Two weeks before Thanksgiving, I visited a poinsettia grower. I was so delighted to see several acres of poinsettias in bloom, ready to ship to garden centers the day after Thanksgiving. The majority were red, but there were many whites, pinks and some variegated and "Wood Rose." It was so amazing to see so many perfectly grown poinsettias in one huge location.
As the grower led us through the many greenhouses, he explained how these beautiful plants started out as cuttings in August. The care, watering, fertilizing, insect management and light control were meticulous in order to grow this magnificent crop.
Everyone loves beautiful poinsettias for the holidays. Purchase poinsettias as early as possible for best selection. Take care that stems do not break and that the plants are not too hot or too cold on the way home. Poinsettia bracts (modified leaves that surround a small round flower) will stay colorful for two months or longer.
When you return home with your poinsettia, place the plant in good sunlight. South windows are best. Before company arrives, move the poinsettias to the locations you want to decorate. Poinsettias not only come in many colors but in a variety of heights and sizes for use in different locations. For an entryway, select a few tall tree-form poinsettias. For a fireplace, select a grouping of various heights. For a large tabletop centerpiece, select a few short poinsettias or a low-growing hanging basket.
When you purchase a poinsettia, the plant has only been out of the greenhouse for a few days. The dry atmosphere in most homes will cause the plant to wilt very quickly if the soil becomes dry. Check the soil daily. The plant will adjust in a few days. Do not allow the plant to wilt.
The lower leaves drop off if the poinsettia is not kept evenly moist. But just the opposite is also true. If the plant stays too wet or sits in water for too long, the roots will rot. Leaves will also drop if the temperature is over 80 degrees or under 50 degrees, or if the light is too low. Keep the plant out of the drafts of cold and hot air.
By far the most popular Christmas plant, the poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, is from southern Mexico, where it grows into a tall, woody shrub with showy red leaflike bracts in the winter. Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico (1825-1829), brought the plant to the States to grow in his greenhouse. Since then, the poinsettia has become the No. 1-selling Christmas plant.