One of the showiest partnerships comes from combining the poinsettia with cyclamen, which come in several shades of red, pink, white, purple and extraordinarily beautiful variegated foliage. (Photo by Norman Winter/MSU Extension Service)
During December, what plant will you find in most grocery stores, florists, and home improvement stores? It’s the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima).
This member of the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family was first found in Mexico where it grew as a large woody shrub, with a height of over ten feet! During the mid-1950s, plant breeding research began and has led to many improved varieties and cultivars. Today’s poinsettia hybrids have larger, longer lasting bracts. Although, hybridizing has resulted in more than 100 varieties including white, cream, yellow, peach, pink, purple, and marbled, the red poinsettias still account for more than 70 percent of sales.
Are Poinsettias toxic?
Contrary to popular belief, Poinsettias are not poisonous. The misconception began in 1919 when a child allegedly died after eating a leaf. This was never proven and was later determined to be hearsay, but the story has persisted. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University provided research indicating that the milky sap produced by the plant can be irritating to the skin or mouth and may produce vomiting in pets or children. A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 1.25 pounds of poinsettia leaves—500 to 600 leaves—to have any harmful effects.
Keeping my Poinsettia blooming
Poinsettia displays can last for several weeks with proper care. Choose plants that have little or no pollen showing in their greenish-yellow inner flowers; this indicates a fresh plant. Poinsettias will drop their bracts and leaves once their flowers have shed all their pollen. Keep the plant wrapped during transport, particularly if it is cold outside. Exposure to cold temperatures (below 50 degrees) can damage the plant.
Keep plants in indirect sunlight for six hours and make sure they are not touching windows. Poinsettias should have daytime temperatures ranging from 60°F to 70°F and nighttime temperatures around 55°F. If needed, move the plant into a cooler room during the night. Water when the soil is dry. Depending on the type of heating you use, this may be two to four times a week. Poinsettias often come wrapped in foil and plastic, poke holes in the bottom so water can drain out. Allowing plants to stay waterlogged can lead to root rot and premature death. Place a saucer under the plant to prevent water damage to surfaces. It is not necessary to fertilize Poinsettias while they are in bloom.
Displaying your poinsettia
Make a vignette or holiday display around your poinsettia. Put the plant on a mantel, table, shelf, or windowsill, and add other decorations. Arrange some whimsical figurines around the base. Use items of different heights to bring some drama to the scene. A simple but beautiful way to arrange your cut poinsettia is to display them in a group of bud vases. You can strip away their green leaves or leave them intact. Try adding height with colored twigs adorned with ribbons. Cut poinsettias typically last for up to two weeks in a vase of water. Alternatively, mix other plants into your potted poinsettia. Pothos or ivy look lovely cascading below the flowers.
Keeping Poinsettias for next year
While most people dispose of their Poinsettias after they finish blooming, it is possible to get it to bloom again next year. Once Poinsettias have shed their pollen, they will drop their bracts and leaves. Once half of the leaves and bracts have been dropped by the plant, decrease watering until the soil is completely dry. This will force the plant to go dormant. While the plant is dormant store it in a cool, dark location and only water enough to prevent the stems from shriveling.
Around May 1, cut the plant to within 4 to 6 inches of the soil to encourage new growth. Now is the time to repot the plant if desired. Once the danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F, move the poinsettia outdoors, gradually exposing it to direct sun over the course of a week or two to acclimate the plant. Then, dig a hole to place the pot in an area that receives six to eight hours of direct sunlight with some shade in the afternoon. Occasionally turn the pot to create a uniform appearance and prevent the plant from rooting through the bottom holes of the pot. The plant does not need to be put in the ground, but it will need to be watered more frequently if not. To keep the plant from getting too leggy, pinch off the shoot tips. Choose tips that have two or three fully expanded leaves below them. Do this every three or four weeks until mid-August to keep the plant compact. Regularly water the plant and fertilize every couple of weeks. When night temperatures get down to 55°F to 60°F, bring it back inside near a sunny window.
Poinsettias are short-day plants, meaning they grow leaves during times where there are long days and will produce flowers when exposed to short days, or more specifically long nights. To create long nights, place the plant in a dark enclosed space such as a closet or cover it with a box at night. Do this until the bracts are almost fully expanded. The red leaves of the bracts will develop good color, usually in the beginning or middle of December. Keep daytime temperatures between 60°F and 70°F. Nighttime temperatures above 70°F to 75°F may delay or prevent flowering.
