Poinsettias: Year after Year

Guide H-406
Revised by Curtis West. Smith
Higher of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University

Author: Extension Horticulture Specialist, Agronomical Science Middle at Los Lunas, New Mexico State University. (Print Friendly PDF)

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are popular winter houseplants considering they flower in mid-wintertime, and considering their beauty is the result of bracts (persistent colored leaves) instead of flowers, their attractiveness is long-lasting. They bloom naturally under the long dark weather condition of winter, so it is easy for nurseries to bring them into color in fourth dimension for winter holidays. The beauty of poinsettias can persist from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and sometimes even to Valentine's 24-hour interval. Some gardeners are not satisfied with this long flavour of indoor beauty and attempt to save the plants to re-bloom the following winter. Poinsettias tin can be kept year after year, and they volition bloom each twelvemonth if you lot give them proper intendance.

When the leaves begin to yellowish or when the plant is no longer desired every bit an ornamental, gradually withhold h2o. The leaves volition pale and fall off. The bracts (colorful leaves just below the true flowers) will be the final to go. Figure ane shows the parts of the constitute. After all the leaves take fallen, store the found, in its pot, in a cool (50 to 60°F), dry, dark area. Go along the plant somewhat on the dry side; water just enough to go along the stems from withering.

Fig. 1: Illustration of the parts of the poinsettia.

Figure ane. Parts of the poinsettia. The showy part, usually considered the flower, consists of the colored bracts.

In April or May, bring the plant out of storage. Cut the primary stems half-dozen inches in a higher place soil level. Remove the plant from the pot and gently wash the old soil from the roots. Repot the found in fresh potting soil that has good drainage. Poinsettias are susceptible to stem and root diseases if the soil is heavy and retains excess moisture. Soak the soil well, and so allow all backlog water to bleed away. Place the plant in a warm, sunny spot for renewed growth. Go along the humidity loftier to encourage rapid new growth. Once the constitute is growing actively, apply a weak fertilizer solution (one tablespoon of a soluble fertilizer, such as 20-xx-20 or its equivalent, per gallon of water) at monthly intervals.

Later on frost danger is past, sink the pot into a protected and sunny bed. Low-cal shade is ideal during the hottest part of the twenty-four hours. Lift the pot occasionally to prevent root growth into surrounding soil. If the plant becomes root bound, repot it into a larger pot. Lookout man for insects and control them promptly.

Keep the poinsettia plant actively growing all summer by watering and fertilizing regularly. When the summit of the soil feels dry out, liberally apply water to moisten the soil completely, and allow the excess to bleed abroad. Add no more water until the top of the soil is dry once more.

To obtain a bushy constitute, compression the tips of new shoots dorsum leaving at least two nodes on each new shoot (Effigy 2). Go on pinching new shoots until late Baronial. Remove weak stems completely, so merely a few of the stronger ones develop.

Fig. 2: Illustration of pinching the tips of new shoots in order to create a bushier plant.

Figure 2. To create a bushy plant, poinsettias are "pinched back." The tip of each twig is removed (pinched) so that nodes remain. The new shoots that ascend from the nodes are besides pinched.

If more than plants are desired, try propagating poinsettias from stem cuttings taken in place of pinchings. When the new growth is eight to 12 inches high, cutting off 4 to 6 inches for rooting (Figure 3). Get out at least two leaves on both the cuttings and the parent stem and so the institute tin can go along to produce food. Cut in the morning time, and identify the cut stem in tepid water for one hour to terminate the "bleeding." Treat the base of cuttings with rooting hormone to increment the chances for success. Identify cuttings in a well-drained, moist rooting medium, such as a one-half perlite, half peat moss mix. Keep humidity high for rapid rooting. Place cuttings in bright, but not direct, low-cal. Pot the newly rooted cuttings in a well-drained soil when the new roots are about 1/2 inch long. Care of these plants is the same as care for the parent found.

Fig. 3: Illustration of a softwood cutting.

Figure 3. Poinsettia softwood cuttings, 4 to vi inches long.

The parent institute and all rooted cuttings will bloom at the aforementioned time. The thicker cuttings will produce larger blooms. Brand as many cuttings as desired until late Baronial, simply remember, just strong stems produce strong plants.

As cool fall weather begins, take the found inside to a south window with total sun. Poinsettias practise all-time in full fall sun and the bracts (colored leaves below the flowers) obtain their deepest color in good calorie-free. Ventilation is of import, but go along the found abroad from drafts. Drafts, as well as depression temperatures, waterlogged soil, and drought, can cause the lower leaves of the poinsettia to plough yellow and fall from the establish. Night temperatures of sixty to 65°F and day temperatures upwardly to 75°F are recommended. If the night temperature is too high or too low, the found is likely to flower later.

The poinsettia is known as a true short-mean solar day (or long-night) plant. This ways that the found must be in total darkness for near 14 hours out of every day for a four-week menstruum to form blossom buds. Commencement in late September or early on October, make sure the poinsettia receives no bogus low-cal after nightfall. Even brief periods of light from a single light bulb for 1 dark may exist enough to delay or interfere with flowering. If possible, keep the establish in a room without lights, in a dark closet, or under a fully calorie-free-proof cover from about v:00 p.grand. to 7:00 a.thousand. every day for four weeks.

Remember to put the constitute in a sunny window in the daytime, and drench the soil when the surface is dry. It will probably need watering less often at present. Proceed fertilizing it monthly until mid-December. The opened flowers last longest at well-nigh 65°F.

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Revised and electronically distributed Dec 2009, Las Cruces, NM.