Bruce Edwards / Edmonton Journal files
Poinsettias are the bestselling plant in Canada and the United States, and can be fairly easy to maintain.
Did you get a poinsettia? You’re not alone. Poinsettias are the bestselling potted plant in the United States and Canada, totalling more than US$250 million in sales each holiday season.
How do you keep these festive plants looking their best? Here are tips on poinsettia care from Auburn, Calif.’s Eisley Nursery, a source of information on many gift plants:
● Poinsettias will last longer if placed in a warm location away from heating vents or drafts.
● Poke holes in the foil wrapper for drainage and place the potted plant on a plate or saucer.
● Place potted poinsettias indoors in indirect light. Six hours or more of light (natural or fluorescent) is best.
● Keep them comfortable, ideally about 24 C. Lower temperatures will make them drop leaves almost immediately and shut down.
● Higher temperatures also shorten their life cycle.
● Limit their exposure to outside temperatures; they can’t take any chill for extended periods.
● If using potted poinsettias for a porch display, place them outside just before your guests arrive. Don’t leave them outside overnight.
● The red, yellow or pink bracts are actually modified leaves (not flower petals), but they’ll retain their colour long after the true flowers — those little yellow knobs — brown and wither.
● When choosing a plant, look for tight flowers that haven’t opened. The plant will keep its colour longer.
● Check the soil daily. Water the plant when soil feels dry to the touch, but don’t let it get soggy.
● Allow water to drain into the saucer; discard excess water. Wilted plants tend to drop bracts sooner.
– Tribune Media
