Poinsettias are one of the most popular holiday plants. With a little extra effort, you can keep yours fresh and bright throughout the Christmas season.
Ed Olsen is a horticulture agent for the Virginia Cooperative Extension and said the attention to details should begin when picking one out to take home.
“You want to buy poinsettias that have foliage all the way down to the top of the pot,” Olsen said.
He said it’s also important to make sure the flower is in the center of the plant.
“That gives you the knowledge that it is still a very fresh plant and not toward the end of its life cycle,” Olsen said.
Making sure the plant you choose is no longer in a paper sleeve before purchasing is also important, “because when you take them home, what you end up seeing is a lot of lower leaf drop,” stressed Olsen.
However, it’s also important to have plants sleeved when taking them home to avoid any damage from temperatures below 50 degrees, he said.
Once your poinsettia is home, you’ll want to keep it in bright light and away from drafts, both warm and cold.
“Don’t put them next to a fireplace, those drafts could lower the lifespan of your plant,” Olsen said.
When watering, let the top layer of soil dry slightly and remove the pot from any wrap or foil before watering to avoid drowning the plant.
Poinsettias make great presents, but if you want something that will still be around by next holiday season, Amaryllis bulbs easily rebloom year after year.
“They can get it to bloom the following year very easily without any effort,” he said. “Christmas Cactus is another one where people will get year after year enjoyment out of that plant.”
