Poinsettia plant: how to grow and care for the Christmas bloom

A colorful red Poinsettia plant being grown at a Pacific Coast nursery in preparation for the holiday season.

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As inextricable from mass festive wares as tinsel and paper hats, the poinsettia plant blazes red in most shops and homes during December. Being such an omnipresent sight makes it unappealing for some, but, thankfully – if the standard scarlet plants make you wince – there are less common forms of poinsettia plant available that are well worth buying to brighten the house at Christmas.

Poinsettia plants (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are a tender semi-evergreen shrub native to Mexico and Guatemala, where they grow in tropical dry forest, on hillsides and in steep canyons. In the wild, it can reach 4 metres tall as a large, leggy shrub or a small willowy tree. Its red ‘flowers’ are in fact leaf bracts – in the same way that the golden-green heads of garden euphorbias (such as E. characias subsp. wulfenii) are lime-coloured bracts that surround the tiny, insignificant-looking flowers. The Latin name for the red Christmas euphorbia (E. pulcherrima) means ‘the most beautiful euphorbia’, which anyone familiar with the golden-green likes of E. palustris may disagree with. E. pulcherrima should perhaps be renamed E. ubique, which translates as ‘the euphorbia that is everywhere’.

In its native Mexico, the snobbery that some of us harbour for the traditional crimson poinsettia is not shared. The Aztecs revered the plant and cultivated it for dye, medicine, cosmetics, and decoration. In modern-day Mexico, it is known as flor de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve flower) because the star-shaped bracts represent the star of Bethlehem and their scarlet hue symbolises the blood of Christ. There is also a legend that an angel appeared to a girl called Pepita and told her to gather some weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the Christmas altar; upon doing so, the plants sprouted dazzling red bracts. A gorgeous vermilion mass of poinsettias is always included in Mexican church processions and services over the Christmas period, and the plant is a treasured national symbol.

In 1828, when travelling through Mexico, US diplomat Joel Roberts Poinsett spotted the plant and helped to introduce it to America. Thanks to the grower Paul Ecke cultivating and promoting it in California during the 1920s, it became a firm favourite with Americans, who now spend around 150 million dollars on it each year. Of course – in the same vein as the Nepali-Tibetan mountain Chomolungma (which means Goddess Mother of the World) being named after the British geographer George Everest – the Americans named the plant after Joel Roberts Poinsett. As a special envoy, Poinsett tried to acquire Mexican territories for the US, including Texas. Unimpressed by this and by the US adoption of their flower, many Mexicans use the term poinsettismo to refer to any arrogance demonstrated towards them by their next-door neighbours.

Princettia Pearl

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Some of the most elegant poinsettias are the white cultivars (such as Princettia Pearl and Frozen), which have snowy-white bracts above green leaves in December and January.

For more colour, the double-red varieties (sometimes available from florists) make a wonderful change from the single reds. They include Harlequin Red and various forms of ‘Winter Rose’ and resemble red roses made from crumpled silk or tissue paper.

Some of the peachy-pink poinsettias are pretty in the right position (for instance, against stone or stone-coloured walls); and the carmine-pink forms are cheering.

The modern poinsettias are easier to manage than the ones that used to drop their leaves everywhere in the 70s and 80s. Despite that, these are still fussy plants that require specific conditions. Their primary pet hate is cold air – therefore, avoid buying them from chilly shops or outdoor markets, and don’t purchase on freezing-cold days. When transporting them from a shop to a car and then into the house, it’s important to shield the plant (for example, by covering it with a large plastic bag). Once indoors, it should be positioned in a sheltered room that is relatively warm, well away from draughts, doors, and heating vents. 18 to 21°C is ideal.

Moisture is also important to prevent leaf drop and ensure the plant looks good throughout December and January. The compost should not be allowed to become too parched; nor should the plant be allowed to stand in water for long periods. When the compost feels dry to the touch, place the pot in a sink or bowl of tepid water for 10-20 minutes, then let it drain. Poinsettias also enjoy a humid room or regular misting.

It is possible to keep a poinsettia for Christmas the following year, if you have a heated greenhouse or conservatory. In spring, cut the plant back and repot it. Feed with high-potassium fertiliser (such as tomato food) and keep at around 15 to 18°C. Then, in early autumn, cut out its light supply for at least 12 hours every day (for example, by placing it in a cupboard or under a large bucket) and ensure the temperature is 18 to 21°C or higher, to stimulate production of the colourful flower bracts. Or, for an easy life, buy a new one.

It’s a myth that poinsettias are fatally poisonous, but the leaves could cause vomiting, if eaten. Like all euphorbias, poinsettia stems contain a milky sap that can create eye and skin inflammation or itching and therefore gloves should be worn if cutting the stalks. Should this sap be ingested by dogs or cats, it would make them ill, but not seriously so.

This could be happening for one or more reasons. Usually, it’s due to the plant being exposed to cold air during transportation. But it could also be because it’s positioned close to a radiator, because it doesn’t have sufficient humidity or light, or because it’s been under- or overwatered.

Whitefly, mealybugs, and red spider mite can affect poinsettia, especially in a greenhouse.

If it’s in a hot room with direct sun, try moving it somewhere slightly cooler with indirect light.

This is probably because the air is too dry. Moving it to a bathroom or kitchen could solve the problem.

This Phalaenopsis variety has long-lasting sprays of deep-crimson flowers during winter. Like most orchids, it benefits from being watered with rainwater, if possible, and enjoys bright indirect light and the humidity of a bathroom or kitchen.

Amaryllis

Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash

A fabulous Hippeastrum for huge scarlet trumpets. Usually these big bulbs are potted up in October for Christmas flowering, but they can be purchased ready-grown. Place in bright indirect light and keep the compost moist (but not waterlogged).

The arching leathery stems of Schlumbergera are hung with colourful flowers in winter. After an autumn rest in a cool, low-light room, move them into medium or bright indirect light and a room with high humidity, such as a kitchen. Water when the compost feels dry.

Whilst Helleborus are outdoor plants, it is lovely to enjoy the flowers of Christmas roses indoors for a brief spell over the festive period. Sit them in a cool place, such as a north or east-facing windowsill or a porch, in low to bright indirect light.

These tender cyclamen make excellent winter houseplants, bearing a mass of fragrant flowers over a long period. Place them in a cool position, such as a north or east-facing room, well away from radiators, in medium to bright indirect light.