How to Make Poinsettias Last Longer? I know, I know, it’s the question that’s been keeping you up late at night, right? Seriously though, if you have never taken the time to look up how to care for poinsettias {please imagine me raising my hand here}, here’s a quick to making them last much longer.
Who knows, maybe those pretty pink, red, and yellow leaves can actually sustain you through the long dreary lifeless winter. Ha!
Poinsettia Care Basics
Make sure to start with healthy plants. Pick the best out of the bunch. Look for full leaves and deep colors.
Keep your poinsettias in a warm spot {not too warm, though}. If you set them next to the door, watch out for repeated cold drafts. They are not huge fans of temperatures below 50 degrees {we have that in common}. They are happy to be in a cooler spot {between 55-65 at night, so don’t worry if you drop your temperature at night}
Watering. Allow your plants to drain {you may want to punch additional holes in the bottom of your container}. Poinsettias are like tomatoes, they do not like wet feet. Water thoroughly when pot looks dry. {You’ll know if you are overwatering because the leaves will turn yellow and fall off}
Poinsettias do best in bright, indirect light.
It seems like an oxymoron, I know, but keep them in a well-lit room, away from the window and they will do much better.
If you really want them to last {6-8 weeks or so}, you may want to consider fertilizing them after they bloom. {Little tip: the colored red, pink, etc. parts are actually the leaves. The flower is typically compact and green.}
With a little care, you can get the most out of your poinsettias. Maybe pacify you until the Valentine’s Day Chocolates roll around? 😉
*** Did you know the Aztecs used Poinsettia sap to cure fevers and the red leaves {called bracts} to create red dye? Yep. I would not lie about such a useful bit of information.
They didn’t really become a popular Christmas decoration until the 19th century when a U.S. Mexican Ambassador brought them back to the states. They bloom in December, so they were an ideal choice for the holidays.
So there you have it. Now you know how to make poinsettias last longer.
~Mavis
Margo says
Some people in my area plant them outside after the holidays. (Zone 10). If you’ve never seen an old large poinsettia in full display, you’ve missed a treat. I can grow a lot of things but poinsettias seem not to be one of them. So I just admire them in a pot during the holidays.
Pat says
My stepmother would keep her poinsettias alive during the winter and then plant them outside her back door when the weather got warm. By summer’s end, they would be 3-4 feet tall and made a lovely patio bush.
Sue says
I love pink poinsettias. I have never had luck keeping them alive. A nibbly cat in the house now settles the question of my ever learning to keep them robust. They are not poisonous, but are indeed toxic. As are so many other delightful plants/flowers.
Sue S. says
I too have never been able to keep poinsettias either. I have the best luck with reblooming Christmas cactus and amaryllis. Easy peasy.
Linda Sand says
The year I had surgery then kept the gifted poinsettia next to my couch is the year I discovered I am allergic to poinsettias. That one head cold that lasts months? Pay attention.
Cathy says
I keep my office like a hothouse (very cold-natured) and I have kept poinsettias until the following October on several occasions. Then I get too lazy to find a place that it’s dark for them to do their thing. But, by then it’s time to get a new one anyway. 🙂
Linda says
Mavis
What can I do to keep them indoors from year to year? Do they stay the same bright colors?
Tracey says
Mavis, off topic: have you been reading anything worth recommending lately? Missing those lists you kept… Tracey
Nancy S says
I love poinsettias but have none inside as they can be poisonous to house pets, particularly cats.
Amber says
Growing up my Dad would take two and set them on either side of his father’s grave. Now, I get one each for my Dad and Grandpa’s plot (my Dad took my Grandma’s), my Grandma’s, and my aunt and uncle. It’s a tradition I carried on for Christmas after my Dad passed away.