Nothing says Christmas quite like the poinsettia, and there is no denying that. Bold and beautiful, poinsettias make for bright, festive decorations during the winter months. So if you want to send flowers to the Philippines during Christmas, you can always opt for poinsettias. Poinsettias, though, are actually colorful leaves and not flowers and come in a range of colors from white to orange, the most popular being the red variety. This then begs the question: why do we consider them the official Christmas flowers?
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Legend has it that one upon a time, a young girl named Pepita in Mexico was sad that she didn’t have a gift to leave for baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Her cousin tried to console and comfort her, saying that Jesus would love any present from her, even the smallest one. However, Pepita didn’t have any money to buy a real gift. So she picked some weeds on her way to church. There is another version of the story that says that an angel arrived and instructed her to pick the plants. Nevertheless, Pepita left the weeds at the bottom of the nativity scene. All of a sudden, the weeds transformed into red flowers. From that day onwards, they came to be known as “Flores de Noche Buena,” or “Flowers of the Holy Night.”
The flowers, though, get their American name poinsettias from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico. It was Poinsett who brought the plant to the US from Mexico in the early 1800s. However, the flowers didn’t become traditional holiday decorations until the Ecke family started promoting them a century later. It was Paul Ecke Jr. from the entrepreneurial Ecke family who sent free poinsettia plants to TV studios across the country. Eventually, it became a trend and now poinsettias are among the most popular holiday plants sold across the world.
With star-shaped leaf bracts, poinsettias are also known as Christmas Stars, or Stella di Natale in Italian, or Weihnachtsstern in German. In Mexico, they’ve become to be referred to as Flowers of the Holy Night.
Poinsettia blossoms from mid-November through to January and is the ultimate Christmas decoration for the home, besides the Christmas tree, of course.
As already mentioned, the most widely available poinsettia is red. But specialist poinsettia breeders have created more than 150 different varieties, including pinks, oranges, creams and whites, over the past few decades. In fact, poinsettias in warm hues such as apricot, rose, pink or salmon have been used to enhance homes during the festive season.
However, once Christmas is over, you are free to pop the poinsettias on the compost heap or into the recycling bin, use them as cut flowers, or you can try to get your plant to bloom again for the following year.
Poinsettias, though, could be a little tricky to take care of. But luckily, we are here to offer you some tips and tell you some of the best practices on how to keep your poinsettia in good condition over the Christmas period and beyond.
Tips to buy poinsettias:
Before we tell you how to take care of the poinsettias, we thought it wise to inform you about how to buy the best poinsettias before the holidays.
Plants with intact bracts: A good way to check whether a poinsettia is healthy or not is to see if the plant has intact bracts. If the yellow buds between the colored bracts look tight, you can be assured that the quality of the poinsettia is good.
Check the soil: Always check the soil before buying the plants. The soil should neither be completely wet nor excruciatingly dry. If it is, don’t buy the plants because they might not last in your care.
Don’t buy wind-withered plants: Often you might notice that flower shops or supermarkets place the poinsettia plants at the store’s front door in the hope that customers will be tempted on the way in or out. But, you must be careful before buying those poinsettias because they might be damaged by strong winds. Although it might not be visible at first, the poinsettias could drop their leaves soon after being brought home.
Taking care of a poinsettia indoors
Warmth and light: Poinsettias grow up in Mexican conditions. That’s why they need warmth and light. At all times, it must be kept away from draughts, meaning no fireplaces, open doorways, open windows, or breezy hallways. If conditions are draughty, the plant could start losing its leaves.
Avoid direct sunlight: Any temperature between 15 and 22 degrees is perfect for the poinsettias to thrive. Sufficient light is crucial for the plant to grow but you can also place the poinsettias in a sheltered spot. Our suggestion is to keep poinsettias out of direct sunlight to protect their leaves from burning. However, in the winter months, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Soft water: Poinsettias prefer soft water. Therefore, rainwater is perfect for the plants because it is naturally soft and low in minerals like lime. In regions with hard water, you can reduce the mineral content by boiling the water or letting it stand for a day. Mixing tap water with distilled water or using a water filter can also do the trick for you.
Don’t use a lot of water: Remember that Poinsettias don’t like a lot of water. So the plant’s roots should not be drenched. Overwatering can cause the root to rot and ultimately will damage the plant.
Inspect the leaves: Most of the times, gardeners or flower enthusiasts often overwater poinsettias when they only really need a little. A good way to measure whether you are giving the right amount of water is to inspect the leaves. If the leaves turn yellow or fall off, you’re perhaps not watering the plant right.
You should actually water the plant when the soil is noticeably dry. But how would you understand if the soil is dry or not? You can insert your finger in the soil and check whether it’s evenly dry at a depth of two centimetres or not. Otherwise, lift up the plant carefully. If it feels light, it’s time to water it. You can also water these plants by soaking them from below, which saturates the soil more than normal watering.
Room temperature water: Water at room temperature is good enough for the plants. But you must know that smaller pots need watering more frequently than bigger ones because they dry out faster. For example, a pot with a diameter of 13cm will need around 100 millilitres of water while poinsettias in a 6cm pot only need half a shot glass of water.
You can remove excess water in the planter after 10 minutes. If you are in doubt then keep poinsettias a little drier rather than too moist.
Fertilizing: Newly purchased poinsettias generally don’t require fertilizing during the flowering period because they are already sold in pre-fertilized soil. However, fertilizing could be required if poinsettias are repotted. The plants are long-lasting when they are fertilized once a week from about four weeks after your purchase.
Taking care of a poinsettia after Christmas
To ensure the poinsettias survive until next year, you will need to prune the poinsettia in April and keep it at a moderate temperature. You can repot the plant in May and grow it in a cool and light place over the summer.
Do poinsettias come back year after year?
It’s absolutely possible to get a poinsettia to bloom again. But it will need a lot of effort and the plant rarely looks as impressive as it did in the first year. However, if you don’t want to make your plant flower again, you might not need to get rid of it altogether. Poinsettias turn into lush green plants that do very well outdoors during warmer months.
Cut flowers: As cut flowers, poinsettias are really popular because of their colourful bracts and long shelf life. If you can’t keep your poinsettia alive, chop it up and boil it for a floral arrangement. Trim off at the stems below the bracts, dip the cut ends in boiling water for a few seconds to get rid of the white sap, and then immediately place in cold water. With a good amount of water, cut poinsettias can stay fresh for up to two weeks.
Decoration ideas: Poinsettias make a stunning garland weaving up a staircase and around bannisters. You can also add a traditional touch of class to the Christmas tree with some poinsettia flowers nestled among the branches. The plants also make for eye-catching wreaths and add a great centerpiece to the Christmas dinner table.
There are also lots of poinsettia-themed decorations available to buy for the home too, from tree picks to wreaths and garlands.
Conclusion:
It is extremely important to remember that poinsettia is mildly poisonous plants and that’s why you must keep them out of a child’s or pet’s reach. Now that you understand the fundamentals of poinsettia care, get started on taking care of yours now. As already mentioned, they work great as centerpieces or as a unique way to incorporate floral into your holiday décor!