How to Choose the Perfect Poinsettia
Choosing a poinsettia to put on display in your home this Christmas can be a daunting task. As plant people, we sometimes forget that many customers are new to the Christmas holiday plant world and need a bit of direction. Here are a few tips to make this ‘job’ merry, bright and bit less stressful!
When shopping for a poinsettia, take note of the location of the poinsettia display in the store. If they are located by a drafty door, on the floor, or back against a cold window, think twice about purchasing plants from those displays. I usually avoid poinsettias that are sold in plastic sleeves. These plants are usually mashed together in a display, where neither light nor air can circulate freely. If the poinsettias are on display for a period of time, the plastic will encourage mold and mildew to form on the lower leaves.
This usually applies to retail big box stores as many garden centres have heated floors in the winter, and are extremely knowledgeable about plant product placement and care.
You really do have to pick up a poinsettia to have a good look at the plant. Watch for broken leaves or main stems. Poinsettia have a latex sap that oozes out of the stems when broken. It is not poisonous but can be irritating to the skin.
Handle the plant gently, as the leaf and stem attachments are naturally a bit brittle. The plant should be full and somewhat rounded in form with a natural dome shape on top.
Look at the poinsettia leaves. The colorful parts of a poinsettia are actually modified leaves called bracts. Be aware that poinsettias are hybridized plants and some varieties have darker green leaves than others. This is perfectly normal. A poinsettia plant should have lots of leaves and bracts. If the leaves have browned, dried, curled or are laying on the surface of the soil this indicates that the plant may have been over or under-watered or in a cold location for a period of time.
Poinsettias may have the odd yellow leaf along the bottom. Usually that is of no worry but if a lot of leaves are yellow, the plant is stressed.
In the centre of the colorful bracts are the actual flowers. They begin as green buds and open slowly over the course of the season. A fresh poinsettia will have flowers that have closed buds and some that are beginning to open.
Properly watered poinsettias are damp, not soggy. At home, use warm water for watering. Make sure the pot does not sit in water for an extended period of time. Check the soil for moisture every day.
In Saskatchewan, poinsettias must be covered for the trip from the garden centre to the car, preferably with a paper sleeve or two or a paper bag.
Do not leave your poinsettia in the car while holiday shopping. This plant is a native of Mexico and cannot tolerate cold of any duration.
When buying poinsettias, do leave them as the last purchase of your shopping day. By then, your car will be warm – just right to keep your poinsettia(s) healthy on the ride home. They should be the first things you take into the house.
Choose your poinsettias from a trusted, reliable garden centre such as Floral Acres. They space out their poinsettia plants when on display and pay careful attention to watering; providing you and yours with beautiful Christmas plants for the holidays!