How to Care for a Poinsettia

Poinsettias are the traditional holiday plant, but what do you do with them after the holidays? Can they last through the winter or will they shed their leaves and turn into a Charlie Brown tree? Poinsettias are the most popular plant sold during Christmas. All fifty states grow poinsettias, and there are over one hundred varieties.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• water
• houseplant food

1. Choose your poinsettia with care. Avoid plants that are displayed closely together. Poinsettias need air circulation. Look for dark green foliage and bracts that are completely colored.

2. Cover the plant when you bring it home if the temperature is below 50 degrees. Unwrap the plant and place it in indirect light. Avoid any drafts. Ideal temperatures are from 60 to 70 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night. Poinsettias do not like high temperatures. If you have a cool room, place the plant there at night.

3. Watch the soil. It's a good idea to check the soil on a daily basis. Only water when the soil is dry. If the plant has a foil covering over the pot, poke holes in the foil, so the water can drain. Pull the foil away from the plant.

4. Fertilize the poinsettia once a month with regular houseplant food. If you bought a healthy plant, kept the temperature cool, avoided drafts, and watered when dry, your poinsettia can last for months.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't place the plant near a cold window pane or a heat register.

Resources

• All About Poinsettias