When it comes to Christmas there is really only the one plant that comes to mind, the beautiful, deep red, star shaped Poinsettia. I love this classic plant and it’s wonderful leaves and often have them in the house over December. What I didn’t realise is that they actually come in huge variety of colours. This fabulous news means that whatever your chosen festive scheme you can find the Poinsettia for you.
Stars for Europe are the leading group of Poinsettia growers and have some wonderful information on keeping your blooms looking at their best.
First step is choosing a good quality bloom. A high-grade plant can be recognised by undamaged leaves and small budding yellow flowers at its centre. The soil should be neither dried out nor soaking wet. A true plant-loving retailer will also place their poinsettias away from the draughty entrance area of the store.
To get it home safely you should also wrap your poinsettia in paper for the journey home to protect it from draughts and temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius. This protects it from damage that is initially invisible but can lead to premature loss of leaves after a few days.
When you get you plant home it needs a warm, bright place away from draughts. A temperature of between 15 and 22 degrees is ideal, making these plants well suited to bedrooms and living rooms. Since the poinsettia originates from tropical Mexico, it needs lots of light. In the winter months it is happy by a south-facing window. Direct sunlight is not a problem since in our climates, from mid-October onwards the danger of too much sunlight hitting leaves is virtually non-existent. However, sufficient light is important for the plant to grow and thrive. On the other hand, poinsettias hate draughts, so you should always place them in a sheltered spot. If it’s too draughty, this warmth-loving plant may start to lose its leaves.
When it comes to watering Poinsettias require different amounts of water depending on location, room temperature, plant and pot size. For a standard pot with a diameter of 13cm, give it no more than a small glass of water, around 0.2 litres. This prevents large pores in the soil from clogging up and waterlogging. Mini poinsettias should not be given more than one shot glass of water. Excess water that is still in the planter after ten minutes should be removed.
Water poinsettias when the soil is noticeably dry. This could be every day in the case of a plant near a radiator in a dry room, or only every second or third day in other spots. You can check by carefully lifting up the plant. If it feels light, it’s time to water. It’s worth noting that smaller pots dry out faster than larger ones, so you will need water them more often. Mini poinsettias should be checked every day. You can also water these plants by soaking them from below, which saturates the soil more than normal watering. If in doubt, it’s better to keep poinsettias a little drier (rather than too moist) and to water them little and often, rather than rarely but in great quantity. Poinsettias are particularly long-lasting when they are fertilised once a week from about four weeks after purchase, using a commercial liquid fertiliser for flowering houseplants in the dosage indicated on the packaging.
So now that you know how to look after your Poinsettia, how do you fancy winning a stunning festive bouquet featuring the beautiful bract. Worth about £45 this will be one stunning display and we’ll have it sent to you in time for Christmas! To enter simply pop your details into the Gleam app below.
Good luck x
Win a Poinsettia Bouquet worth £45Disclosure – Stars for Europe have kindly arranged the prize bouquet.
Lovely prize.
What a beautiful plant. I love house plants so much they’re taking over lol! It just isn’t Christmas without a poinsettia
I am moving house next week, this would be a perfect Christmas and housewarming gift. No way would I be able to create anything this lovely!
This is beautiful, I’d love to win this. Thanks for the competition.
My girlfriend loves some winter colour to lift her mood so this would be wonderful for her.
This would be lovely for my girlfriend who loves a bit of winter colour to lift her mood.
This is lovely and a must have at Christmas
I love a poinsetta at Christmas such beautiful, traditional colours. I always try to keep them alive as long as possible and managed to keep one alive till Eastertime once which I thought was very poignant!
i love poinsettias its not christmas without one or two x
I’d love to win this to send to my parents for Christmas
It would be lovely to win we always buy a poinsettia for Christmas it would be lovely to have an extra special one
I love these at Christmas, beautiful plants.
So festive, I would love to decorate my home with these pretty festive blooms!
Beautiful Prize I love these at Christmas they have to be my favourite winter flowering plant
Lovely festive prize
We get a poinsettia for my Grandma every year, it’s become a Christmas tradition!
this would be great on my dining table thankyou
This is just stunning! I love poinsettias but don’t know much about the care of them so this is great to have all the info here
Love these so beautiful
Beautiful, I would send this to my mum to brighten up her Christmas
My mums favourite flowers 🌸
They would make a stunning centrepiece
I love a festive Poinsettia! Add a bit of Christmas cheer after a challenging year.
Poinsettias are so lovely, a fab giveaway x
How beautiful. Such a lovely giveaway.
A house is not a home without plants. I have two weeping figs either side of the doorway in my hall……almost as tall as me. Spider plants trail from several bookcases and I have quite a few kalanchoe that I’ve grown from original supermarket ones. Due to flower in the New Year b.y the look of all the buds
These are beautiful
Great prize, love to win
Beautiful, would really cheer up my home.
Beautiful plants .They just say Christmas.So many colours but the deep red says it all Merry Christmas.
I also feel that Poinsettias are a lovely and bright addition to the Christmas decorations.
Love these so beautiful and festive
They’re so pretty aren’t they
Loving this, loving the colours!
Good luck x
I love these plants…always buy one for Christmas
Me too!
My mum often buys me poinsettias for Christmas. Somehow last years has survived!
Well done! That takes some doing
This would be perfect to display in my kitchen
Good luck x
Love these, always have one at Christmas
So do I, though I haven’t bought mine yet
This would really make my Christmas so much better this year
Thanks for the chance
Good luck!
I’d send this to my Mum whilst I won’t be able to see her this year
That’s a lovely idea! Good luck
I’d send this to my Mum whilst I won’t be able to see her this year
Looks fab! What a treat this would be! Merry Christmas all xx
Good luck Ruth
What a lovely prize, fingers crossed
Thank you, good luck x
Gorgeous! I’m so looking forward to Christmas!
Me too, I cannot wait!
I love Poinsettia so this is great
They’re such a pretty plant
Beautiful plant that brightens up the house at Christmas!
They do don’t they
Beautiful. Great caring tips etc, for them thanks😊
I struggle with keeping them alive so I thought it would be helpful xx
Beautiful flower
I love Poinsettia at Christmas, they always remind me of my Grandma.
They are the perfect Christmas plant x
I love the pioncetta
So do I, they are so festive x
I love poinsettisas at christmas they just add so much magic
Yes, magic! I agree with you on that
THESE ARE SO LOVELY
Good luck x
Lovely, count me in
You’re in!
I love poinsettias. The pictures here are gorgeous.
Not mine I have to admit, but such a gorgeous flower
A lovely giveaway thank you
Good luck x
These are beautiful, I have never bought poinsettias before
I buy one every year, how have you resisted so far!!
What a lovely prize!
Thank you, good luck x
Thank you for offering this amazing giveaway – I would love to win it! 🤞😊
Good luck x
what a lovely prize!
Good luck x
I’ve made some room on my fireplace for when I win this hehehe
I love the positivity!!
It’s the law to have a Pointsettia in the house during the festive time. 😊
It sure is!
Looks amazing, would love to gift it to friend. Stay safe all.
That would be a lovely thing to do, good luck
Love festive arrangements so this would be lovely to win
Good luck x
I have a real poinsettia every year plus a couple of artificial ones for a table centrepiece. I’d love this.
That’s very organised of you, love it
These are lovely.
Good luck x
This is beautiful
Good luck x
Great info, now i know why mine didn’t last very long last year!! x
I had been making so many mistakes with mine!! I didn’t realise how delicate they were
these look beautiful
Good luck x
I love poinseta it means its Christmas
I work in a supermarket and when they start to appear on the flower display I love it!
Lovely bouquet!
Good luck x
I’d be over the moon if i won this. Merry Xmas everyone.
Merry Christmas!!
This is such a lovely giveaway. I love it. Thank you.
Good luck x
There really is nothing that says Christmas like a poinsettia
How lovely, I remember having pointsettias at my nan as on Christmas day, she would have it middle of the Christmas table. You don’t see them as regularly now
They are one of my favourite plants, full of festive memories
great prize
yes please
a perfect gift
I love poinsettias and this prize would be wonderful
Such a fab prize
I really love poincettas
Great prize!