Poinsettia is now such a pretty plant that is unavoidable for Christmas Eve because of its blissful bright red as a whole as a classic Christmas tree. Flowering in December and January Poinsettia are the bestselling plant in Europe and also said to be the number one houseplant of UK on the Christmas season as around Eight million plants are sold in this season.

The poinsettia originates from Mexico and 12 December is known to be the National Poinsettia Day that commemorates the death of Mr. Joel Roberts, who was the US diplomat in Mexico who introduced the plant to US. These seasonal beauties don’t demand intense care to grow but can perform much better if you pay a little more attention. Here is a handful of ideas picked up by Plantsdubai.ae, that will give you the idea on how to take care of Poinsettia plants at home.

Taking Care of Poinsettia:

  1. The ideal temperature condition required for the plant is a cooler atmosphere not below 13 degrees and should not exceed much higher than the room temperature. So, they like the actual room temperature the most. Before buying the Poinsettia from a shop, you should ensure that the plant was not placed very close to doors that open and closes very often, because it will be damaged by winds and direct sunlight.
  2. Poinsettia varieties are as diverse as you can imagine and the most preferred ones are the red, white, pinks and the yellow, and also available with various leaf patterns. The bright colorful part of the plant is not actually the flower petals. They are called the bracts.  Flowers are the tiny yellow berry-like structure surrounded by these colorful bracts. Select a plant that will have intact bracts and tight flowers that can be healthier. Also, ensure that the bottom leaves are not turning yellow or falling off.
  3. At the time you bring the new Poinsettia to your home, keep them away from doors because near doors, the weather condition can pretty unstable that might damage your plant. Keep them indoors where they can attract daylight.
  4. The soil should be neither dripping wet nor completely dry. Poinsettia doesn’t like much water. Ensure that the plant root blades not being waterlogged. That may lead to root rot and leaves with a dead plant. Make some holes in the bottom for drainage and use a base pot for the excess water to drain out. You should regularly inspect its leaves. If they are turning yellow, it means you are not watering in the right way. A small sip once in a couple of days is enough for Poinsettia planted in a pot.
  5. Around November, it’s time to force the plant for flowering. Poinsettia requires a 50-50 day and night condition for winter alert. 12 hours of indirect daylight and 12 hours of complete darkness is required for the blooming to trigger. There is no need to fertilize in the holiday season. Plantsdubai.ae can give more ideas for getting the brightest bloom out of your poinsettia. A daytime temperature of around 65 degrees F works well.
  6. They are often thrown into thrashes when the festive season ends up. Poinsettia is a perennial plant, so they need not be dumped in a bin after the celebrations. You can coax this plant to re-bloom if you are ready to put some effort into it. Gradually reduce watering until the leaves and blooms fall, and let them go through a rest period ensuring ideal watering.
  7. In early spring or February, prune the Poinsettia stem to about 10 cm or about 4 inches. Keep the undisturbed at a cooler temperature preferably in your garden in a pot, and also start feeding with house plant fertilizer and continue watering. Fertilize in summer with a 10-30-10 fertilizer to ensure full blooming potential. Bring the Poinsettia to indoor around October allowing them to stay in 13-16 hours of darkness or you can cover them with a box or bag. The bracts will start showing color by November.
  8. Poinsettia has been the Christmas beauty for almost a century. Whatever be the known history, it’s also believed that they were some weeds picked up by a poor Mexican girl to decorate Christmas Eve and we are still growing this beautiful plant. We can’t mistake these miraculous plants for weeds now, with over 100 varieties to choose from there are colors like white, cream, salmon, yellow and much more in addition to Christmas red. Stunning Poinsettias with artificially colored, marbled and speckled bracts are much more beautiful and also hope for enthusiasts.