Poinsettia
Poinsettia

The poinsettia (Euphorbia Pulcherrima) is a commercially prime plant of the spurge family. It is native to Mexico and Central America. It is one of the most attractive and head-turner indoor plants, one can pot. Due to its colorful nature, people often disguise it as a flowering plant but what looks like a petal are actually leaves of the plant. It is specifically popular for its red and green leaves and is widely used in Christmas flower decor. The most extensively available poinsettia is red but there are over 150 different varieties of poinsettia available such as pinks, oranges, creams, apricots, and whites.

Red poinsettias are the best selling poinsettia but nowadays bi-colored and speckled poinsettias are very high in demand. Due to its significance, it is very popular, it is the best selling plant in the USA, U.K and European Countries. Lately, the demand for a poinsettia is also catching in Asian markets such as Indonesia and other countries. 

Poinsettia is December’s birth flower. It can grow up to 10 to 15 feet in height.

December 12 is observed as Poinsettia Day.

 

What does a poinsettia symbolize?

Have you ever wondered why poinsettia is a shining star among indoor plants?  Every plant has its own meaning and emblem similarly the same goes with the poinsettia. During Christmas, it is one of the most alluring plants to buy. It is said that poinsettia brings tons of love, hope, happiness, and goodwill to your home. It is the gift of positivity and shares joy and contentment all around. It cheers up not only the mood of the people but also lightens up the ambience around it with its positiveness. 

If you are perplexed as to what to give to your loved one during Christmas? Better not be, as poinsettia will be an excellent choice.

 

Is poinsettia an indoor plant?

Poinsettia is a type of houseplant and it is tropical in nature. A bunch of people chose to keep poinsettia indoor during summers when the season is full of humidity and hotness all around. It is a plant that strives for proper sunlight due to its nativity. Poinsettia is dual in nature it can be kept indoor and as well as outdoors while giving its required appropriate amount of care.

Poinsettias can be grown outdoor in the garden but only if the environment is frost-free.

While poinsettia can be potted indoors and it will blossom when it gets an abundance of sunlight with a temperature of 65 F minimum to 80 F maximum.

 

How to care for a Poinsettia?

Poinsettia
Poinsettia

Poinsettia is a bit of a dramatic plant. They require a full amount of attention, proper care, and a satisfying temperature to be potted. You can grow your poinsettia all healthy and happy throughout the holiday season with the required care. Poinsettia requires enough sunlight, warmth, and water. All these three recipes if combined in a proper way then your poinsettia will blossom up with their perfect seasonal color which looks amazingly wow!

Some necessary requirements of the poinsettia plant are given below:

1. Light

One can keep their poinsettia healthy and happy by keeping them under the proper sunlight or near a sunny window.

2. Soil

Poinsettia requires loose soil for its growth and a peat-based well-draining soil for its living.

3. Water

Every being needs water for survival then why not plants? Provide water to the plants thoroughly whenever the surface of the plant feels dry to you. Water the plant until the bottom gets drained out but do not let the plant be droned into the water, as it will result in the leaf drop and root rot. Wilting is the main cause for the leaf drop of the plants. A wilted plant will get its appearance improved and be salvaged and revived into the next season.

4. Temperature

To keep the poinsettia alive and blossom, you have to maintain a temperature of 650 to 750 F during the day time. Drop the temperature to 600 F at night it will be beneficial to the plant. Well, poinsettia requires an appropriate amount of sunlight and whenever it gets either excessive sunlight or inadequate sunlight it will get damaged. You have to pay heed to the condition of blooming of the plant and provide them with the required nourishment.

If you ever witness dull leaves in the plant it is either because it gets exposed to too cool temperature or to extreme heat in the temperature.h

5. Humidity

To let the poinsettia bloom one needs to keep the plant in a warm room and mist it daily, as this process will let the poinsettias live in their native climate.

6. Fertilization

Poinsettias are a little demanding but in the matter of fertilization they are so easy to be with. They do awesomely well with any sort of good quality all-purpose fertilizer. A water-soluble fertilizer provides more ease, and a dry fertilizer will also provide the maximum amount of satisfaction. Be attentive to water the plant thoroughly when you use dry fertilizer. Otherwise, it may cause damage to the plant and may scorch the roots.

 

How to rebloom poinsettias?

Poinsettia
Poinsettia

Poinsettia plants grow best during the winter season, that is the sole reason for being a popular potted plant during the holidays. Poinsettias are tropical plants that bloom in an environment that stipulates their native climate. Reblooming is not an easy task to do, most people do not succeed during their first time. It is a bit tough and challenging to do with a plant.

 

Month on month points to care for poinsettia

January – March

Whenever the surface seems dry to you without any hesitation water the plant until it gets drained out from the bottom.

April

From this month start decreasing the amount of water you were giving to the plant. Let the soil get dry between the watering process. If you see the stem being shriveled up then be cautious because that is a sign of the poinsettia dying. After one week or two, move your plant into a dark space with no sunlight for about 12 to 15 hours every night and the range of temperature will be between 600 degrees Fahrenheit. 

May

In the middle of May, feed and repot your poinsettia with new soil, and do not forget to cut the stem of the plant up to four inches. Place the plant into a well-lighted area and water it completely. The range of temperature should be kept between 650 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit and your poinsettia needs fertilization every two weeks.

June

Move the pot into a partially shaded area where it gets indirect sunlight and continue with the watering and fertilization process.

July

Begin the removal of the main stem of the plant and let the new stem grow this month. Pinching should be done by your hands as it will help the plant to grow new and healthy stems and will prevent it from going too tall and lanky which will decrease its beauty.

August

Continue with the pruning and pinching by leaving three to four leaves on each branch of the plant. By mid of August shift your poinsettia plant inside the room, place it near a sunny window where it will receive direct sunlight, and continue with the fertilization and watering process.

September

Pay heed to the temperature of the room where it is kept. The range of temperature should be above 650 degrees Fahrenheit and carry on with the fertilization and watering routine of the plant.

October

The most challenging and tough month for the poinsettia. Starting from October first day you have to keep the plant in absolute darkness from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. It is recommended to keep the poinsettia into a closet to avoid any amount of light. Any sort of exposure to the light will cause a delay in the blossoming of the plant. During the daytime, keep your poinsettia into the exposure of direct sunlight and continue with the watering routine and fertilization process.

November

Carry on with the process as same as the month of October. When you reach the last week of this month, you should see flower buds blooming, when you witness the buds in the plant stop putting it into the utter darkness, the time has come to keep the plant in sheer sunlight conditions.

December

In the mid of December you have to stop with the fertilization routine of the plant, if everything went as decided and the plant is blossoming, start it with the care and proper nourishment a poinsettia needs.

 

Are poinsettias poisonous?

Poinsettia
Poinsettia

Poinsettias are of toxic nature but not extremely hazardous to beings. It is better to keep this plant out of reach from the children. Adults are also advised to not touch them regularly.

Well, poinsettias are not as poisonous as one thinks, its exposure causes mild discomfort such as:

1. An itchy rash

When you get in touch with the sap of the poinsettia you may develop rashes. If this happens you are advised to wash the affected body part with soap and water. You can also apply a cool compress to slow down the itching and rashing.

2. Stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting

If you swallow a part of the plant, then you may become a victim of the following problems. If someone has accidentally swallowed the part of a plant it is recommended to clear and rinse their mouth completely.

3. Eye irritation

If the sap gets in touch with the eyes, then one can develop irritation in the eyes, and the eyes will become red. You are advised to flush the eyes with an abundance of water.

4. Allergic reaction

Some people are more sensitive to poinsettias than others. Reactions from poinsettias are too common among people with latex allergies. If you are allergic to certain fruits like bananas, avocados, kiwis to name a few then you might have a good chance of being allergic to the poinsettia plant.

If one has developed a severe reaction against poinsettia then immediately seek medical help.

 

Benefits of poinsettia

Poinsettia
Poinsettia

Poinsettias are also famous as Christmas flowers, Easter flowers. It is a flowering plant. The whole plant and its sap are used in making medicines. Poinsettias are also a great choice to gift during Christmas. It is also infamously known as the red leaf plant

Despite the safety, most people take poinsettia as a medicine to treat mild fevers and it also helps in stimulating the milk production of the breasts, plus it can also cause an abortion.

The latex of the plant is used as painkillers, it also kills bacteria but can cause vomiting.

Some people use poinsettia latex to treat their toothache, while some use it for their treatment of hair as a natural remedy. Poinsettias are also capable of healing skin disorders.

Poinsettias are extremely beautiful plants one can bring to their home or pot them.

They are also known as Christmas flowers due to their nature of blossoming in the winter season. They also have their own birthday marked in the calendar which is observed on the 12th of December. It is now in trend as a gift exchange during festivals such as Christmas, Easter. They have an absolutely captivating power which no one can resist.  Poinsettias needs sunlight, comfort, and a temperature range of 650 Degrees Fahrenheit to 800 Degrees Fahrenheit.

 Poinsettias are slightly poisonous but not extremely hazardous to health, as its latex can cause some skin irritation, vomiting, etc if it comes in contact with skin and mouth.

One should be cautious while pruning and fertilizing. Poinsettias have healthy benefits also they are used to treat the ill person, and it is said that it is also used in the abortion process. 

If you are thinking of presenting a gift of love and warmth to your beloved then do not stress up your mind because poinsettia is here to calm you and it will provide sheer calmness, positivity to your loved one’s home.

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