Caring for the Poinsettia, the Christmas Star
An iconic plant of the holiday season, the poinsettia truly lives up to its name, the Christmas Star. Its bright red petals almost outshine the legendary Christmas tree!
With the holiday season fast approaching, the editorial team at Sessile.fr is sharing some practical tips for caring for your poinsettia all year round.
Caring for Poinsettias: How to Pamper Your Christmas Star
Are you, too, captivated by this exotic plant native to Mexico? The first thing that catches our eye is the intensity of its red color —a distinctive hue that adorns its leaves, known as bracts.
Although it's best known for its vibrant red variety, which adds a touch of magic to our Christmas decorations, the poinsettia also comes in shades of pink, orange, and white.
Follow our practical tips now to enjoy this lovely houseplant long after the holiday season is over!
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Caring for a Poinsettia: Ideal Light and Temperature
Like all exotic plants, the poinsettia needs warmth and direct light.
It can be placed near a radiator, but must be kept out of drafts, or it may lose its leaves—so be sure to keep it out of reach of a fireplace or an open window.
A temperature between 15 and 22 degrees is ideal for caring for your poinsettia: for example, you could place it in your living room or in your bedroom.
Adequate light is essential for promoting the growth and development of this plant—Poinsettias prefer a bright spot rather than a shady one.
During the winter months, you can place your poinsettia near a south-facing window.
In the summer, however, avoid exposing your houseplant to direct sunlight to prevent its leaves from getting scorched.
How to Water Your Poinsettia?
How often you water your poinsettia is particularly important, because it will quickly lose its leaves if it is overwatered or underwatered—so you need to find the right balance to keep your houseplant healthy. Here are the most important points to keep in mind regarding how often to water your poinsettia:
Seasonal Watering
Water your poinsettia generously, especially at the beginning of the blooming period. In winter, it’s best to water your plant up to twice a week, making sure the soil remains moist at all times and never dries out completely.
As soon asthe warm weather arrives and temperatures start to rise, you should water your Poinsettia less frequently: you can reduce the frequency to once a week. Only in particularly dry and hot climates is it necessary to water your Poinsettia more often.
How to Care for Your Poinsettia After Christmas?
To ensure it survives until next year, your florist recommends pruning your poinsettia in April to about 10 cm and keeping it at a temperature of 13 degrees. Repot it in May and grow it in a cool, bright spot during the summer, ideally at a temperature between 15 and 18 degrees.
When November arrives, it’s time to start forcing your plant. It will need 12 hours of bright light followed by 12 hours of complete darkness to acclimate it to the shorter days of winter, which will encourage the famous bracts to bloom.
Sessile's Tips on Caring for Poinsettias
As the holiday season approaches, poinsettias are making a big comeback on supermarket shelves. What you may not know is that before being exposed to the fluorescent lights and drafts of supermarkets, these exotic plants were first pumped full of fertilizer to produce more beautiful blooms, then shipped by truck and stored in a dark warehouse. Sometimes, the practice goes so far as to apply glitter or polish to their bracts, which inevitably causes the poinsettias to suffocate.
In short, it's a deadly combination that leaves your supermarket-bought poinsettia with little chance of survival.
When you purchase your poinsettia from an artisan florist in the Sessile.fr network, you’re choosing a high-quality houseplant that has been carefully selected and cared for in conditions that respect its nature and needs. A Christmas wonder that will become a lasting part of your home!
Who are we?
Sessile champions the independence of artisan florists online. Founded in 2019 by six friends, Sessile brings together 500 florists committed to transforming the industry and enables flower delivery throughout France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. By breaking away from the traditional online catalog model, the network highlights each florist’s expertise and helps keep the art of floristry alive. Florists can pursue their passion and create more creative bouquets because they have greater freedom to offer seasonal flowers and, whenever possible, locally sourced flowers.
