When Poinsettia plants start popping up in everyone’s yards & gifted to our loved ones, we know the holidays are here. Poinsettia and tropical planters Returning this year, the Bright Winter Star was a favourite seasonal planter last Christmas! Since Poinsettia plants are from the tropics, they prefer surroundings that simulate that type of environment. SELECTING POINSETTIA PLANTS Poinsettias are native to tropical regions, so require bright light to thrive. If it is dry to the touch, water the Poinsettia thoroughly. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are tropical plants that can be grown outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, but they must be protected from frost. While inside, the … Departments of . These are familiar garden plants in South East Queensland, but are popular in other parts of the world as potted floral items, especially at Christmas. Just don’t let the leaves touch a cold windowpane as it could cause damage. To help you understand the basics of poinsettia care and keep yours growing past the holiday season, FTD has created a poinsettia care guide that gives you tips and tricks to keeping yours passed the holidays. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. 1. East-facing windows are best so that they can catch the morning’s glow and bask in the afternoon’s shade. In order for those red or white flowers to last more than a month, poinsettias require more than 12 hours of darkness during their peak bloom period. Arrival • Poinsettias must be protected in shipping with proper packaging and sleeving during transit. When shopping for a poinsettia, choose a stocky plant with dense foliage that’s deep green in color, and pass on plants with yellowing or dropped leaves. Dropping the temperature to about 60 F at night will not hurt the plant. Water should run out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the container. Feed weekly with liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength. Poinsettia leaves that contact cold windows may drop ; Poinsettias do well in temperatures 65-70 degrees; Remember that poinsettia are tropical plants and like bright light; Poinsettia can last for months or years with proper care so there is no need to wait until December 23rd to … This may seem strange due to their holiday connotations, but poinsettias are tropical plants. Poinsettia Care 101: The Essential Guide • Poinsettias must be protected in shipping with proper packaging and sleeving during transit. The Poinsettia’s story is just as unique as the rest. Provide lots of sunlight — a sunny window with east, west, or southern exposure is best. It was the first Australian capital city to adopt a floral emblem in 1930 and remains the only one so enflowered. The History. Climate: sub-tropical to tropical; indoor plant in cool climates. Water the plant when the soil feels dry, and be sure to water deeply. With its preference for warmer weather, it will grow outdoors year-round in the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11. Glenda Taylor, Marisa Villarreal, 11 Decorative Pillow Trends to Expect in 2021, The Dos and Don'ts of Deadheading Flowers, The Dos and Don'ts of Planting Ground Cover, The Dos and Don'ts of Swimming Pool Maintenance, Dos and Don'ts of Building Retaining Walls, 14 Easy DIY Living Room Updates Anyone Can Do in a Day. Once summer is over, bring your plants indoors before nighttime temperatures … Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences. Therefore, proper care involves recreating these environmental conditions in your home. 5. What to Write in a Birthday Card: 48 Birthday Messages and Wishes. With care and attention to detail, you can create a stylish display that showcases these fiery crimson beauties, while retaining their splendor for the entire season. Be sure to wear protective gloves when pruning, as the branches can ooze a … Since it’s a tropical plant, it’s important to replicate a tropic-like environment for your poinsettia to thrive. In order to keep its bright and cheery appearance, the poinsettia must be given proper care. They will also benefit from a fertile, well drained soil. Poinsettias should be watered whenever the soil surface feels dry to the touch. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Prevent an untimely demise by setting your poinsettia safely on a table in front of a window rather than on a windowsill. POINSETTIA CARE. Poinsettias are sub-tropical plants and therefore wither if the night temperature falls below 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). As holiday plants, they are raised in greenhouses in cool temperatures (60 to 72 degrees) with high humidity and light intensity, it can be tricky to duplicate the ideal spot for poinsettias . Jayme Grzebik. Place Plants Inside. The first poinsettia care tip is in regards to the amount of sunlight it needs. To help you understand the basics of poinsettia care and keep yours growing past the holiday season, FTD has created a poinsettia care guide that gives you tips and tricks to keeping yours passed the holidays. Always wear appropriate protective equipment when pruning. But the "flowers" also come in white, yellow, pink and color combinations. Euphorbia pulcherrima is a sub-tropical plant, native to Mexico. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are tropical plants that can be grown outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, but they must be protected from frost. In late spring, when overnight temps outdoors are above 50 degrees, prune new shoots back to four inches and sink your poinsettia—pot and all—into a protected spot in your flower bed and let it stay there until early fall when overnight temps dip back into the 40s. The day time temperatures in excess of 21 degrees C (70 degrees F) shorten the lifespan of Poinsettias. If your poinsettia is growing in a pot when you get it, keep it indoors in a sunny room where the temperatures range from 65 to 80 degrees F. during the day, and no lower than about 60 degrees F. at night. Also try to keep the temperature between 65 and 70 degrees during the day, keeping in mind that the area around a drafty window can be quite a bit cooler than the rest of the room. the decorative wrap or taking the pots out of the decorative wrap before watering. To keep the poinsettia in bloom as long as possible, maintain a temperature of 65 to 75 F during the day. With a little care and effort, though, you can keep your poinsettia thriving throughout the holiday season and more. Sure, soaking your poinsettia’s soil is the best way to quench its thirst, but be sure to pull off the shiny foil wrapper that came tucked around the pot before you water it. If you’ve placed the plant in a room that you keep lit all evening, just move it to a darker room, closet, or shadowy corner when the sun sets, then put it back in the window the next morning. Dropping the temperature to about 60 F at night will not hurt the plant. They work great as centerpieces or as a unique way to incorporate floral into your holiday décor! Prep Your Poinsettia for Outdoors Once the holidays are over, turn your attention to poinsettia plant care that prepares the plant for its move outdoors. Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences and . This beautiful white Princettia is planted up among 4 tropicals plants in a classic 10″ ceramic pot. New shoots will eventually develop at the buds below the cuts. Avoid putting it near air vents, doors and windows, … The poinsettia plant is native to Central America where it was used by the Aztecs for decorative and medicinal purposes. Follow these Poinsettia care instructions: Watering Check the soil daily. We learn a bit about a Christmas classic, the Poinsettia. In the wild, they grow as perennials, reaching almost 10 feet tall. Near White Poinsettia. Poinsettias are native to tropical forests of southern Mexico and Central America, where they grow in the wild as bushes or small trees. Make sure to remove or slit the decorative sleeve. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources offers some tips to care for the poinsettia during the year. home, it is good to keep them near a America and tropical Mexico, window, where they will get bright where they are known as the lores You can also care for the plant as described below to coax it into flowering again in the fall. But with just a bit of care, they can easily be kept from year to year. Water enough to keep the plant from wilting but don’t keep the soil soaking wet all the time. The poinsettia (/ p ɔɪ n ˈ s ɛ t i ə / or / p ɔɪ n ˈ s ɛ t ə /) (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).Indigenous to Central America, it was described as a new species in 1834. This plant should not be fertilised while flowering. Choose a new pot about two inches wider and an inch or two deeper than your current pot to give your poinsettia’s roots room to spread out during the coming fall growing season and help stimulate foliage growth and bloom production. Environment. POINSETTIA CARE TIPS Only water Poinsettias when the soil feels dry to the touch and to avoid root rot, do not let the pot stand in water. Please do me a favor and share this post to social media because it will help me spread the Ohio Tropics houseplant care tips to the … They normally flower during the short days of the Northern hemisphere winter. 2. Don’t fertilize your poinsettia when it’s in bloom. As holiday plants, they are raised in greenhouses in cool temperatures (60 to 72 degrees) with high humidity and light intensity, it can be tricky to duplicate the ideal spot for poinsettias . But still I found upper new … Poinsettia plants should be watered thoroughly, taking care not to drown them by ensuring adequate drainage is available. In fact, you may even be able to rebloom your poinsettia … Scroll down to learn more about them and how to care … While this can be done, it requires greenhouse-like conditions with hands-on care. Now that you know the basics of poinsettia care, get started on taking care of yours now. Merry Christmas from ContainerWaterGardens.net Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Also, for your convenience, we provided a handy poinsettia care infographic at the end of this post. Take care when pruning as the milky sap that is released by this plant is poisonous if consumed. In fact, you may even be able to rebloom your poinsettia … Bring the poinsettia into … The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources offers some tips to care for the poinsettia during the year. 3. It is all part of the perennial’s natural cycle. Intolerant of the cold, in the North, it is grown almost exclusively indoors. Water every three to five days when the soil feels dry. Though pretty, this wrapping prevents the water from draining out, leaving the poinsettia’s soil saturated and roots soggy. At . There it can grow up to 10 feet tall. A stunning gift for the season for friends, family, clients or employees! 8 Poinsettia Plant Care Tips Poinsettias are not frost-tolerant. For best results, keep your poinsettia in a warm room and mist it daily. Follow these Poinsettia care instructions: Watering Check the soil daily. Although they originate from the tropics and subtropics, poinsettias will grow happily as far south as Woolongong in NSW. 1. The poinsettia is the floral emblem of the city of Brisbane. Graphics below courtesy of FTD.com . Keep your plant away from Fluffy or Fido. Poinsettias benefit from plenty of direct daytime light to keep them from getting leggy. Whether you prefer the traditional red variety or favor hybridized pastel pinks and yellows, you’ll want to provide the best poinsettia care in order to enjoy the plant’s showstopping blooms as long as possible. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. That is why we have created a poinsettia care guide for those that want to decorate their homes this holiday season. Poinsettias are tropical plants typically grown in greenhouses, so despite their popularity in winter, they despise the cold. Poinsettia plants should be purchased last on your shop-ping trip so that they are not kept in the car too long. By March, if not sooner, move your plants outside to a spot where they will receive indirect light. When you first bring home your poinsettia plant, check its soil every couple of days to establish how frequently you’ll need to water. Which begs the question - how does the poinsettia produce flowers for our summertime Christmas, at the same time as it bursts into bloom for the northern hemisphere’s winter? Poinsettia Care After The Holiday Season. Make sure that no part of your plant touches the windowpane, as this may harm the poinsettia. So this time I followed all Poinsettia care tips and put plant in window under shady place with enough light. Let it drain until no more water runs out—this will take about an hour—and then place it back in its spot. What you need to know about poinsettia Name: poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Height: up to 3m in the ground, but often pot-grown Foliage: mid-green, oval, soft, sometimes tinged red. A consultation fee may apply. This may seem strange due to their holiday connotations, but poinsettias are tropical plants. Also, check out the nifty, cheat-sheet infographic on poinsettia care at the end of this post. The tender leaves and bracts wilt in windy conditions, so keep your plant away from open windows, forced-air registers, and fans. If you live farther north than that, your poinsettia will freeze into mush. If you’re concerned about persistent or severe symptoms, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. For best results, keep your poinsettia in a warm room and mist it daily. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. Euphorbia pulcherrima is a sub-tropical plant, native to Mexico. Poinsettias prefer bright, natural sunlight so put them in an eastern or southern-facing window that gets ample amounts of daylight. However, if you are looking to keep your poinsettia past the winter, there are ways that you can do that. The plants must be... • Poinsettias are very susceptible to chill damage, so never leave shipments out on a cold dock nor refrigerate them. 6. Poinsettias are a lovely gift for Mothers day, Christmas or used as a table centrepiece or decoration around the house. It needs a minimum temperature of 13 degrees, so don’t place them right next to a window (they hate a draught) and not near a direct source of heat eg a radiator or open fire. Christmas is a-comin’ and poinsettia season is getting into full swing. The festive poinsettia plant (Euphorbia Pulcherrima) takes center stage during the chilliest time of the year, but it loves a warm, tropical climate for growth. Proper Poinsettia care is important to keep your Poinsettia thriving throughout the holiday season. Soil: well-drained, fertile loam or quality potting mix. The pesticides used at garden centers and nurseries could cause reactions if your pet ingests poinsettia leaves, especially if you have a very young animal. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. The poinsettia originated on warm, subtropical mountain slopes near the Pacific Ocean in Mexico. During the holidays, while in full bloom, they typically enjoy semi-cool, humid locations in bright, indirect light with plenty of moisture. To make things a little easier and to help you remember the basics of poinsettia care, we have created a handy guide that goes over the fundamentals. What Temperature Do Poinsettia Plants Need? Poinsettia Facts. After the holidays when the flowers have faded, you can keep your poinsettia as a houseplant to enjoy its lush, tropical green leaves. If a sunny window isn’t available, choose as bright a spot as possible. In summer it is time to fertilise the plant and give it some time outdoors. Ask for a larger bag to put over the top of your plant to protect it on the trip to the car and into your home. Every 3 to 4 weeks from spring until early September, pinch back the growing shoots, leaving only 5 to 6 green leaves per stem. Greenhouse growers use special techniques to grow and sell them commercially. Since poinsettia plants are from the tropics, they prefer surroundings that simulate that type of environment. Play. A full sun position and protection from wind and frost will help, though. The Best Spot for a Poinsettia in Your Home. Contrary to myth, poinsettias aren’t poisonous. Poinsettias are tender, delicate plants that are native to the tropics of Mexico. Poinsettia care is easy throughout the holidays. There, it is a deciduous flowering shrub, growing up to 10 feet in height. Place your plant in a warm room, Poinsettias are tropical plants, so dislike being cold. Even though the risk is pretty low, don’t chance it. We have even included tips on how to re-bloom your poinsettia once the holiday season has passed. Poinsettia care . The poinsettia is native to Central America, so it is important to replicate a tropical environment for the plant to thrive. Watering Your Poinsettia. 1. and Edwin Mersino. To maintain your poinsettia bloom, keep temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. One thing pretty much everyone knows about poinsettia care is the importance of keeping poinsettias out of the reach of furry members of the family. How often do you water a poinsettia? Because poinsettias are from Central America, they are used to a fair amount of sun. The poinsettia is a tropical … The Poinsettias are sub-tropical plants well known for their Christmas floral displays with their bright scarlet red leaves and dark green foliage from this the real poinsettia flower is the insignificant flower cluster in the centre of the red bracts. In the rest of the world, the poinsettia is used either as a landscaping shrub, or most popularly as a potted plant indoors, especially during the holidays. Here are some tips on how to re-bloom your poinsettia, broken down month by month: It is important to note that because poinsettia are mildly poisonous plants, it is recommended to keep them out of a child or pets reach. Project guides & articles Care should be taken, when buying a poinsettia, to keep it away from wind and cold. This will simulate the tropical climate that it originated from. During the holidays, nothing rivals the floral festivity of the season’s favorite plant: the always colorful poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Poinsettias are named after an amateur botanist, Joel Robert Poinsett, who brought the plant to the U.S. from Mexico in 1825. As a poinsettia grows over the summer, its roots grow as well, and they can get cramped in a small pot. The colorful flowers, called bracts, should be firm with little or no pollen visible in the center. Poinsettias bloom in time for the holiday season but actually can’t tolerate the cold very well as their native environment is tropical. DON’T Forget to Protect the Plant in the Car. The poinsettias grow best in the warmer climates of Australia. Often seen as a disposable plant, they are hardy and can be encouraged to flower again and even grown on through winter. Play. Water as needed to keep the plant healthy, and water in fertilizer when you see new growth appear on the plant. Make sure to protect them from dramatic temperature drops as this will cause their leaves to prematurely wilt. Just follow these simple rules: Light: Place your poinsettias in an area where they'll receive a minimum of six hours of bright (but not direct) sunlight each day. After that, just let the stems grow. Proper Poinsettia care is important to keep your Poinsettia thriving throughout the holiday season. Today the poinsettia serves as a decorative element everywhere from beautiful churches to the porches of homes. The best place for them is in an east-facing window without obstructions. There’s a bit of funny stuff going on. If the area you are keeping your poinsettia intends to be dry, you may find yourself watering it daily. Any leaves that press against an icy window after you position the plant in your home will perish, and the chill could even affect the health of the poinsettia as a whole. How do I care for my Poinsettia? Touch soil and if it feels on the dry side, water the Poinsetta. Outdoors Native to Mexico, the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) doesn't like cold. Hi, I love this plant and trying to grow Poinsettia from last 3 years but they died every year. Soil should be moderately moist. Read below for our top Poinsettia care tips to keep your plant looking great all season long, and also some historical facts that you can crack out on Christmas Day. Place in bright room but not in direct sunlight. We learn a bit about a Christmas classic, the Poinsettia. And, with good care, a poinsettia plant can maintain its beauty for much longer than the Christmas season. Poinsettia care outdoors is minimal during warm weather. Do not worry if you are unable to get your poinsettia to rebloom your first time. Keep it warm and cozy. As mid-January and February roll around, even the best-kept poinsettia plants will begin to fade. Enjoy! Repotting keeps the plant from becoming root-bound. Poinsettias are tropical plants and can grow nearly 10 feet high in the wild. The key is to let the water drain out the bottom, and make sure that your poinsettia is not sitting in water. Some stores sell poinsettias in cellophane cones that … Make sure its pot has ample drainage so it does not sit in standing water which could cause root rot. So, when you bring your poinsettia indoors after its spring and summer sojourn in the flower bed, be sure to transfer it into a larger planter. Step-by-Step Guide to Year-Round Poinsettia Care. There are certain plants that play important and often mysterious roles in holiday traditions and celebrations all over the world. Poinsettia plants are ideally suited to the indoor temperatures of most homes of between 60-70 °F (16-21 °C). Make sure to protect them from dramatic temperature drops as this will cause their leaves to prematurely wilt. By March, if not sooner, move the plants outside to a spot where they will receive indirect light. Also try to keep the temperature between 65 and 70 degrees during the day, keeping in mind that the area around a drafty window can be quite a bit cooler than the rest of the room. Celebrated for their beautiful full leaves and rich colors, Poinsettias are vibrant, full, meaningful plants. What you need to know about poinsettia Name: poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Height: up to 3m in the ground, but often pot-grown Foliage: mid-green, oval, soft, sometimes tinged red. Waterlogged roots stress the plant and can lead to leaf-dropping—or worse, a short life. Remarkably, the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) was selected as the floral emblem despite it not being native to Queensland or even Australia ‒ it is indigenous to the tropical areas of Mexico and Guatemala. When mention is made of poinsettia plants, most people think of the color, red. 2. Poinsettias thrive with plenty of bright sunlight. Poinsettia plants grow best during the winter months, which is why they are the most popular potted plant during the holidays. Poinsettia Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivars Family: Euphorbiaceae. It is a tedious process that requires lots of care and patience. You should water your poinsettia whenever you feel the soil is dry or you see that some of the leaves are wilting. Poinsettias hail from a tropical climate so they love humid conditions, which means keeping the soil moist. 2. As the the colourful flower bracts begin to fade after Christmas you can cut the plant back to those boring old green leaves below. Water should run out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the container. Poinsettias come in a range of colors from white to orange, but are most popular in their red variety. A south or west facing windowsill, providing bright, filtered sunlight will be ideal for a poinsettia. The poinsettia (/ p ɔɪ n ˈ s ɛ t i ə / or / p ɔɪ n ˈ s ɛ t ə /) (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family (Euphorbiaceae).Indigenous to Central America, it was described as a new species in 1834. In colder climates, Poinsettias are grown as indoor plants. Soil should be moderately moist. If your poinsettia is growing in a pot when you get it, keep it indoors in a sunny room where the temperatures range from 65 to 80 degrees F. during the day, and no lower than about 60 degrees F. at night. The best way to water the plant is to move it, pot and all, to the sink and soak it thoroughly. Provide lots of sunlight — a sunny window with east, west, or southern exposure is best. Because this plant is from the tropics, they need a large amount of sunshine to flourish. Bold and beautiful, the poinsettia plant (Euphorbia pulcherrima) has bright petals that contain small flowers of green and yellow at the center. Poinsettias are not poisonous to pets or children as commonly believed unless ingested in large quantities. However, cold drafts, allowing the leaves to touch a cold window, or more importantly, lack of decent light, can injure the leaves and cause premature leaf drop. The plant should not be placed in the trunk of the car and needs to be taken home as soon as possible and put in a warm location. By Glenda Taylor and Marisa Villarreal. Habitat. If it is dry to the touch, water the Poinsettia thoroughly. Keeping your poinsettia through the year . If you plan on keeping it around, prune the stems back to six inches when the plant begins to get leggy, and continue to place it in a sunny spot that’s about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are in fact native to southern Mexico, and flower naturally during late autumn and winter. P. oinsettias are native to Central . 8 Poinsettia Plant Care Tips Poinsettias are not frost-tolerant. Water enough to keep the plant from wilting but don’t keep the soil soaking wet all the time. Here are some tips on how to keep your poinsettia beautiful year-round. To keep the poinsettia in bloom as long as possible, maintain a temperature of 65 to 75 F during the day. They must be kept warm and in an environment that best replicates their natural habitat. Maintain temperatures at daytime-: 65-75 degrees, nightime- 50-65 degrees. 2. A southern window is ideal. Place far from doors and heater drafts. Temperature: These plants prefer temperatures from 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and from 60 to 65 degrees at night. The "marbled" type is one of the most fascinating. While scare stories link the plants to pet poisoning, the milky sap of the poinsettia actually contains low-toxicity chemicals that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, and itchiness if a pet eats a large amount. How to Care for Your Poinsettia Plant . Native to tropical parts of Mexico and Central America, poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are showy perennials that are hardy in zones 9 to 11, and they’re surprisingly easy to grow. Like other plants in the Euphorbia family, they have a milky sap that can give you (or your pets) a stomach ache or irritate your skin when exposed to large quantities, but otherwise, they’re nontoxic. Climate: sub-tropical to tropical; indoor plant in cool climates. Poinsettias bloom in time for the holiday season but actually can’t tolerate the cold very well as their native environment is tropical. Copyright © 2020 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Simply abide by these six best practices—and avoid the six biggest mistakes—when tending to this ornamental houseplant. Choose a well-lit sunny spot, like an eastern- or southern-facing window. Continue to water just as you did before, and feed your poinsettia regularly every two weeks after they’ve stopped blooming with a standard houseplant fertilizer (view example on Amazon). The plants are raised in greenhouses (it is big business), to be sold as potted flowers for the holidays. Caring for Your Poinsettia When It’s In Bloom. However, cold drafts, allowing the leaves to touch a cold window, or more importantly, lack of decent light, can injure the leaves and cause premature leaf drop. Nov 23, 2016 - Poinsettia plants can grow into a medium sized tree in their native habitat. 4. Poinsettia care begins with proper light, water, and temperature conditions. Temperatures in the poinsettia’s native environment rarely, if ever, near freezing. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. Poinsettias are tropical plants. While year-round poinsettia care takes commitment on your part, you’ll be rewarded with an even-larger floral wonder the following holiday season. If you live in the Coastal and Tropical South (USDA Zones 9-11), you can plant it outside and it will grow into a large shrub or small tree covered with blooms each winter. Poinsettia Care. Care of Potted Poinsettias . Avoid direct sunlight, though. By March, if not sooner, move the plants outside to a spot where they will receive indirect light. I watered them when soil feel dry in touch. Some stores sell poinsettias in cellophane cones that will protect the plant from wind damage, but if it’s bitterly cold outside, the bracts and leaves could still suffer. Follow the poinsettia care tips outlined so far, and you may find that your houseplant survives from winter into spring—or even longer. Nothing says Christmas quite like the poinsettia. The poinsettia is a tropical plant and keeping it healthy and vigorous in our climate does take some specialized care. To maintain your poinsettia bloom, keep temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.