Poinsettias are a beautiful symbol of Christmas, but if you are discarding yours after the holidays, you’re missing out on a whole other season of flowering on these gorgeous plants! Shame on you!
The poinsettia in the picture was purchased for Christmas and this photo was taken for Valentine’s Day!
Keeping a poinsettia growing and blooming is easy so keep this in mind for Christmas 2021. (And for those of you still hanging on to your poinsettias from this last Christmas, congratulations for being so forward-thinking!) Remember, too, that while the reds are lovely and classic, you may prefer whites, pinks and blends for late winter and early spring color.
Poinsettias are good air purifiers too – another reason to keep them around! They help eliminate toxins and chemicals from the air inside your home or office and convert the carbon dioxide we exhale into fresh oxygen through photosynthesis.
There are two simple instructions for keeping a poinsettia growing – light and water. Keep the plant in as much light as possible, without putting it flush against the window (too cold!). And keep it consistently moist, but not soggy. If you let it get very dry or sit in lots of water, your poinsettia will drop all its leaves! In spring or summer, you’ll want to add some fertilizer but for now, none is needed.
Please note that Poinsettias are not pet friendly. For a list of pet friendly houseplants – read this article.
