Poinsettias

 

Choosing a poinsettia

Look for dark green foliage and brightly colored bracts (the coloured leaves surrounding the true flowers). Avoid poinsettias with wilted foliage, broken stems, or few flowers.

 

How to care for your poinsettia

Always take care to keep the plant warm. Never take it outside since exposure to freezing temperatures, even for a short while, may cause the leaves to blacken and drop. We will wrap your poinsettia to help prevent this but make sure you take it home quickly. The paper sleeve will not protect your plant during an extended stop-over in a cold car.

 

Once you get home place the poinsettia near, but not touching, a sunny window or in another well-lit spot. Make sure to keep it away from draughts. Water only when the soil becomes dry to the touch.

 

Are poinsettias poisonous?

A common myth about poinsettias is that they are poisonous. This is not true (though they are of a low toxicity to cats); studies conducted by the Ohio State University concluded that they are not poisonous though certain individuals may experience an allergic reaction to the sap.

 

Re-Flowering

To get your poinsettia to flower again next year you must follow these steps:

 

• Cut the plant back to around 8" high in early April, fertilize with all-purpose fertilizer, and water regularly. This should result in new growth by the end of May.
• You may prune during the summer to keep plants compact but do not prune any later than September 1. Keep the poinsettias in indirect sun and water them regularly.
• Starting October 1 poinsettias must be kept in complete darkness (no light at all - not even streetlights or a nightlight) for 14 hours and at a temperature of 16-21 degrees Celsius. In order to do this cover them or move them into a dark room every night. Poinsettias also need 6-8 hours of bright sunlight a day during this period. Carefully follow these instructions for 8-10 weeks and you should get flowers for Christmas.

 

Holiday Cactus

 

Getting your Holiday Cactus to rebloom is a lot like getting a Poinsettia to rebloom. Once the plant has stopped flowering, begin feeding with an all purpose fertilizer. Do not fertilize while in bloom as this will cause a shorter blooming period. You also need to limit the number of daylight hours the plant is exposed to. It needs 14-16 hours of darkness and only 8 hours of light each day. Repeat this process for 8-12 weeks, and before you know it you will have a beautiful Holiday Cactus that blooms once again.