Care Tips for Your Poinsettia
We want you to be successful with your poinsettias! Here's how to keep your holiday poinsettia from PAYNE'S beautiful long after Santa has gone!
- Place in a location where there is a lot of natural light—a little direct sun is good, but not necessary.
- Avoid hot or cold drafts and excess heat from appliances, radiators, wood stoves or ventilating ducts. To prolong the bright color of the bracts, temperature should not exceed 75 degrees during the day or 65 degrees at night.
- Water thoroughly when the soil surface is dry to the touch. Don't keep soil wet, just moist, and never let the soil become bone-dry. Also, remember to discard excess water from the saucer.
- Set the plant in or on a water-proof container to protect your furnishings.
If you have a green thumb, you may want to try to re-flower your poinsettia next year if you follow these directions very carefully. It is possible to have your poinsettia in full, glorious bloom in time for next Christmas!
| December | Follow instructions above. |
| February / March |
Color begins to fade, place near sunny window and fertilize with water soluble plant food. |
| Late May |
Repot into larger container using a prepared potting mixture. Continue to fertilize and water as necessary. Move outside into semi- shade. Prune back stems just under faded bracts. |
| Late August |
Take inside, prune back stems again this time by 1/3 to 1/2. Place in bright light, a little direct sun is o.k. Water as needed. Fertilize regularly with15- 30-15 or similar high phosphate fertilizer. |
| September 15th to December 1st |
Limit light to 10 hours per day maximum! Put in dark (no lights) from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. Continue to water as necessary and fertilize. |
Poinsettia Facts
The assigned botanical name is Euphorbia Pulcherrima. The United States' first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett, sent several plants back to his home in Greenville, South Carolina in 1825. The common name, poinsettia, comes from his last name.
The poinsettia is not a poisonous plant. Research at a major university has proven that the poinsettia is not lethal to humans and pets. However, your poinsettia and all house plants should be out of reach of small children since varying degrees of discomfort may be experienced if plant parts are ingested.