What is the holiday season without poinsettias? They are a wonderful symbol of the holidays. Last weekend, my family and I went to that local botanical garden I am always talking about in my blogs. We enjoyed a breakfast with Santa. After the meal and the photo taking, we meandered around the main conservatory to look at the plants, the flowers and the holiday lights. There were plenty of the traditional poinsettias there, but I was also surprised by a few unique plants. The colors were splendid, from the rich read we normally associate with poinsettia, to a bare blush that was a light caramel color. Amazing.
If you have or plan on having poinsettia in your home, you might want a few tips that will help you care for these plants.
First of all, I don’t recommend poinsettia for families with active animals or children. The leaves of the plant can be poisonous if ingested. It is best to admire them from afar.
Many refer to the poinsettia flowers, but in reality, the color is all leaves. The real flowers are the tiny yellow beads at the center of the leaves. Getting the leaves to “blush” for the next holiday season can take some effort.
After the holidays, don’t be surprised when your plant leaves all turn back to green. The plant may even drop some leaves.This is perfectly normal for the plant. Keep your plant moist but not soggy, and place it in a relatively warm location. It may grow quite a bit throughout the year. You can trim it back, if you like. When the warm spring days arrive, place it outdoors, out of the direct overhead sun.
Seven weeks before you want the poinsettia to blush, you’ll need to start restricting the light. Keep the plant in a cool spot, in a dark area, such as a little-used closet or covered with a box. Allow the plant to have a few hours of sun a day, when the light is brightest.
Follow this guideline, and you’ll enjoy your poinsettia plant for years to come.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
Related Articles:
Christmas Tree Safety Tips (1)
Christmas Tree Safety Tips (2)