How the Poinsettia Blooms Every Year
posted October 20, 2009 - 8:15pm
The poinsettia is best known for its beauty at Christmas time. Most people throw them away after Christmas when they start dropping leaves and appearing ill, thinking there is no chance of blooming again. With a little know-how, your poinsettia can bloom year after year.
The
traditional poinsettia was red. White poinsettias later became available. Currently, there are over 100 varieties of poinsettias with special designs and colors ranging in shades of red, white, pink, light green, variegated, dotted, and marbled. Have you ever received a unique poinsettia and wished that it would bloom again next year? Perhaps you even nurtured it for a year with water and sun only to be disappointed with nothing but green leaves at Christmastime.
If you keep your poinsettia, it can grow quite large. Poinsettias are native to Mexico. In the wild, they can grow between ten to twenty feet tall and live for many years. Most growers use a growth retardant to prevent tall leggy plants and encourage short, bushier growth conducive to a potted gift plant. If you have ever seen a huge poinsettia in a public setting such as a large lobby or church, you will recall that it is a breathtaking sight! Poinsettias of this magnitude did not grow in just one year. They are several years old and amazingly beautiful! With a little knowledge, persistence, and patience, you can also display a splendid poinsettia and be the envy of all your holiday guests.
The first and most important piece of information that you need to know is that poinsettias are light sensitive. Poinsettias bloom only under a strict schedule of exposure to light and darkness. This is very critical and any interruption in the routine can cause bloom failure. The colorful leaves often thought of as the flowers, are not. The flowers are the small insignificant centers of each group of leaves (see photos). The leaves turn color due to cyclical changes that the poinsettia is exposed to in its native environment, giving the appearance of flowers. We need to emulate that environment to produce the same appearance of blooming. Starting early in October, the poinsettia must be exposed to 12 hours of bright light or sun and 12 hours of total, uninterrupted darkness. Some cultivars require up to 14 hours of darkness. It can be placed in an unused room or closet. For extra insurance, a black garbage bag can be placed over the top to protect it from any light leaking in through the window or if in a closet, light leaking in from the room. Adhere to this schedule for 8-10 weeks, depending on the cultivar. When the poinsettia is almost fully turned color (but not less than eight weeks), it may then be moved to its permanent location as the leaves continue to turn color and peak toward Christmastime. If you started a week or two late, your poinsettia will still bloom but more likely around New Year’s. It is important to provide a full 8-10 weeks of 12/12 or 10/14 light/dark schedule to promote blooming even if a bit late.
Other tips to keep your poinsettia healthy during the holiday season:
- Water when soil is slightly dry to the touch.
- Do not allow the pot to sit in water.
- Provide plenty of bright light or sun.
- Do not allow leaves to touch a freezing window (poinsettias are not cold hardy).
- Keep the poinsettia away from excess heat or cold drafts.
- Poinsettias are happiest at 60-70F. They will suffer below 55F and over 80F.
- Cooler nighttime temperatures (60F) will extend the blooming time by a couple of weeks and keep the poinsettia looking fresh and healthy.
- Do not fertilize while in bloom.
Poinsettias can be challenging, yet fun to grow. New varieties are continually being developed and it is always exciting to see new varieties as they become available. If your poinsettia has not yet been exposed to longer nights well into October, get started immediately before it is entirely too late for this year. If you get a new poinsettia this Christmas, do not throw it away! With a little care, the poinsettia will make a beautiful year-around foliage plant and will be ready to bloom again next year. If you have no interest in growing plants of your own, then give it to a special gardening friend. You will certainly put a smile on their face.
Photo credits:
Bright Pink Poinsettia by Helen Filatova - CC Wikimedia Commons
Pink White Variegated Poinsettia by Tyler White - Public Domain Wikimedia Commons
Poinsettia Flower Buds by André Karwath - CC Wikimedia Commons
Poinsettia Flowers by Chuuken Hachigou - CC Flickr
Red Poinsettias by Agricultural Research Service - Public Domain Wikimedia Commons
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Comments
Poinsettias as a Houseplant
Thanks for your wonderful comments, Wdzzz!
In another comment, you mentioned getting some indoor houseplants. Have you done that yet? As we are getting closer to the holidays, the poinsettia makes a wonderful indoor houseplant and can add lots of bright color when in bloom. You should start seeing them in the stores pretty soon or if you are lucky enough to live near a nursery that grows them, they should have them available pretty soon too. The growers time their darkness treatment to make them available for sale in bloom much earlier than you would want to do for your own in following years. Even if you see them for sale in early November, they would have already had their full course of long nights for this year.
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Poinsettias in Warm Arizona
See, L Wagen! There IS a little green in that brown thumb! They bloom for Christmas because the Arizona days must be short enough for them to be getting enough darkness. What time does it get dark in the evening in AZ this time of year? Once they are in bloom and after Christmas, they no longer need the extended hours of darkness however the cooler temps in the evening will help extend the length of their blooming time.
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Poinsettias in the South
Thanks, Carla! Now that you live down south, you will probably see them blooming outside in people's yards around Christmastime. It is always tradition for us to take a ride around town to see the Christmas lights. Wouldn't it be fun to also be able to see everyone's poinsettias too! Can't happen where I live but if I lived in the warmer regions, I think I would have to add a daytime trip around town to be able to see everyone's poinsettias.
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Beautiful...beautiful...
Love the way you give us the tips to make things grow. Great article ...and the pictures you use are so nice. Thank you.
Pointsettia's Grow Well in Arizona
The pointsettia comes from Mexico with a similar climate to Arizona and they grow well here. After Christmas we put them outside during the day, and bring them in at night so not even the street lights shine on them. With a little bit of water and plant food, I can keep them alive through March! And for brown thumb like me that's a feat onto itself!
In Arizona because of the direct sunlight they always bloom around Christmas, just like in Mexico! That's why they are the Christmas flower!
Poinsettias
Great article, with super information. I just love the real red at Xmas time! Keep up the great writing!
Carla
Dollsandart
Late Bloomers
Oh, I also forgot to mention Tyla, that you sound like me with my Amaryllis a couple of years ago. I bought several on a store clearance in January. A couple were growing in the box and they were just begging for a home. LOL. Anyways, I planted them right away and they bloomed in February and March. Pretty funny considering they are intended to bloom for Christmas. As they say..... better late than never!
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Poinsettias
Thank you Martie! I usually like to use my own pictures but I didn't have a single poinsettia picture. Had to turn to Wikimedia and as you can see, I did find some beautiful pictures there. As soon as they start showing up in the local stores and garden centers, I would love to get some pictures to do another article about the different varieties. Plus, I'm anxious to buy a poinsettia this year. We'll see.
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Martie
Really nice article and beautiful pictures!
Poinsettias
I haven't grown a poinsettia in quite a few years. Not sure why, but I'm getting the itch to grow them again. I love the deep red that almost look like velvet, but also like the pink & white as well as some of the other novelties. I think it would be fun to try a miniature also. See..... this is my problem. I can't do just ONE of anything!
Thanks Tyla!
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