How To Care For Poinsettias At Home

Is there any plant as synonymous with the holidays as the Poinsettia? At TERRA, we grow more than 40,000 Poinsettias for the holiday season each year! The bright colours of these tropical plants are perfect for celebrating the season, and add cheerful ambiance to indoor spaces. Classic bright red is the most popular Poinsettia colour, but you can also find a range of trendy and unique varieties in shades of white or cream, pink, salmon, blush, and even orange or yellow! Choosing the type you like best is the easy part… but how do you care for a Poinsettia at home? Follow our simple steps to keep your Poinsettia alive for the holidays!

Step 1: Keep Your Poinsettia Warm

Poinsettias may be the most popular in the winter, but they’re tropical plants that really don’t like to get cold! Start off right with your plant by keeping it protected on the trip home from the warm greenhouse. Ensure it’s wrapped up before heading to the car – paper wrapping is happily provided by our store teams. If possible, bring your Poinsettia home quickly instead of having it sit in a cold car for additional stops on the way.

Step 2: Water Your Poinsettia Mindfully

Watering plants well is a game of practice. One principle to keep in mind when caring for Poinsettias is “maintain balance”. A Poinsettia growing in a warm, bright room will generally need to be watered 2-3 times per week. Ideally, grow your plant in a pot with a drainage hole. You can even keep it in it’s grower pot, and upgrade the look by dropping it into a decorative pot. Decorative indoor pots are the perfect way to score style points with your seasonal plant, and they come in handy to catch extra water.

When watering, water slowly, saturating the soil, but allowing all of the excess water to drain away. Don’t water again until the top of the soil has dried. The goal is for the soil to maintain some moisture at all times, but to never sit wet for too long. Use your finger or a moisture tester to check the top 2 inches of the soil before watering again.  Make sure to empty the decorative outer pot of excess water.

Step 3: Remember Your Poinsettia is a Tropical Plant

It’s easy to forget that this pretty holiday flower is actually a tropical plant! Your Poinsettia wants a warm, humid place with lots of sunshine. Since we’re not on the beach, it’s helpful to try to mimic that climate for your plant. Making sure it’s getting plenty of bright, indirect light (such as adjacent to a west- or south-facing window, or directly in a north-facing window) most of the time is ideal. If your Poinsettia is serving as holiday decoration in a darker space, try to set it close to windows as much as possible. Be sure to place your plant away from forced air ducts, or doors and windows that open often and may be draughty. Grouping with other plants can help to increase humidity.

Step 4: Enjoy And Appreciate Your Poinsettia

The most important care tip? Don’t sweat it too much! Enjoy your Poinsettia, no matter how long it lasts. These cheerful plants are only around for a short window of time each year. Try out a new colour, experiment with different locations in the house, and notice how you’re delighted every time you walk by your pretty plant.