Caring for a Poinsettia

	A Colorful History
	The Plant's Poisonous Past Exposed!
	Be Choosy When Choosing Your Poinsettias
	Caring for Your Poinsettia
	Create a Striking Display

The poinsettia is indigenous to a region in Mexico, where they bloom during December, creating crimson mountainsides and growing to heights of 16 feet. The plants delighted the first missionaries to Mexico who included them in their Advent-season ceremonies. Hence, the association with the holidays began. Poinsettias were later introduced to America by botanist and first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett.

While the deep red poinsettias are classic favorites, today newer cultivars have produced a variety of different colors. Look for pink, cream, yellow, salmon, and marbled flowers to add a distinctive touch to your holiday décor.

Lemon Drop poinsettia's yellow bracts really light up the season.

Many people mistakenly think poinsettias are poisonous. While poinsettias are not poisonous to humans, we wouldn't recommend eating them. If you do, you'll have some stomach discomfort (as with any nonfood items).

According to Poisondex®, an information source used by poison control centers, a 50-pound child would have to eat 500-600 leaves to exceed experimental doses that found no toxicity. However, several veterinary schools say that poinsettias have a low toxicity that may cause a rash around the mouth and eyes of your pet. If this happens, see your family vet.

So why do people think they're poisonous? In 1919, an Army officer's child died after allegedly eating a poinsettia leaf. The story was later determined to be hearsay, but a legend was born.

 

Quick Facts Poinsettias need:   • Constant temperatures     from 65° - 70° F   • Moist, but not wet, soil   • Bright, indirect sunlight

When shopping for a poinsettia, look for:

• Dark green, dense and plentiful foliage.



• Tightly-clustered buds to last throughout the holiday season.



• The smallest leaves surrounding the yellow buds to be fully colored. If they're still partially green, your plant will quickly lose its color.



• If the yellow buds in the center of the flower have started to drop off or have already shed pollen (look for tiny yellow grains), the plant is not fresh.



• Avoid plants with yellow, greenish-white or sagging leaves. Plants with faded, torn or discolored bracts (leaves beneath the flower) are not the best choice either.



• As with any plant, make sure your poinsettia is free from insects and diseases.
  

When you have chosen the perfect poinsettia, don't leave it in your car while you continue shopping. An indoor plant that's exposed to cold winds and temperatures below 50 degrees can be damaged or killed. Get the store to bag the plant, but be sure to remove any wrapping as soon as you get home.

Select a decorative container for the poinsettia.

Poinsettias are easy to care for throughout the holidays. Just follow these simple rules:

• Light — Poinsettias need a minimum of 6 hours bright (but not direct) sunlight each day.



• Temperature — These plants prefer temperatures from 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day with a drop to 60-65 degrees at night. The lower night temperatures help the poinsettias keep their brilliant color. Protect the plants from both cold and hot drafts from outside doors, heat registers or appliances. Never let the plant be exposed to temperatures less than 55 degrees.



• Water — Poinsettias like moist, but not wet, soil. When the top of the soil becomes dry, add room temperature water to the plant. Allow the water to drain through the pot when watering, and then discard any excess water in the saucer. If the plant's container was wrapped with decorative foil, be sure to remove the foil from the bottom of the container to allow water to drain through the plant. Overwatering the poinsettia and letting it sit in excess water are common mistakes that will kill the plant. If your poinsettia begins to wilt, too much or too little water could be the culprit. If the plant feels dry, add water immediately. If the container feels heavy and the soil is wet, allow the poinsettia to dry out before watering it again.

Incorporate poinsettias into your holiday centerpieces.

Looking for creative ways to display your poinsettias?

• Cluster several poinsettias together in an unused fireplace.



• Incorporate poinsettias into your holiday centerpieces.



• Instead of the tired red, green or gold foil poinsettias always seem to be wrapped in, make your arrangement more interesting just by placing it in a decorative pot with a few other potted plants.



• Choose plants that will complement your poinsettia. Variegated ivy, maidenhair fern, and creeping fig, for example, can balance the border foliage of poinsettias.



• Create a poinsettia tree by arranging medium sized plants on different levels.