Poinsettia Care Guide: How to Rebloom Poinsettias

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are a popular plant for the Christmas holiday. You can find these potted plants at florists and garden centers in shades of bright red during the holiday season. Poinsettias feature bracts, which are modified colored leaves that also come in yellow, white, and pink varieties. If you receive a poinsettia as a holiday gift, with proper care, the plant can outlive the Christmas tree and rebloom the following winter.

Follow these tips to care for your poinsettia plants during the holiday season:

• Place poinsettias in a spot with indirect sunlight. Poinsettias need six to eight hours of indirect sunlight a day. You can place them near a sunny window, but do not expose the plants to cold drafts.
• Water poinsettias when the surface of the soil feels dry. Ensure the water runs through the soil to the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, and pour off any excess water. Overwatering will cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off and can lead to root rot.
• Moderate the growing temperature. Keep poinsettias in a space with a temperature of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit will cause leaf drop.

After the holidays, poinsettia bracts will gradually shrivel up and fall off, but the plant will rebloom the following holiday season with overwintering and proper care.

1. 1. Prune your poinsettia plant. Once the bracts have fallen off, prune the plant so the stem is four to six inches tall. Leave one to three leaves on each stem to encourage new growth and keep the plant looking tidy.
2. 2. Fertilize the poinsettia every two weeks. As the poinsettia grows new shoots, fertilize the plant with an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer.
3. 3. Repot the plant in warmer months. In June, prune the plant back until it’s six inches tall, and repot the plant into a slightly larger container. Fill the pot with well-draining potting soil, and water the plant until the water drains out.
4. 4. Transport your plant outdoors. Though poinsettias are usually displayed as indoor plants, over the summer, as the temperatures are warm all day and all night, you can also move the plant outside.
5. 5. Pinch to encourage side branching. As the poinsettias grow in July and August, pinch an inch off the tip of each stem to promote side branching. Otherwise, the plant will grow long and leggy. Give the plant a final trim in September—the plant will be primarily green leaves at this point.
6. 6. Place the poinsettia in a warm, dark environment. Poinsettias are short-day plants that need uninterrupted darkness to trigger new bracts. In the fall, transport the poinsettias to a warm place where they can get 14 to 15 hours of complete darkness every day. You can put them in a closet and cover them with a box, though they should still get approximately 9 to 10 hours of daily indirect light. At this point, reduce the amount of fertilizer.
7. 7. Display your poinsettia plant. The poinsettia should develop colored bracts by mid-November. After that, discontinue fertilizing and take the plant out to display. Care for the plant as you would under normal conditions during the winter months.

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