You've selected the perfect Poinsettia to take home or give as a gift. Here are a few simple tips
to keep your plant healthy and happy.
Poinsettias now come in a wonderful variety of colors. With the stunning new, more unnexpected
colors now available being produced by dyeing the plant as it's growing. These new brightly colored
plants should be treated just the same as all the other great poinsettia colors. However if saved and
grown over the year they will not produce the same color again next year but revert back to their
natural poinsettia colors. Usually white, cream or pink.
Examine the soil daily, and when the surface is dry to the touch, water the soil until it runs
freely out of the drainage holes in the container. If a saucer is used discard the water that
collects in it. Do not leave the plants standing in water. Overly wet soil lacks sufficient air,
which results in root injury.
A wilted plant may drop its leaves prematurely, so check the soil frequently. Plants exposed to
high light and low humidity require more frequent watering. If wilting does occur, immediately water
and 5 minutes later, water again.
Place it near a sunny window where it will have the most available sunlight. A window that
faces south, east, or west is better than one facing north. Do not let any part of the plant
touch the cold windowpane because this may injure it.
To keep the plant in bloom, maintain it at a temperature of 65 to 70 degrees during the daylight
hours and, if possible, move it to a cooler place at night. Because root rot disease is more
prevalent at temperatures below 60 degrees, do not put your
poinsettia in a room cooler than this. Avoid exposing the plant to hot or cold drafts, which
may cause premature leaf drop.
