How to Care for Poinsettias.

How to Care for Poinsettias.

Here are some simple facts about poinsettias. Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America. Poinsettias were introduced in the United States by Joel Roberts Poinsett, a botanist, physician and the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. They were soon a very popular Christmas plant. December 12^th is Poinsettia Day, which marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1851. Poinsettias are not poisonous, though some people are sensitive to the white sap they produce.  Poinsettias have thin foliage leaves that vary in color from pale to dark green. The showy parts of the poinsettia that most people think of as flowers are actually specialized leaves, called bracts.

 

The actual flowers are these tiny yellow clusters found at the very center of the bracts. In nature, the brightly colored bracts are there to protect the plant and to attract insects to the flowers in order to spread the pollen. Poinsettias are available in a wide variety of breathtaking colors from solid red to variegated leaves.

Proper care for your poinsettia begins before you leave the store. We will carefully bag your poinsettia when it’s cold to protect it on its way home. Once you get your poinsettia home, unwrap it and place it in a room where it will get bright light, but not direct sunlight.  Poinsettias don’t like drafts, either hot or cold, so keep away heater vents, fireplaces, doors and cold windows. The ideal room temperature should be around 72°F during the day and no cooler than 60°F at night. Place the plant high enough to be out of the reach of children and pets and away from traffic. Set the plant in a water-proof saucer. If the pot is wrapped in foil, be sure to cut a drain hole in the wrapper (we cut a drain hole in the foil on the plants we wrap). Water your plant thoroughly when the soil surface is dry to the touch. Water the plant enough to soak the soil to the bottom of the pot. Remember to discard any excess water from the saucer. Poinsettias don’t like to sit in water. With the proper care, your poinsettia will last through the holiday season and retain its beauty well into the New Year.

 At The Flower Bin, we grow all of our own poinsettias, so you can be assured that the plant you are purchasing is locally grown and of the highest quality.