Christmas is just right around the corner and maybe you already got a Christmas Star plant or want to buy one. In this blog post I will help you to take care of it and tell you how you can enjoy it as long as possible.
The Christmas Star is commonly called a Poinsettia (botanical name: Euphorbia pulcherrima). It is the number one houseplant over the Christmas season and comes in many different colours. The Poinsettia flowers in December and January and are not very difficult to care for. Red is the most common and popular variety, but actually there are more than 150 different varieties – including stunning pinks, oranges, creams and whites.
The leaves – also called bracts – are often mistakenly referred to flowers. With their star-shaped leaf bracts, Poinsettia is named Christmas Star in many other languages.
Firstly, it is important to never buy a Poinsettia that sat next to automatic doors in a supermarket, because it will surely have damage caused by the cold wind outside. Although it is not visible at first, it may cause the leaves to drop soon after the Poinsettia arrives in its new home.
Poinsettias like their soil moist. One should always remember that the soil should neither dry out nor be drenched with water. I gave some watering tips in my last blog post. If the leaves turn yellow or fall off, the plant probably was not watered in the right way. A small dip of room-temperature water every two to three days will be enough.
The Christmas Star loves warmth and daylight. They prefer temperatures between 15-20°C and should be happy in most living rooms. That means that the Poinsettia should be kept away from fireplaces, open doorways or windows and breezy hallways.
Once Christmas is over, everyone is free to throw the Poinsettia on the compost heap or into the recycling bin. It is also possible to get the Poinsettia to bloom again for the following year. For that the Poinsettia needs a haircut to about 10cm. It can be repotted in May and grow in a cool and light place over summer. In November, the Christmas Star will be growing and maybe blooming again.
I hope I convinced you to move in a poinsettia at Christmas time.
Yours,
Pauline
Planthoarding 