poinsettias
In the run-up to Christmas, the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), with its magnificent, colorful leaves, is a special gift. During the cold season, it's one of the most popular houseplants. In America, Poinsettia Day is even celebrated every year on December 12th.
Please sit down
Poinsettias are ideal as floral table decorations. They look stunning as stand-alone plants in the center of a table setting. And not just as potted plants, but also as cut flowers. For example, place a row of small glass vases in the center of the table or place a mini vase with a small cut poinsettia on each plate. Depending on your taste, you can add the perfect color accent to the table with classic red, bright pink, or delicate creamy white.
To prevent the milky sap from leaking out, briefly immerse the cut stem ends in water at about 60 degrees Celsius. This will keep the poinsettia branches radiantly beautiful for about two weeks!
The star from Mexico
The original genus name of the poinsettia was "Poinsettia," which is why many still call it poinsettia today. Its native habitat is South America, specifically Mexico. There, it grows into sprawling shrubs or trees up to six meters tall that bloom almost year-round. It belongs to the spurge family. In the 19th century, the poinsettia began its career as a cut flower in this country. In the 19th century, the first short-stemmed, compact potted varieties were bred in Germany, and these quickly established themselves as popular houseplants. Today, it is available in a wide variety of colors and shapes: The color palette of the colorful bracts ranges from red to orange, apricot, lemon yellow, creamy white, burgundy, rose, or pink. There are also bicolor varieties with stunning speckles or color gradients. The shapes of the dark green leaves vary from pointed to curled to oak leaf-like, serrated leaves. Despite the large selection, the red variant still remains the classic.
Care tips
When purchasing this winter-blooming plant, make sure the foliage is nice and dense, and that the colorful bracts are still full of yellow buds. The soil should be neither dry nor completely soggy. When purchasing, make sure the poinsettias are kept warm and protected from drafts. For transport, wrap them in a layer of protective paper to protect them from the cold winter air and bring them into a warm place as quickly as possible.
The poinsettia doesn't really need much care; given the right conditions, it usually thrives. Indoors, it prefers a bright, warm environment—temperatures between 15 and 22 degrees Celsius are best. Avoid cold drafts at all costs; strong sunlight or heating are also not good for it. If you want to keep it in the garden over the summer, it's best to place it in a partially shaded spot.
Water the poinsettia moderately and allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings, but not completely! This is especially important if the plant is near a heater or exposed to excessive sunlight. Poinsettias also do not tolerate waterlogging, as this will cause the leaves to quickly turn yellow or the plant to shed its leaves. Excess water should therefore always be drained off. Watering it with room-temperature water every few days is usually sufficient. If you want to do your poinsettia a favor, enrich the water you use once a month with commercially available liquid fertilizer.
Don't throw away your poinsettias after Christmas. Growing them as perennials is easy. Cut the plant back in spring, around March or April, and repot it in fresh potting soil. However, keep in mind that poinsettias are so-called short-day plants, meaning they only bloom if they receive no more than 12 hours of light per day. For small plants, you can trick the plant into thinking this is the case by covering them with an opaque bucket. Often, however, the plants will start blooming on their own.
TEXT: Victoria Wegner
