Care tips for Poinsettia Houseplants
Are you buying a Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) for this Christmas season or have you given up after a few years of unsuccess? Those festive bracts (coloured leaves) might look good in the shop that is until you get it home...........
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Cortez Electric Fire" - very long lasting bracts
- Does your plant start to develop yellow leaves?
- Each morning do you pick up the leaves its dropped during the night so by 25th December its just a few red bracts at the top and nothing but a lonely green stem below .
- Do you quickly dispose of the plant in the compost bin before New Year?
Well if your plant suffers from these symptoms above then you are in good company!
There are many things that can go wrong with a Poinsettia and some of those might not even be down to your aftercare. The damage could have been done before you even purchased it!
This post might be long but it's concise and should help you determine what you have been doing wrong with your poinsettia and how to grow these fussy lovely plants. For those of you who are successful at growing them you are welcome to just browse the photographs.
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Pink Sparkle"
British or European?
If you live in the UK firstly try to find out if the poinsettias being sold have been grown in Europe or from Britain. The British ones have been grown in our light levels. They probably have had less stress in transportation mostly likely being delivered from a nursery that isn't too far away.
The European ones are sent from large greenhouses to packing centres for distribution across Europe and by road to the port. Then across the North Sea reaching their final destination by road with the doors opening and closing as each delivery along the route is made. Even travelling in a heated lorry is just not enough - the length of time that the plants are in transportation could be detrimental to their condition.
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Primero Glitter"
So if you are unsure ask someone in the shop to point out the British grown poinsettia's - they should be able to tell you. You might have better success with the British grown ones. British grown poinsettias are that little bit more expensive than the imported ones but usually you are buying a stronger more robust plant.
How to make that all important decision when you have about 100 poinsettias to choose from.............
Don't buy a plant that is sold near a draughty spot in a shop or outside a florists door. Poinsettias hate draughty spots and they will show their disapproval very quickly. Many garden centres know where their hot and cold spots are and usually the Poinsettias are placed in the warmest parts of the shop where regular temperature checks are made throughout the day - so try to buy from those areas. Where their azaleas and cyclamen are placed should most of the time give you a clue as to where the cold spots are!
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Winter Sun"
Look out for nice dark green leaves that are sitting well on the plant rather than drooping and a well balanced shape that has leaves right down to the base. Sometimes the plants are still in their sleeves - so try to roll down the sleeve to check the condition of the leaves at the lowest level and don't buy one that has yellow leaves.
If a plant has been left in its plastic sleeve too long - the ethylene gas builds up and it makes the plant drop its leaves far too quickly and makes the leaves curl. Some suppliers have holes in the sleeves to try to prevent this from happening. Sometimes it's not a bad thing to have the plastic sleeve around the plant as its giving it a little more protection from the cold ..........just not for too long. If the plant is wilting in the shop and it has soggy compost - leave it well alone.
Poinsettia Flowers
Poinsettia flowers (cyathia) are tiny - all of the colour is in the leaves (bracts). When buying your plant check those little flowers. If the poinsettia is in full bloom then all those little yellow flowers will have opened out - so try to buy a plant that has many of them still to open. When a poinsettia has past its best those little flowers fall off so checking the flowers is a good way of telling if the plant is past its prime. What I have found is that a few of the newer varieties have very few cyathia so it's not a foolproof test.
Poinsettia flowers - Cyathia
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Christmas Feelings Red"
If you are getting your poinsettia gift wrapped in the shop as a present for someone - make sure the assistant doesn't completely cover the plant with gift wrap if it's going to be a few days before you give the gift to the recipient. The plant could droop after 48 hours inside the cellophane.
Once you have bought your plant don't leave the shop without it being placed in a plastic sleeve. Make sure that you don't leave the houseplant in the car for long (never in the boot) and get it home as quickly as possible. Leave your poinsettia purchase to the very last item on the shopping list that day.
Now you've got it home........
- Keep it away from draughts - you would be surprised at how many people want to grow theirs in a cold porch!
- Don't let the bracts touch a cold window pane for any length of time as that will damage the leaves.
- Night temperatures should be no cooler than 60 to 65 degrees F and daytime temperatures should not exceed 80 degrees F as they also detest excessive heat.
- If the curtains are closed at night time take the plant into the room away from the window sill. Any rapid temperature fluctuations will cause premature leaf drop.
- Keep it away from heated appliances, tv's, computers and radiators.
- Take the plastic sleeve off the plant so that the roots can breathe and gases can't build up.
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Christmas Red"
Light levels
- Place the plant somewhere nice and bright during the winter months and keep an eye out for bugs as the weeks go by.
- Don't let it sit in too much sunlight during the day as it is a bit fussy about that too! plus the bracts start to fade.
- About 2 hours of sunlight a day is recommended but if you live in the UK 2 hours of bright sunlight a day in wintertime is quite rare! If it is placed in too shady a position it will also loose some of its leaves.
- The coloured bracts should last 2-6 months.
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Ice Punch" - variegated "icy" bracts
Watering
If you get the watering right - then you should hopefully be on a journey of success. Check for water every day and when the compost is dry to touch on the surface it's time to water - making sure that you give the plant enough luke warm water so that some of it runs out of the bottom of the pot. Drain away the excess and don't leave it sitting in a saucer of water.
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Christmas Feelings Pink" - botrytis resistant leaves
Sometimes the plant might droop if it has been kept too dry - normally there's a window of opportunity here if you catch it quick enough. Place the plant in a shady spot sitting in luke warm water for quite a few hours and it should revive itself. I've done this on so many occasions and it does work but it will probably drop a few of its leaves in protest at being left too dry. If it's drooping and the compost is soggy - sorry but that plant is only fit for the compost bin as I've never seen one recover from that.
It's best to water in the mornings rather than in the evenings.
Feeding
Many people don't realise how hungry these plants really are and the feeding also helps prevent the leaves from going yellow BUT DON'T FEED when the plant is flowering! Just use a general purpose houseplant fertilizer and follow the instructions on the bottle though some garden centres now sell special feeds for poinsettias.
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Citronella" - warm yellow bracts
A little caution
You will notice the white sap that seeps from the slightest wound in the leaf or stem. I've always been told to wash my hands once I have come in contact with the white sap from the plants. I read last year that about 8% of the population have an allergy to latex - and out of that 8% - 40 % of those people have an allergy to poinsettia sap. Every time those people come in contact with the sap their allergy gets worse so eventually coming in contact with the sap could put the person into anaphylactic shock..... scary!
For all the rest of us who don't have that allergy just don't let any of the sap get into your eyes or mouth as it's an irritant. It's best to keep young children away from the plants as they will find that oozing milky white sap quite intriguing I'm sure. It's also best to keep it out of reach of any pets you have in the home. The plant is not poisonous but as you can see a few can have severe reactions so it's best to be cautious.
My Favourite Poinsettia
I'll leave you with my favourite - it's a little more compact compared to others but I love its deep rich colour.
Euphorbia pulcherrima "Christmas Feelings Merlot" - deep red burgundy bracts and orange cyathia
Do you buy a Poinsettia each year or can you keep yours alive from year to year?
What colours or named varieties do you prefer?
© 2009-2012 on all text and photographs by Rosie at
www.leavesnbloom.com
"Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse." Romans 1:20
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