Are you also fond of the poinsettia?
Did you know that poinsettia is a plant that originally comes from Mexico? There it can grow as much as 4-5 meters high.
The Latin name for the poinsettia is Euphorbia pulcherrima. The Aztecs called it cuetlaxochitl, and according to their belief, it got its characteristic red color when the blood of a goddess dripped onto the leaves. In Norway, it is among our most popular Christmas flowers, and it is available in pink, red and white varieties.
How hot?
Ideally, the poinsettia should be kept at 12-14 degrees Celsius, but who can bear that in the Christmas room? Maybe you have room for it in a cool place at night? In the bedroom or in the hallway by the front door?
How much water and nutrition?
Keep the plant evenly moist, but no wetter than the top two to three centimeters are allowed to dry out before you water. Fertilizer is taboo for all houseplants until Easter.
Well-being
Keep the poinsettia far away from direct sunlight on the windowsill, drafts from windows, hot panel ovens and fruit trays. Ripening fruit emits methane gases that no plants or cut flowers thrive on.
Give the poinsettia a long life
Don't panic when the poinsettia sheds its leaves. It is completely natural in low sunlight and lots of room heat. Continue with regular, sparing watering until Easter. You can then start with weak fertilizer water. 1/6 of what the manufacturer recommends holds. Around May 17, increase the fertilizer to half of the recommendation every other time you water. Please use rainwater.
Does it get the color back?
You can get it red again for next year by short-day treatment of the plant. Put it in a dark cupboard for about twelve hours a day from 1 September. Water sparingly. After the closet treatment, the poinsettia spends a month putting you both in the Christmas mood again.
Poisonous?
That the plant is poisonous is a common misconception. It may still be a good idea to be careful: Some people may have allergic reactions to the plant. Eating it can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, and plant sap in contact with the eyes can cause temporary blindness.
Do you want to send Christmas flowers?
Now you can send a gift from a local specialist shop, made with the heart by one of our skilled decorators and delivered to your door.
Choose one of the poinsettia favorites below or see our entire wonderful Christmas range here .