Poinsettia · the Christmas star
A poinsettia is a tropical shrub from Mexico, and it thinks like one: it wants warmth, steady light and a pot that never sits in water. Give it those three things and the color will carry you from Thanksgiving well into January.
The red, pink, white or marbled “petals” are actually colored leaves called bracts. The true flowers are the tiny yellow buds in the center. When you pick one out, look for those buds still tight and fresh — that is how you know the color has weeks left in it.
Keep it warm, from the car to the windowsill
A poinsettia is hurt by cold faster than by anything else. Even a few minutes below 50°F on the walk to the car can make the leaves drop days later. Ask us to sleeve it, and don’t leave it in a cold car.
At home, take off the foil or poke a few holes in the bottom of it so water can drain. A poinsettia standing in water wilts and drops leaves just like one that has dried out.
Finding the right spot
Bright light keeps the bracts colorful. A warm room keeps the leaves on.
- Put it near a bright window, but not touching the glass. Leaves pressed against a cold window in December will brown.
- Six or more hours of bright, indirect light a day is ideal. An east or south window a few feet back works well.
- Keep it away from heat vents, fireplaces, space heaters and outside doors that open and close all day. Hot, dry air and cold drafts both make it drop leaves.
- Room temperature of 65–72°F during the day is perfect. A little cooler at night, around 60°F, makes the color last longer.
Everyday care
Poinsettia
Euphorbia pulcherrima
- Light
- Bright, indirect light for six hours or more. Too little light and the lower leaves yellow and fall.
- Water
- Check the soil every two or three days. Water when the surface feels dry to the touch, until water runs out the bottom, then empty the saucer or foil.
- Temperature
- Keep it between 60 and 72°F. Below 50°F the leaves drop, sometimes days after the cold spell.
- Feeding
- No plant food while it is in color. Start feeding in spring only if you plan to keep it growing.
The milky sap can irritate mouths, stomachs and skin. Poinsettias are far less dangerous than their reputation, but they are not a pet snack. If any part is eaten, call your veterinarian.
Getting it to turn red again next year
Most people enjoy their poinsettia through the holidays and then let it go, and that is perfectly fine. If you like a project, here is how we would do it in Johnston County:
- Late winter: keep it in a bright window and water only when the soil is dry. Some leaves will fall — that is normal.
- April: cut each stem back to about 6 inches tall. Repot it one size up and start feeding a balanced houseplant food every few weeks.
- May to mid-August: once nights stay above 55°F, it can summer on a porch that gets morning sun. Pinch off the tip of each new shoot every few weeks until mid-August so it grows bushy instead of tall.
- Early October: bring it inside. From about October 1, it needs 14 hours of total darkness every night for eight to ten weeks — a closet or a box over it from 5 PM to 8 AM, then back into bright light during the day. Even a lamp switched on for a few minutes can stop the color.
- December: when the bracts are colored, stop the dark treatment and enjoy it again.
The eastern North Carolina year
What to do through our Johnston County seasons.
| Season | What to do |
|---|---|
| HolidaysNovember–January | Peak color. Bright window, warm room, water when the surface is dry, no plant food. |
| Late winterFebruary–March | Bracts fade and some leaves fall. Water less often and keep it in good light. |
| Spring & summerApril–September | Cut back, repot and feed. A porch with morning sun is fine once nights stay above 55°F. |
| FallOctober–November | Bring it inside before nights drop below 55°F and start 14-hour nights in early October if you want it to color again. |
Repotting
Don’t repot a poinsettia while it is in color. If you are keeping it, repot in April, after you cut it back, into a pot just one size larger with drainage holes and a regular houseplant mix.
Quick fixes
Leaves dropping all at once
A cold draft or a cold car ride. Move it somewhere warm and steady; the damage usually stops there.
Lower leaves turning yellow
Too much water, too little light, or both. Let the soil dry at the surface and move it closer to the window.
Whole plant wilting
Either bone dry or sitting in water. Feel the soil: water if dry, drain the foil if wet.
Bracts with brown edges
Hot, dry air from a vent or fireplace, or leaves touching a cold window. Move it.
Little yellow centers falling off
The plant is reaching the end of its color season. Enjoy it a few more weeks.
White, fluttering bugs
Whiteflies. Rinse under the leaves in the shower and keep it away from other plants.
Common questions
Are poinsettias poisonous?
They are not the deadly plant the old stories say. The sap is irritating, so a pet or child who chews the leaves may drool or get an upset stomach. Keep it out of reach, and read the pet note below.
How long does a poinsettia last?
With bright light and a warm room, four to eight weeks of good color is normal, and often longer.
Should I put my poinsettia outside?
Not in winter. Even a light frost kills it. It can go on a porch from May through September.
Why are the leaves falling off my poinsettia?
Almost always cold, drafts, or water sitting in the foil.
More plant care guides
Christmas Cactus
Schlumbergera
Not a desert cactus. Bright indirect light, regular water, and cool fall nights for blooms.
Read the guide →Amaryllis
Hippeastrum
Bright light, a little water, and turn it so the stem grows straight.
Read the guide →Norfolk Island Pine
Araucaria heterophylla
The living Christmas tree. Bright light, even watering, and never cut the top.
Read the guide →About pets and plants: The pet notes in this guide are general plant knowledge from our florists, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet chews or swallows any part of a plant, contact a licensed veterinarian right away, or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. If a person swallows any part of a plant, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”1 Corinthians 3:7
Questions about your plant?
Call or text us. We are always glad to help, whether you bought it from us or not.
Call or text (984) 250-7771 Clayton Florist · 11440 Clayton Blvd, Clayton, NC 27520claytonncflorist.com