| Article by Jay Fillimore
Poinsettia, the Christmas plant, is popular in many
American, Australian and UK homes. With the introduction of long-lasting cultivars, the
popularity of the poinsettia has increased significantly.
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About Poinsettias
Joel
Robert Poinsett, first U. S. ambassador to Mexico who obtained
plants from the wilds of southern Mexico, introduced it to the
United States in 1825. The common name for the exotic plant,
poinsettia, came from his last name. Botanically, the plant is
known as Euphorbia pulcherrima.
Watering
Examine the soil daily, and when the surface is dry to the touch,
water the soil until it runs freely out the drainage hole in the
container. When watering, ensure that enough water is applied
so that some will run out the drainage hole. If a saucer is used,
discard the water that collects in it. Do not leave the plant
standing in water. Overly wet soil lacks sufficient air, which
results in root injury.
A wilted Poinsettia plant may drop its leaves prematurely, so check the soil
frequently. Plants exposed to high light and low humidity require
more frequent watering. If wilting does occur, immediately water
and 5 minutes later water again.
Lighting
If you obtain a Poinsettia for your home, place it near a sunny
window where it will have the most available sunlight. A window
that faces south, east or west is better than one facing north. Do
not let any part of the plant touch the cold windowpane because
this may injure it.
Temperature
To keep the plant in bloom, maintain it at a temperature of 10 to
20 degrees C during the daylight hours and, if possible, move it
to a cooler place at night. Because root rot disease is more
prevalent at temperatures below 10 degrees C, do not put the
poinsettia in a room colder than this. Avoid exposing the plant to
hot or cold drafts, which may cause premature leaf drop.
Make Your Poinsettia Flower Next Year?
Poinsettias can be re-flowered the following Christmas, but unless
a year long schedule of care is observed, the results usually are
not good. For such a schedule, continue normal watering of the
soil until the first of April, and then allow it to dry gradually.
Do not let it get so dry at any time that the stems shrivel.
Following the drying period, store the plant in a cool (10°C), airy location on its side or upright.
In
mid-May,
cut the stems back to about 4 inches above
the soil, and either replant in a pot 1 to 2 inches larger in
diameter or shake old soil off the roots and re pot in the same
container, using a new soil less mix. Many good commercial potting
mixes are available. Choose one that is not very finely textured.
Using soil from the garden can introduce disease to the plant.
Water the soil thoroughly after potting; wait five minutes and
water again. Then put the plant near the window that is exposed to
the most sunlight. Keep the plant at a temperature of 15 to 25°C, and water when the surface of the soil is dry to the
touch. After new growth appears, fertilize every two weeks with a
fertiliser at the rate
recommended on the label for flowering plants.
In
June, leave the plant in the pot, move it outdoors, and
place it in a lightly shaded location. Continue watering and
fertilizing the plant while it is outdoors. Pinch each stem
(remove 1 inch of terminal growth) in early July. Then, in late August, cut or pinch the new stems back,
allowing three or four leaves to remain on each shoot. After this
second pinch, bring the plant indoors and again place it near a
window with a sunny exposure. If the plant is not pinched, it will
grow too tall and be unsightly. Keep the plant at a temperature of
10 to 20°C at night and continue watering and fertilizing.
Poinsettias are short-day plants, which means they flower about 10
weeks after the daylight shortens to about 12 hours or less.
Therefore, to have the plant in full flower by Christmas, keep it
in complete darkness between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. from early October for 8 weeks. During this period, any kind of
light exposure between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. will delay flowering. A
closet, opaque box or opaque cloth will keep the plant in darkness
during those hours. Remember to put the plant near a sunny window
in the daytime. Continue fertilizing the plant until mid-December.
Various reports over the years have led the general public to
believe poinsettias are toxic to animals; however, this has not
been authenticated in humans. Research conducted at various
Universities and other institutions has proved the old wives' tale
that poinsettias are poisonous to be false.
Copyright 2000-08 David Marks. All rights reserved.
