Poinsettias are widely sold as a festive houseplant, as the bright red bracts that surround the tiny flowers give them a Christmassy feel. They don't always come in the festive red – look out for cream and pink, marbled or striped poinsettias, too.
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) hail from Mexico, which gives several clues about how to look after them. Most are discarded after Christmas, but with the right care it is possible to keep them going from year to year.
Read on for how to keep your poinsettia looking good over Christmas and beyond.
How to keep your poinsettia thriving over Christmas
Buy a healthy plant
Look for bright foliage, bright red bracts, strong stems and a bushy shape, and little or no pollen in the small central flower cluster.
Put it in a bright spot
Your poinsettia will enjoy plenty of bright light, but keep it out of direct sun as this may scorch the leaves.
Keep it away from draughts and radiators
Ideally you want to keep your poinsettia in a room that doesn't fluctuate in temperature too much - around 15-23°C is ideal.
Keep the compost moist – but not soaking wet
The ideal moisture level for the compost of a poinsettia is the dampness of a wrung flannel. Let the top couple of centimetres dry out before watering again, and let any excess drain away. Wet compost can quickly lead to leaf drop.
Give it humidity
Poinsettias love humidity, so avoid keeping in a centrally heated room. If you have a humidifier, putting your poinsettia in the same room is ideal.
How to get your poinsettia to flower again next Christmas
It's possible to get your poinsettia to flower again next Christmas. The key is to give it long, interrupted periods of darkness in autumn.
Late winter
Continue to give your plant the same conditions and care as you did before Christmas, making sure the temperature doesn't go down below around 15°C. The bracts of your poinsettia will naturally fade and your plant might lose some leaves around this time, but this is nothing to worry about.
Spring
In April prune your plant back to around 10cm in height - this will stop it from getting leggy and will encourage bushy new growth. Repot it into fresh compost (going up a pot size if needed) and water. Keep it in a bright spot, out of direct sun.
Summer
Keep in a cool spot, out of direct sun - you could even move it outside, in a shady spot, if you like. Feed every few weeks with a houseplant fertiliser. You could pinch out shoots to keep the plant bushy.
Autumn
This is the key stage. From late September or early October, your poinsettia needs 14 hours of darkness every night for 10 weeks. You can achieve this by putting the plant in a cupboard, or covering in situ with a light-proof box or black plastic bag, from around 5-6pm to 7-8am. Even a small amount of light – from a lamp or even a streetlight – will be enough to stop it flowering. Don't forget to put your plant back in a bright spot during the day – consistency is key. The bracts should start colouring up by late November, and once they have fully coloured up, you keep your plant in daylight and care for as before.
