When images of the holidays dance across your judgment , chances are poinsettias are in the pic . Not just a plant for Christmastime , Christmas flower are the best selling potted plant life in the United States , with 34.7 million plant being produced in 2011 alone . Unfortunately , popularity does n’t always secure selection .
Poinsettias can last for years if they are cover correctly , order Paul Thomas , professor of gardening at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences . Unfortunately , hail February or March , many of these gay decorative Christmas endowment are droopy , yellowed or sorry — in the trash .
But all is not lost for these festive plant . To have the good luck of pull round past the holidays , poinsettias need to be sound and strong before you bring them home . Thomas recommend buy poinsettias from a local florist or nursery to get the best tone plants . Inspect the poinsettia to guarantee it has solid , tough stems , dense foliage down the length of its stems ; that its bracts ( i.e. , the coloured leaf ) have no blemishes ; and its small-scale , yellow flowers have just barely unfold . Also cautiously remove the Christmas flower from its pot to scrutinise the plant ’s base system . Do n’t corrupt it if it has just a few roots or a lot of dark chocolate-brown rootage — healthy poinsettias have ample , tan and white root .
Holiday Poinsettia CarePoinsettias number in several coloring material , include scarlet , ivory , pink and mauve . The colored part that we might consider the poinsettia flower is actually a assemblage of dyed parting , call bract . The plant true peak is the tiny yellow bloom in the center of the bract , called a cyathium .
Poinsettias are susceptible to theme putrefaction , so do n’t overwater or let them sit in water - logged saucers . The vacation foil that florists wrap around some poinsettia pots can immobilise water , so it ’s good to slay it . Only water when the soil control surface feel dry , and water until piddle drains out of the bottom of the pot .
Because poinsettias are native to Mexico , they prefer at least six hour per day of bright light and temperature between 65 and 70 point F. However , they can spend a few weeks on a fireplace hearth or in the shade of a Christmas tree with proper care .
grant to Thomas , overwatering and fertilise holiday poinsettias are the most common cause of death .
“ During the holiday , you may send Mexican flameleaf just about anywhere to animate things up , ” he says . “ They ’ll last about three weeks in fairly benighted places . While it ’s in the darkness , water only when the grease is juiceless . And do n’t fertilise it . ”
twelvemonth - round Poinsettia CareAfter you put away the tree and get place for your giving , move your Christmas star to a sunny windowpane and apply a small amount of houseplant plant food .
“ The bracts may begin to fall off tight , ” Thomas says . “ This is normal . If they last until March , your Christmas star was very happy where you put it . ”
In April , cut the plant back to about 10 inch or until there are four to six nodes of the stem above the soil .
“ At this point in time , the poinsettia can be grown out of doors in full Sunday , ” Thomas read . “ If watered and fertilise , poinsettias will get dandy outdoors . Trim them in June and embed them in 1 - gallon pots or large indoor planter . ”
An out-of-door poinsettia needs to be fertilized every week with a canonic houseplant fertilizer during the bound and summer . examine anatural fertilizerwith an NPK ration of 15 - 0 - 15 , 15 - 16 - 17 or 20 - 10 - 20 .
“ If irrigate and fertilized properly , poinsettias will grow quite large , as in high spirits and wide as 5 feet , ” Thomas enunciate .
To wedge your repotted poinsettia to flush , cover the flora after 6 p.m. starting at the onset of drop ( the end of September ) , and uncover it at 7 a.m. Do this for about three weeks . This mental process will trip the lobster plant to make new colored bracts and flowers just in time for the holiday .
