Poinsettias - the quintessential Christmas plant

We all know poinsettias symbolise Christmas but do you know why? It starts in Mexico where the story is told that a little girl named Pepita had nothing to take to church as an offering to Jesus Christ. She picked some weeds from the side of the road, and laid them on the alter where they burst into a bloom of flowers. And that is where the connection with Euphorbia pulcherrima (the plant we know as Poinsettia) and Christmas began.

Poinsettias don’t like to be too wet, and can suffer from root rot, so it is important not the water too much. Wait for the soil to mostly dry out before watering, making sure that the water is able to drain from the pot. Don’t water the foliage. Use a small watering can with a spout to get in under the leaves and water the soil directly. This will help keep the fragile bracts and leaves from being damaged.  Prune as desired once the bracts age and lose their colour to promote new growth.  Be careful when handling poinsettias, as they contain a milky substance that can irritate the skin. Make sure you wash your hands well after handling.

In their natural environment poinsettias flower in winter. To get them to flower in time for Christmas in Australia, poinsettias are commercially grown in controlled light conditions. If you decide to plant one in your garden, it will revert back to flowering in late winter. Choose a spot that is shaded, and protect it from frost. They can grow quite large once planted in the garden - it is classified as a large shrub/small tree - so it can grow up to around 4m! So make sure it has enough space.

If you decide to keep your poinsettia in a pot, repot it at the end of Christmas, and place it somewhere outside - out of direct sun but with adequate light. If you would like to try and get it to flower next Christmas, you will need to manipulate conditions. Around 8-10 weeks prior to Christmas, give the plants 6 – 8 hrs of bright indirect light a day and complete darkness for 13 continuous hours each night.

Poinsettias come in the traditional red colour, white/cream and pink.