How to Choose and Care for your Poinsettia

Originating from Mexico, the Poinsettia or Christmas Star is the ultimate Christmas houseplant with its vibrant, coloured leaves.

Choosing your Poinsettia

All of our Poinsettias are British grown and we stock several different varieties, from the ‘Classic Red’ Poinsettia to burgundy, white and marble effect – the more unusual colours sell more quickly so make sure you get in early! The bright colours on the plant are actually leaf bracts, and not flowers. When you buy your Poinsettia from us, we will make sure the plant is wrapped in a flower bag to protect it from the cold.

How do I care for my Poinsettia?

Place your plant in a warm room, Poinsettias are tropical plants, so dislike being cold. They need a minimum temperature of 13 degrees, so don’t place them right next to a window (they hate a draught) and not near a direct source of heat eg a radiator or open fire.
To keep the air around the plant more humid, mist the leaves with room temperature water every other day or use a gravel tray with a very small amount of water in. Poinsettias don’t like sudden changes in humidity – switching from wet and cold to hot and dry will damage the bracts.
It is really important that you don’t overwater your plant. Water the soil daily, using no more than 2-3 tablespoons of water. Alternatively, give it a weekly sink soak by gently pouring water into the soil until it flows through the drainage holes. Allow to drain for 10 minutes and then return to its home. Never let the Poinsettia stand in water and avoid getting the bracts wet.
Remove any dead leaves from the top of the compost.