Care and buying tips

Poinsettias are strong and easy to care for. Nevertheless there are a few basic rules to bear in mind when buying and caring for them to keep them healthy and beautiful – so you can enjoy them as long as possible.

If you follow these tips, the colourful bracts will brighten your environment way beyond the Christmas season – they might even keep their brilliant colour until Easter! Gradually the bracts lose their colour but are still attractive as green plants during the summer.

Buying Tips

The most important prerequisite is picking a vital plant:

Be sure to look for strong stems with healthy, green leaves underneath the upper star-shaped coloured bracts. Any rolled or yellow leaves as well as damage to the foliage and shoots indicate that the plants were not well cared for
The little yellow-green blossoms in the centre of the coloured bracts are an indicator of the plant’s freshness. They should be in bud.
Be wary of plants where the potting mixture is very dry or extremely wet. These plants have probably not been watered regularly. Root damage may have occurred because of the change from dry to very wet.
Poinsettias are sensitive to cold temperatures, but the reaction to a cold shock is only visible after a few days. The leaves start to fall off and may continue until the plant is nearly bare. Because of this make sure your plant is wrapped up well for your journey home. Never buy plants which are sold outdoors!
Be careful when transporting the plants: if the leaves are damaged or fall off, the fluid that seeps out can leave unsightly spots on the foliage

Buying checklist

Care Tips

Tender loving care – so you can enjoy your poinsettia as long as possible

Location: bright, warm (around 20° C) even close to a heat source, but not direct sunlight or draughts
No overwatering by leaving water in the cachepot or saucer – water only when the potting mixture is almost dry (preferably with tepid water)
Do not fertilize during the blooming periods. Afterwards, fertilize monthly using conventional nutrients
To produce the colourful bracts in subsequent years, keep the plant in complete darkness for at least 12 hours per day for several weeks. A large cardboard box can be used to create the “short day”

Care checklist

The Extra-Tip

Poinsettias as cut flowers: submerge the stem ends of the poinsettia briefly in boiling water or hold over a candle flame. This stops the milky fluid from seeping out of the stems