Poinsettias can be tricky to maintain indoors even for a few weeks. These Poinsettia plant care tips can help keep yours stay alive and looking good.
It’s that time of year when these colorful plants make their way into our homes. Something living and growing in December. It’s a Christmas miracle! They appear around Thanksgiving and bring us cheer throughout the winter holiday season.
Poinsettias are the most popular plant sold here in the United States with almost 50 million pots sold last year.
Note: this post was originally published on 11/17/2015. It was updated & republished on 11/5/2020 & then again on 12/6/2022.
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Poinsettia Plant Care Tips
Poinsettias are happily grown in climate-controlled greenhouses. Then, they’re foiled and sleeved so they can be sent out on trucks to their retail destinations across the country.
Because of that, they’re usually exposed to cold drafts and low or no light. They’re crammed together on display racks for sale in grocery stores, Home Depot, Lowes, local garden centers (not so much cramming here!), and more. Poinsettias have been through it all before they even get into your hands and find a place in your home.
I love Poinsettias and always have a couple in my home during the holiday season to brighten things up. I’ve kept 1 looking good for almost 2 months. So it’s possible if all the factors are right and they’re properly maintained.
Follow these tips to keep this quintessential holiday plant looking healthy and beautiful throughout the holiday season.
Poinsettia “Autumn Leaves” at Green Things Nursery here in Tucson.(1) Purchase healthy plants.
A healthy, fresh Poinsettia plant will last longer. They usually come wrapped in foil so peel it back if you can to examine the plant. Check the lower foliage to make sure it looks good.
Healthy green foliage is a good sign. If there are too many yellow leaves on the lower and inner stems and in the grow pot, it’s best not to buy it.
The plants should have lots of colorful leaves (technically called bracts) with small yellow flowers in the center. Those flower buds should still be intact and just opening or partially open. You want to make sure those yellow flowers in the center of the bracts are still showing, otherwise, the plants are on their way out.
If your Poinsettias have come in paper or plastic plant sleeves, remove them as soon as you get home. The plants should be exposed to light and air as soon as possible.
Here’s more info to help you Pick Out The Perfect Poinsettia and make it last.
(2) Place your Poinsettia plants in bright locations.
Poinsettias are Succulents and like as much natural bright light as you can give them. Just make sure they’re not sitting in a cold window touching the glass.
(3) A bit of temperature fluctuation is best.
Poinsettia plants like it on the warmer (not hot) side during the day and cooler at night. It can be tricky to find that balance but do your best.
If you turn your heat back at night to around 60-65 degrees F, then your Poinsettias will be happier and last longer. The warmer you keep your house, the faster your Poinsettia flowers will open up. That means the bloom time will be shorter.
We’ve also done posts on Holiday Plants For Christmas and Blooming Christmas Plants that you might want to check out. All with images!
(4) Strike a balance with watering.
Watering is a critical part of Poinsettia plant care.
Surprisingly, these plants with large, smooth leaves are Euphorbias (Euphorbia pulcherrima to be exacting) which means they’re succulents. Unlike a Pencil Cactus which is also a Euphorbia, you don’t want your Poinsettias to totally dry out while in bloom.
The soil should be slightly moist to the touch. If kept too dry, their lower leaves will start to shrivel and drop off.
Conversely, if you keep your Poinsettias too wet, they’ll also lose their lower leaves. The soil becomes waterlogged which will lead to root rot. This often happens when people don’t take off the foil or take them out of the decorative pots when watering.
This means the excess water can’t drain out of the bottom of the pot, the roots stay too wet, and your beautiful Christmas plants can die. To avoid this, don’t let your Poinsettia plants sit in water.
It’s hard to give a time schedule but as a (very) general rule, water your Poinsettias about once a week. As with all houseplants, how often you water will depend on your home’s environment.
You need to find that happy in-between when it comes to watering your Poinsettia when blooming – not too wet and not too dry.
Poinsettia Picasso at Green Things.(5) Remove the foil when you water your Poinsettia plants.
You want to take your Poinsettias out of the foil (or decorative pot) so you can give them a good drink. Water the soil thoroughly and let it all drain out before placing it back the plants back in the decorative containers.
If you have a saucer placed under the plant, make sure it doesn’t have water sitting in it.
Have more questions about caring for Poinsettias? Here we answer the most Common Questions About Poinsettias.
(6) Keep them away from heaters & cold drafts.
Plain and simple, Poinsettia plants don’t like hot or cold air blasting at them. They won’t appreciate being placed right next to a fireplace that’s in use either.
Poinsettia Plant Care Video Guide
Are Poinsettias toxic to pets?
There are varying thoughts of belief on this topic. I also answer this down below in the FAQs but wanted to include it as its own category because many of us (me included) have pets.
Poinsettias emit a white, milky sap (just like the Pencil Cactus and other Euphorbias). It was once a popular belief that Poinsettias were considered to be extremely toxic.
Everything I’ve recently read now points to the fact that this sap is much less toxic than originally thought.
This is good news indeed if you have pets and are worried about them being in close proximity to these festive Christmas plants.
However, if your pets like to chew on plants, it’s best to display your Poinsettias where they don’t have easy access to them. We all want to have a safe Christmas season after all!
