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How to care for a Christmas poinsettia

A pod of poinsettias, just in time for Christmas - Wyevale Garden Centres
A pod of poinsettias, just in time for Christmas - Wyevale Garden Centres

Poinsettias  have a reputation as being hard to maintain, but if you follow our top tips, they should thrive well past Christmas.

Looking after a poinsettia

Poinsettias originate from warmer climates than Britain's, so avoid temperatures below 13C (55F)

If you've popped out on a couple of errands, make your poinsettia the last purchase of the day, advises Jamie Downes, Wyevale Garden Centres' Nursery Manager. "They don't like sitting for hours in a cold car."

Position the plant in good light away from direct sunlight and draughts, and keep its environment constant. "The biggest mistake people make is moving them between hot and cold temperatures too quickly," Downes says.

Overwatering will quickly damage the plant. Wait until the surface of the compost begins to dry out, then water thoroughly. Feed once a week with houseplant fertiliser.

Place the pot on a pebble tray, as a humid atmosphere will prolong the bract life.

Kenneth Freeman, head of innovation at indoor landscaping company Ambius, says to never get rid of a wilting poinsettia without trying to rescue it. "Whilst wilted poinsettias may have their life span reduced, soaking the root ball with warm water will often cause severely wilted poinsettias to revive," he says. Revival should occur within one hour, so don’t throw away your plants until you have tried this."

Christmas tree decorating grid
Christmas tree decorating grid

Trying to keep the plant from year to year is usually disappointing as it is difficult to provide optimum growing conditions. However, you can give it a try, as follows:

  • In March, gradually reduce watering. Prune hard back once the plant drops its leaves and keep fairly dry.

  • In early May, increase watering. Re-pot when new shoots start to develop.

  • Once established, feed weekly with a balanced liquid fertiliser.

  • As the days shorten, from October 10 to 20, allow the plants to have 12 hours of light each day. For the remaining 12 hours, they need to be kept in darkness at a minimum temperature of 65F (18C). Artificial light is acceptable to supplement daylight.

With this treatment, the red bracts and tiny yellow flowers should be brightening up the winter gloom from December.