Keeping Poinsettias year-round

Poinsettias are an exciting sign of the holidays. Their dark-green leaves and stark red or white “flowers” [research: are they flowers, leaves?] shine from the shelves of local stores after Thanksgiving. The plants come in a variety of sizes, hues, and containers so you can match them to your holiday style. Best of all, they’re easy to care for: Keep them watered and away from direct heat and cold and they’ll be happy.

Many people throw away their poinsettias after the holiday festivities, but these plants can last for years if well cared for, and they make a lovely addition to any indoor garden. I’ve had mine since November 2017, and they’re still going strong.

Rather than tossing your poinsettias this year, consider making them a part of your permanent garden. Here are four strategies to help you keep them healthy and happy through 2020 and beyond:

Basic care requirements

[what the books say about light, water, soil, feeding]

[What I’ve discovered: talk about my experience.]

The magic of repotting

[Emphasize the power of repotting with these plants–they grow huge quickly after repotting, and look almost like trees, with some basic pruning. They’re beautiful. I had a landscape designer comment on one of my poinsettias this summer and tell me he’d never seen them behave that way before.]

Summer & winter transition periods

[Talk about the molting that my plants go through at least twice a year–shedding their white leaves for new green ones, then green ones for white leaves. Research what pros are saying about these periods–what, scientifically, is happening during this time]

[Offer strategies for how to keep them healthy during transition–repotting, feeding]

Are poinsettias toxic?

Poinsettias are toxic to pets and humans. If your fur-baby likes to eat or play with plants, this is probably not a great option unless you keep it well out of reach.

[What about the plant is toxic? link to pet toxicity resource page]

My cat, Knave, shows no interest in plants (unless it’s fresh catnip) so I don’t worry too much about having poinsettias at home. With that said, I promptly remove fallen leaves from the floor and wash my hands after handling my poinsettias. And I keep an eye on Knave, in case he suddenly develops an interest in them.