Poinsettia: Ultimate Flower Guide
th its striking red and green leaves and starry shape, the poinsettia is a joy-bringing plant that we love at Christmas. But there’s far more to this bright beauty than just the annual festivities. Did you know it has brachts? That it comes in lots of colours? Do you know it can rebloom? Or do you know how to work out the perfect spot for it? No? Well that explains why you’ve landed on this blog! Welcome, you’re in the right place. Join us as we dive deep into the red realm of the poinsettia in this guide. We’re going to cover everything from the cultural history of the poinsettia to common varieties, to all sorts of poinsettia care advice (and whether a poinsettia is pet-friendly).
Poinsettias in culture
An introduction to poinsettia
Poinsettia are vibrant plants in the family Euphorbiaceae (aka spurge or euphorbias, a family which also includes rubber plants, cassava and castor oil plants). In the UK they’re kept as houseplants and are strongly associated with Christmas, often being given as gifts.
Where are poinsettias from?
Like a lot of popular UK and European houseplants, poinsettias come from far warmer climes. They’re grow natively in Mexico and Cental America and really don’t like the cold (ironic given how strongly we associate them with winter!) – which is why they’re strictly indoor plants and usually very well wrapped then they arrive.
Did you know?
Poinsettias aren’t quite what they seem. You’d be forgiven for thinking the vibrant red colours of the plant are flower petals but in fact, these are bracts. Bracts are technically leaves but are the plant’s way of attracting pollinators in the wild, turning a different colour to entice bees and other bugs to check them out. The poinsettia’s flowers are actually the small yellow buds in its centre!
Poinsettia colours
Generally, we associate poinsettias with the colour red because that’s what we see at Christmas. However, they come all shades, from the traditional red through to stunning whites, pinks, yellow and even variegated versions (where there are patches of different colours).
Common poinsettia varieties
Over 100 kinds of poinsettias have been cultivated in the USA alone! These are ‘cultivars’: plants that have been created by humans, as opposed to ‘varieties’ which have evolved in nature. Some of our favourites include:
- Poinsettia Princettia – which comes in bright pink, red and fresh white tones.
- Poinsettia Winter rose – the clues in the name, it looks a bit like a rose with its fluffy, ruffled brachts.
- Poinsettia Marble Star – a dusty pink colour with white edges = gorgeous.
- Poinsettia Marco Polo – glowy salmon pink, we love the unusual colour.
The Spruce has a great round up of 32 the best poinsettia varieties.
Why are poinsettias associated with Christmas?
Poinsettias are one of the most popular plants to gift to loved ones come Christmas time. They are sometimes referred to as the Christmas Star due to the shape of their leaves, fanning out into a stunning cosmic inspired shape.
In Mexico, they also have the name ‘Flores de Noche Buena’ which translates to ‘Flowers of the Holy Night’. This name is believed to come from a biblical story about a Mexican girl who presented a bouquet of weeds to baby Jesus. When they were placed before the crib they transformed into the poinsettia and this was considered to be a Christmas miracle. We’d also love to be able to turn those weeds in our gardens into stunning plants!
How to care for a poinsettia
Where to put a poinsettia?
Put a poinsettia somewhere warm
Aim for temperature between 16°C and 22°C. Keep it away from cold window and draughty spots, but also away from radiators – you don’t want to cook them. Try to keep a consistent temperature, poinsettias don’t like being moved around.
Put a poinsettia somewhere with indirect sunlight
They need enough light to photosynthesise but not so much they get sunburn – so no windowsills where they’ll catch the sun.
Here’s a trick to help. Wait for a clear day and when the sun is highest in the sky use your hand to cast a shadow over the top of/near to the plant, like below.
How to care for a poinsettia
Keep your poinsettia looking as stunning as the day you bought it with our care guide featuring everything you need to know and more.
Where should you place a poinsettia?
Poinsettias love indirect sunlight and mild temperatures. Here are the four key things to consider when deciding where to feature your plant:
- Poinsettias enjoy room temperatures of between 16°C and 22°C. Time to sneak the heating up a few notches.
- Keep your poinsettia away from radiators, as well as cold windows and draughts.
- Expose the plant to indirect sunlight during the daytime, where it can enjoy the light but not get sunburnt.
- Avoid moving your poinsettia from room to room and differing temperatures too often.
The perfect light for a poinsettia plant
Like finding the perfect light for that selfie, you need to be just as careful when finding a spot for your prized poinsettia.
Here’s a trick to help; at the height of a clear day, when the sun is highest in the sky, use your hand to cast a shadow over the top of/near to the plant shown below. Judge the darkness of the shadow to determine if the light is optimal using these pictures as a reference.
When to water a poinsettia
The soil of your poinsettia should be slightly damp but not soaking. But how often you water it all depends on the size of the plant and where it’s kept. The best way to see if your poinsettia needs water is to check the soil with your finger.
- If the soil is very dry and the pot is light when it’s picked up – soak the plant in the sink (more on that below)
- A bit dry – give it a light water, just a splash, maybe 3 tablespoons worth.
- Damp – great work, this is right, check it again tomorrow.
- Soaking or wet – leave it for a week to dry out, else the roots will be unhappy.
Different poinsettia watering methods
Different poinsettia watering methods
Lightly water the plant each day
Soak in the sink
Add ice
Do I need to mist poinsettia plants?
Yes, poinsettias love a little humidity given their origins in steamier climates. There are two ways you can give your poinsettia a humidity boost.
1. Mist it
Use a spray bottle to give your poinsettia leaves a fine spritz of water. Use room temperature water and spray every other day to keep the plant happy.
2. Use a pebble tray
A great low maintenance way to keep your poinsettia happy in humidity is with a pebble tray. Take a tray or plate that has a larger diameter than the plant pot, and fill it with small round pebbles. Then pour water into the tray, as it evaporates it’ll create a humid environment for the plant sitting above. Clever right? The pebbles separate the plant pot from the water and allow air to circulate over the water. Pebble trays are also ideal for orchids.
Do I need to feed my poinsettia?
A little plant food now and then wouldn’t go amiss. Use a good quality organic liquid plant food and follow the instructions on the bottle.
How to keep a poinsettia alive and flowering year round
A poinsettia is for life, not just for Christmas, and you can encourage this gorgeous plant to bloom throughout the year and then again for the next festive season.
Feed it in February
By February you’ll notice that the central flowers and red bracts on your poinsettia are starting to fade. The stems will also become thicker and more stick like and you may notice a few leaves dropping or shrivelling. This is your cue to feed your poinsettia with a liquid fertiliser.
Trim it in March
When March comes it’s time to start preparing your poinsettia to flower again. Be brave and cut your poinsettia’s stems down to about 10cm. Now leave it in its pot until early summer.
Repot it in June
Re-pot your plant in June and place it outside in indirect sunlight, then feed it again with fertiliser but at half the recommended strength.
Take it indoors in August
Late August, bring your poinsettia back indoors and place it in a spot where it can enjoy consistent temperature.
Change its light in September
Now is when the proper flowering effort begins! In September you’re going to want to really control the light your poinsettia gets. It’ll need indirect sunlight between 8am and 5pm, and then put the plant in a pitch black room (or cover it with a bucket) from 5pm until 8am. Stopping any light to the poinsettia during this time encourages it to produce that familiar red colour. If you notice little or no change to the colour of the bracts, make sure the plant is in total darkness for 3 weeks (or longer), or try longer periods of darkness or more days of it being subject to darkness. Sounds cruel to the plant, but it will pay off in those vibrant red shades.
