Table of Contents
What does a poinsettia symbolize?
We consider them a Christmas flower, and many people give them around Christmas time to symbolise good will and community spirit. In religious communities, the shape of the poinsettia flower is thought to symbolise the Star of Bethlehem, with the red leaves of the poinsettia symbolising the blood of Christ.
How long can you keep a poinsettia alive?
How long does flowering last? A quality plant that received good care can flower for 2 to 3 months. Most poinsettias flower for 4 to 6 weeks before the flowers start falling.
What is unique about poinsettias?
10 Interesting Facts about Poinsettias Botanically, the plant is known as Euphorbia pulcherrima. Poinsettias are not poisonous. A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 500 leaves to have any harmful effect.
Do poinsettia come back every year?
Poinsettias can be kept year after year, and they will bloom each year if you give them proper care. When the leaves begin to yellow or when the plant is no longer desired as an ornamental, gradually withhold water. The bracts (colorful leaves just below the true flowers) will be the last to go.
Are poinsettias weeds?
Wild Poinsettia / Desert Poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla var. Both plants are members of the euphorbia family. This plant is sometimes grown for the colorful green and orange bracts, but it is considered a weed.
What do poinsettias smell like?
The olfactive profile of the Poinsettia Flower is a pine-like terpenic scent, frequently with a mushroom note, as they are prone to a fungus.
What do you do with poinsettias after Christmas?
Place your poinsettias where they will receive at least 6 hours of indirect, but bright, sunlight each day. In mid-April pinch back the stems to 6-8 inches and place the plants in a sunny location. When new growth begins, you may use a liquid fertilizer to ensure the plants get enough minerals, especially calcium.
Can I plant a poinsettia outside?
Poinsettias aren’t popular only at Christmas time. With the right care, these traditional holiday plants can shed their shiny foil and bows to become long-lasting houseplants. You can also grow them outdoors in your garden if you live in a frost-free area.
Can I keep poinsettias outside?
Answer: Both the Christmas cactus and the poinsettia are not hardy outdoors and will freeze if planted outside. They should remain in their pots and not be planted outdoors in the garden if you live where it freezes in the winter. Repotting is a good idea for the poinsettia especially.
Is a poinsettia a cactus?
Though often stated to be highly toxic, the poinsettia is not dangerous to pets or children. Exposure to the plant, even consumption, most often results in no effect, though it can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Poinsettia Clade: Rosids Order: Malpighiales Family: Euphorbiaceae Genus: Euphorbia.
Is poinsettia a houseplant?
Yes, you can keep your Christmas poinsettias as houseplants, and you can even get them to bloom again next year.
Is a poinsettia a plant or flower?
Native to Mexico, poinsettias are in the Euphorbia family and are a popular holiday plant because of their colorful bracts (leaves). There is also a species that is used as a cut flower. They are most commonly used for decorating during the winter holidays, but are also attractive as green plants throughout the year.
Do I need to cut back my poinsettia?
Poinsettias (both potted and in the ground) should be pruned twice a year, first in the spring and again in late summer. Remembering the “A” months is a helpful tip, April and August. For the first pruning in spring (April), remove all foliage and cut all branches back to 4-6″ of height.
How often do poinsettias need to be watered?
In your home, put the poinsettia in a well lighted area away from drafts and heat vents. Water the poinsettia when the pot becomes lightweight or when the soil becomes dry to the touch, about once a week. Water the plant thoroughly in a sink, letting it drain, before putting it back where it was.
How do you get a poinsettia to turn red again?
How To Get a Poinsettia To Turn Red Help your poinsettia to turn red by placing it in total darkness for 14 hours each day, starting eight weeks before you want to display it. During the day, the plant needs bright light, but it should be placed in complete darkness every evening.
Are poinsettias grown in the dark?
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) need total darkness, for 14 hours each day, starting about eight weeks before you want to display them. During the day, the plants need bright light, along with the other routine care. However, starting in the evening, the plants must get complete darkness.
Are poinsettias desert plants?
The Poinsettia, Euphorbia plurcherrima, which was once thought of as a weed from the Mexican and Central American deserts, has been reinvented as a well known symbol of the Christmas Holiday season.
Are poinsettias green?
Poinsettias are native Mexican plants. They thrive during the holiday season because they are short-day plants that require long nights to launch their color change. Healthy poinsettias have dark green leaves below the bracts and foliage all the way to the base.
