Poinsettia Care Guide

Indoors: Bright, indirect light. Outdoors: Partial sun on a patio where nights are above 65°F.

Water weekly when top 1-2 inches of soil are dry

Add a gravel tray, or use a humidifier or group with other plants. Spritz daily.

Average comfortable room temperatures will be sufficient. These plants do not like cold temperatures under 60°F.  Avoid cold drafts or the leaves will exfoliate in protest.

Take outside where temperatures stay above 65°F at night. They can live in a part sun (4-6 hours) location on a patio in warmer climates.

No fertilizer is needed for your Poinsettia during the holiday season.  As new green leaves emerge, then start the monthly process. Apply a balanced fertilizer throughout the growing season. After Labor Day, reduce your recommended strength of fertilizer by one-fourth. Back off on the fertilization schedule after the bracts have turned colors to prolong the color.

When receiving the plant, do not repot immediately but wait at least 6-12 months. When the plant is ready to repot (late spring or early summer), plant in a 2" bigger container in diameter and slightly deeper than the existing container. Use an indoor container mix that is well-draining and amended with peat moss and perlite. Add soil to the bottom to elevate the root ball. Tenderly lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen. Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim off with sterile pruners. If the plant was rootbound, cut through the roots to alleviate continued encircling. Ensure the plant is sitting about 1" below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Do not cover the current level of soil on the plant but add soil up to this level. Replant and water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. Add more soil after watering if the soil settles. Hydrate the leaves with filtered water by spritzing. Your plant may wilt at first from transplanting but will recover shortly.

If your plant has grown and become too leggy, it's time to trim! Cut the stems back (using gloves to avoid the milky sap from irritating your skin) to five inches tall to promote leafy growth. Each month, continue to prune away any dead or fading leaves from the plant and keep the soil surface clean. Keep trimming throughout the season to promote leafier growth.

To propagate, take cuttings between 3-4 inches long with 3-4 leaves. These cuttings should be from new growth since the holiday season and not old colored leaves. Insert the stem in water, then rooting hormone, and place in a well-draining moist potting mix. Place a clear plastic bag over the container to keep things damp and humid while the cutting roots. Place the cutting in warm, bright, indirect light. Within a month, the root system should be developed.