Poinsettias are without a doubt the holiday season’s favorite plant! With joyful, vibrant red leaves, it has become synonymous with Holiday cheer. Besides the red-leafed variety, over the years there has been a rise in different colored varieties such as pink, yellow, white, and variegated ones as well. Whichever type you prefer, you are going to want to keep this plant’s fabulous blooms vibrant and healthy as long as you can. Just follow the below steps given by the floral experts at Al’s Florist to help ensure this ornamental house plant stays colorful and healthy.

Tips for Poinsettia Shopping

When selecting your poinsettia, pick a stocky plant with bright leaves (bracts) and thick, dark green foliage. Avoid those plants with yellow or dropped leaves. Inspect small flowers in the center of the plant – they should be tightly closed with no trace of pollen. If it is pretty cold outside, protect the poinsettia by wrapping it in a blanket as you transport it to your car.

The Best Spot for a Poinsettia in Your Home

Choose a well-lit sunny spot, like an eastern- or southern-facing window. Poinsettias thrive with plenty of bright sunlight. Just don’t let the leaves touch a cold windowpane as it could cause damage. The poinsettia is a tropical plant and hates cold temperatures. Keep it away from cold drafts and at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees F to keep it healthy.

How to Water Your Poinsettia

Water your poinsettia whenever the top soil is dry to the touch. A great way to water this plant is by placing it in the sink. Soak it thoroughly with water and then allow all the water to drain out (about an hour) and return it to its sunny spot. When using this method, remove the foil wrapping so the plant can drain properly, otherwise, the roots will get soggy which leads to root rot. 

The Process for Reblooming Your Poinsettia

After the holiday season is over, your poinsettia will eventually drop all of its leaves. When this happens, prune the stems to about 6 inches. Keep it in a sunny area in your home.

Once the weather gets warmer, around June, you can move your plant outside as long as the temperature does not dip below 65 degrees F. Put it in a partially shaded area that gets plenty of sun in the morning and ample shade in the afternoon. This is a good time to repot the plant with fresh soil and fertilize with a half-strength solution every week. 

New growth should appear in early September. When it starts to look leggy, pinch away about 1-2 inches from each stem for a lush-looking plant. When temps drop to below 60 at night, it is time to relocate the plant back inside.

On October first, and for the next 8-10 weeks, your poinsettia will require complete darkness for a minimum of 14 hours each day for reblooming to occur. An easy way to achieve this is by putting a box over it to make sure no light gets through. During the day, maintain its place in a sunny area. 

When the period of darkness is over, if things have gone well, you’ll have a fully re-bloomed poinsettia just in time for the holiday season! Good job! If reblooming a poinsettia seems like too much work, don’t sweat it! Just support your local Hollywood, FL florist and greenhouse and pick up a new poinsettia each Christmas season.