The Holidays Are Over, But Your Poinsettias Can Live to Bloom Again
These fussy plants can grow year-round with the proper care
Now that the holidays are over, it’s time for the annual Poinsettia Challenge — the race to see if you can not only keep your poinsettias alive. Maybe you can even win the ultimate prize: getting the dang thing to bloom again later!
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are a big business for the nursery industry. More than 70 million potted poinsettias are sold each year, bringing in something close to $250 million for growers and retail garden centers. But for all that investment, most people look at poinsettias as throwaway plants they buy to dress up their décor for the holidays and then toss in the compost bin in January. And if you don’t provide the right conditions for the plants, they might not even make it to January.
Native to Mexico, poinsettias aren’t really cut out for surviving extreme climates. With proper timing and attention, however, you can take an indoor/outdoor approach to keep them going. Here are some steps you can take to keep them healthy longer and maybe even coax them into reblooming.
To maintain potted poinsettias indoors, place them near a sunny south- or west-facing window. Keep them at 65 to 70° during the daytime, and about 5°…
