Now that I’ve flipped my calendar to November, I’m counting down to Christmas and planning how I’ll decorate my home.
However, I don’t stick to the usual festive tree and decorative lights; I always rely on seasonal houseplants to bring vibrant life into the mix. Apart from my Christmas cactus, a poinsettia is a must-have — it’s basically Christmas in a pot.
Step into any garden center in mid-November, and you can’t miss a sea of crimson. Poinsettias have officially arrived and are the bright spark of color that signals the holiday season is near. But picking up a pot before Santa slides down the chimney comes with a risk. Choose the wrong plant now, and you could be left with a wilted stem by Christmas morning.
So how do you choose the perfect poinsettia so it still looks good when Santa arrives in December? Here, David Denyer, flower expert at Eflorist, shares how to choose a poinsettia in November so it creates a perfect display right through to the New Year.
What to look for when buying a poinsettia
Whether you’re picking a poinsettia for yourself or as a festive gift, Denyer advises checking the center of the colored leaves, known as bracts. “You’ll see small yellow-green buds, which are the true flowers. If these are still tight and unopened, your plant is fresh and will last much longer.”
Did you know?
The colored sections on a poinsettia look like flowers, but they’re bracts, often called modified leaves. The red ‘petals’ have developed to attract pollinators to the tiny flowers in the center. Bougainvilleas and passion flowers are two other plants with bracts that are easy to mistake for petals.
Two warning signs that shout “don’t buy me”
When you go to buy a poinsettia, Denyer says there are two red flags to watch for. He advises against buying a poinsettia with drooping, yellowing or missing leaves. It’s not a healthy start.
There’s another danger sign to watch for before buying this festive plant. Denyer adds, “Don’t choose plants that have been displayed outside shops or near automatic doors,” and he adds, “they’ll most likely be damaged by the cold draughts already.”
It appears that poinsettias prefer to be snug rather than chilly, so to keep your poinsettia protected, Denyer recommends, “Be sure to keep your poinsettias warm by wrapping them for the journey home; they really don’t like the cold.”
How to make sure your poinsettia lasts through the festive season
Once you’ve picked a healthy poinsettia, it needs to be treated just right to keep it looking its best, which is why it helps to know that this plant is used to sunny climates.
“Being native to Mexico, it makes sense that poinsettias love warmth and light, so placement is crucial,” says Denyer. “Select a bright room, ideally near a window where it can enjoy plenty of indirect light, but without its leaves touching the cold glass.”
They thrive in temperatures between 59-70°F (15–21°C), but they don’t like sudden changes, so he says, keep them away from draughty doorways, radiators, fireplaces and open windows, as they’ll struggle otherwise.
How long will a poinsettia hold it's color?
According to Denyer a poinsettia will hold onto its color for at least six to eight weeks, so a plant brought in mid-November should see you through until the end of December. If you wait until December to buy your plant, it will keep going until the end of January.
How to keep a poinsettia alive after Christmas
There are four main stages can help you keep a poinsettia alive beyond the festive season. Here, Denyer explains what to do and when.
Late winter
Once the bracts begin to fade, gradually reduce watering and let the compost dry out a little more between drinks.
April
Cut the stems back to around 4 inches (10 cm) and keep the plant somewhere warm and bright.
May
When new growth appears, repot into fresh compost, then water regularly and feed every couple of weeks throughout summer.
Fall
From late September, give your plant around 14 hours of complete darkness each night for eight weeks. Covering it with a box or popping it in a cupboard overnight will do the trick. This short-day treatment triggers the colorful bracts to develop in time for Christmas.
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