Poinsettia Care

These plants are a Christmas classic, and though they are generally treated as a single season plant, keeping a Poinsettia year round is easier than you think!

Light – Moderate to bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight which can scorch the leaves.

Water – Poinsettias want to stay evenly moist. Water once the top inch of soil becomes dry and never allow Poinsettias to fully dry out.

Soil – Moist, well-draining potting soil. All-purpose soils, like Espoma Potting Soil, are a good choice for poinsettias.

Temperature – Ideal temperatures are between 65° and 75°. Avoid exposing Poinsettias to temperatures below 50° and keep protected from drafts.

Humidity – Poinsettias do well in average humidity levels, but they can struggle in low humidity. During winter, when homes tend to be drier than normal, a nearby humidifier or a tray of pebbles and water are easy ways to increase humidity.

Fertilization – Fertilize monthly with a balanced fertilizer, like Bonide Liquid Plant Food¸ spring through fall.

Size – Poinsettias average 3 to 4 feet tall and wide indoors.

Repotting – Poinsettias can be repotted every 1 to 2 years into containers with good drainage and no more than 1 to 2 sizes larger than their current container.

Propagation – Easily propagated by stem cuttings.

Toxicity – Contrary to popular belief, Poinsettias are not the deadly plants people think they are. While they are moderately toxic and can cause digestive upset if eaten, they’re no more dangerous than most other houseplants.

Getting a Poinsettia to Rebloom – The bright red, white or pink that most people assume are flowers are actually leaves. While poinsettias do produce actual flowers, they pale in comparison to those leaves. As the days grow longer, those colorful leaves with turn green. The trick to getting a poinsettia to “rebloom” is reducing the amount of light it gets. About midway through September, place your poinsettia somewhere cool and dark for about 16 hours per day. The remaining 8 hours should still be moderate to bright light so you may have to move it between 2 different locations to achieve the correct light balance. At this point, you will also want to reduce watering and fertilization. By the Time Thanksgiving rolls around, your Poinsettia should be full of color again. Resume normal care and stop fertilization until new growth emerges in the following spring.