yellow leaf, feel free to cut it off to make your plant more aesthetically pleasing.
If you have a humidifier or a humid area of your house, poinsettias enjoy humidity between 50-75%. This isn't crucial to their survival, but may make the plant last a little while longer.
Toxicity
There is a wives tale out there that poinsettias are poisonous to pets. This isn't true. If your pet eats a poinsettia, it may get a tummy ache but nothing more. You still don't want your pets eating your plants (poinsettias or other plants!) so try to discourage them from eating the leaves, but if they do, no serious harm done.
Fun!
Poinsettias come in all kinds of colors and variations, so feel free to have fun with your plant decor every season! Green Valley carries poinsettias with sparkles, painted fun colors, and with extra touches, in addition to the traditional red or white!
Tag us on social media with your poinsettias in your home or wrapped up as a gift!
Keep going and keep growing!
Chantel
