Poinsettia Tips: Keeping Them Beautiful Throughout the Holidays!

When the holiday season rolls around, it’s hard to overlook the vibrant red and green beauty of poinsettias! However, keeping them looking beautiful can be difficult, so here are some tips and tricks to help to keep them beautiful during the season. These festive plants have become synonymous with winter celebrations. When I see them, I get a strong urge to bring one (or more) home!

Best Tips for Keeping Poinsettias Beautiful

Yes, poinsettias contribute so much to the drama of our holiday decor! But as you probably know, it’s easy, in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, to overlook that, unlike other holiday decorations, you actually have to take care of them! Before you can say “Candy Cane”, you have a sad-looking plant!

I know I have sent more than my fair share of poinsettias to the “Great Compost Pile Beyond” by not really knowing what they needed! So, with a Santa’s bag of tricks, you can help your poinsettias stay looking beautiful throughout the season! Let’s dive into the world of poinsettias and explore how to care for these lovely plants.

Choosing a Poinsettia

Typically when you shop for poinsettias, or are blindsided by them in the store, it’s important to keep your wits about. Take care in making your selections.

Unwrap it

If the poinsettias in the store are wrapped in plastic sleeves and you can’t see the whole plant, take it out and look at it-same thing if they are in a decorative foil wrap. The plant may have yellowed or dropped leaves, or broken stems hiding behind that wrapping! Really look it over! Pick a good one! Check the bracts, flowers, leaves, and stems.

Flower

The colorful part of the plant that we think of as the flower, is not actually a “flower.” They are modified leaves which are called “bracts.” Look for vibrant, colorful bracts that are free from spots or wilting.

Center

The actual flowers of the poinsettia are the tiny yellow buds clustered in the center of the bracts. The fancy name is “cyathia.” When you are selecting your plant, choose one with flower buds that are tightly closed and yellow green, not fuzzy. If the plant is already displaying the open flowers, it may not last as long at home. Lastly, if the plant is dropping pollen, choose a different one. Compare the centers of these two flowers. The second is past its prime.

Leaves

The foliage should be a dark green, healthy color. (Unless it’s a specialty)

Stems

The stem should be strong and sturdy, with no mushy spots.

Varieties

When we think of poinsettias, we usually think of the classic red ones, but there are many other colors and types of poinsettias available! These include white, cream, pink, marbled and ruffled varieties. One marbled variety is called “Jingle Bells!” (not pictured here.)

There are also poinsettias whose bracts are splashed with red and pink, red and white, and red and green! “Winter Rose” is a beautiful type whose bracts curl under and look somewhat like a rose! The plant is a bit smaller, but that “flower” is just so pretty! There are also varieties with variegated leaves! Here are just a few examples.

Caring for Your Poinsettia

Once the perfect poinsettia is chosen, it’s time to focus on care.

Light

Poinsettias thrive in bright, indirect sunlight, so it’s best to place them in a spot where they can soak up the light without being scorched by direct sun.

Rotate

Turn your plant every couple of weeks to encourage even growth.

Watering

Consistent moisture is absolutely critical to poinsettia care! I have experienced leaves dropping off my poinsettias if I mess up on this! They don’t like to be too dry (leaf drop) and they don’t like to sit in water (root rot)!

The voice of experience here! So! ALWAYS check the soil moisture before watering by sticking your finger an inch or so deep into the soil. If it feels dry, it’s time to water thoroughly. You might just take the plant to the sink and let the water run until it flows out the bottom of the pot.

If you do this, the plant may only need watering every five to seven days. You can also just add a cup or two of water to the plant every day or so. But of course, you will have to check the soil more often. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the soil is moist. I often use a moisture meter to determine if plants need to be watered. They are inexpensive and readily available.

Display

If your plant comes in a decorative foil sleeve, poke holes in it so the plant doesn’t sit in water. Do be sure to put a saucer under it to protect your table surface, but don’t let water collect in it! You can also lift the pot out of the sleeve and put the pot in a decorative container. It will still look pretty and you can keep an eye on the lower leaves. But once again, be sure it’s a container with drainage holes.

Sometimes plants are potted in soil that is not conducive to the plant getting water and the compacted root ball prohibits water from getting to the roots. Poinsettias are usually planted in better soil, a peat based soil, but do be sure to watch that water is actually getting into the soil and not just running down the inside of the pot. Repotting the poinsettia when you want to display it, may cause the plant to go into shock. Wait until spring to make a change.

If the leaves do drop, they are not coming back until next season. However, you can still enjoy the colorful “flowers!” They make good cut flowers and last well in a vase. Wear gardening gloves if you decide to cut the flowers since the milky sap coming from the stem can be irritating to your skin.

Temperature and Humidity

The environment of your home is a consideration in keeping your poinsettia happy. Ideally, keep the plant in temperatures between 65°F and 75°F during the day and slightly cooler at night. Poinsettias dislike drafts, so be mindful of placing them near heating vents or appliances. They thrive in humid conditions, so if your home is dry, consider using a humidifier or placing a tray of water nearby. You can also place the plant on a saucer with pebbles and a little water to help the humidity level. Just don’t let the plant sit in water!

Keeping Your Poinsettia Beyond the Holidays

One of the most interesting aspects of owning a poinsettia is the challenge of keeping it alive and helping it to thrive past the holiday season! There are many opinions on how to keep a poinsettia after the festivities and then to get it to re-flower. Some folks even recommend just putting them on the compost heap because they are inexpensive and it’s easier to just bring in a new one for the next season. But, if you’re game, try these tips.

Pruning and Repotting

It’s normal for a poinsettia to enter a period of dormancy after the holidays and it WILL lose some leaves! However, if, in spite of maintaining a good plant care regimen and the leaf drop and plant decline is excessive, discard the plant. Most of us don’t have space to keep a plant indoors that has become unattractive. If, however, you are satisfied with its condition, carry on. In late winter, you can cut the plant back by about one-third to encourage bushy growth. If your plant has outgrown its pot, consider repotting it in a slightly larger container with fresh potting soil. This is ideally done in spring.

Fertilizer

To help your poinsettia flourish, consider fertilizing it, but wait until the growing season! You can start in spring when new growth begins and continue through the summer, using a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every four to six weeks. Do dilute it to half strength to avoid burning the roots. Some common fertilizers used for poinsettias are 15-0-15, 15-16-17, 20-10-20, and Peters EXCEL Cal-Mag 15-5-15.

Reblooming

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can encourage your poinsettia to bloom again for the next holiday season. Starting in late September or October, give your poinsettia 14 hours of complete darkness (put it in a closet) each night for four to six weeks. Then make sure it gets bright, indirect light during the day. This is to mimic the shorter days of fall. After this period, return to regular care, and you should be rewarded with vibrant bracts in time for the holidays.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Even with the best care, your poinsettia might face some challenges. So to recap.

Leaf Drop

Check for under watering or over watering, as both can lead to stress. A sudden drop in temperature can also shock the plant, so ensure it’s not in drafts or near heat sources. I have seen it reported that leaf drop is a part of the life cycle of a poinsettia. So, as many times as I’ve had poinsettias and thought I was a bad plant mother, it turns out they do just shed their leaves as a part of their cycle. Even in this unattractive state, I kept one last year. I just put it in the greenhouse and then moved it outside and gave it some TLC when the weather warmed up. Unfortunately, it didn’t make it through the summer – it got smashed by a critter. I plan to try again this year.

Wilting

This is another common issue. If your plant appears wilted, it may be due to lack of water; check the soil moisture immediately. Conversely, too much sun can also cause wilting, so make sure your plant is in the right light conditions. This Poinsettia below is planted with English Ivy and got an unexpected dose of full sun for a couple hours, the picture speaks for itself!

Pests

They can occasionally be a nuisance for poinsettias. Mealybugs are one of the most common pests to look out for, identifiable by their cotton-like clusters(see below). Treat these with insecticidal soap. Spider mites, which can create tiny webbing on the plant, can be managed by increasing humidity and treating accordingly. I highly recommend isolating a plant with spider mites from other plants. Years ago I read in an old book to just give a plant with a spider mite infestation a “plant funeral!”

Mealybugs

Spider Mites

Conclusion

Caring for a poinsettia can be a rewarding experience, bringing a splash of color and festive spirit into your home. By understanding their needs—light, water, temperature, and pruning at the appropriate time—you can enjoy these beautiful plants well beyond the holiday season. Whether you’re new to gardening or an experienced green thumb, growing poinsettias can be a delightful challenge.

So, as the holiday season approaches, consider adding a poinsettia to your home or giving one as a gift. With some special care and attention, you’ll be rewarded with vibrant blooms that can brighten your space for months to come. Happy gardening!

Finally a Quick Shout Out

I want to thank Martha’s Bloomers, a wonderful nursery, gift shop and cafe, where we were able to get most of these beautiful pictures. They graciously agreed to let us photograph their great poinsettias.

Happy gardening,
Julie

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