Poinsettia is an iconic plant strongly associated with the Christmas season, and with these crucial tips from expert gardener Monty Don they could last for months
Every year many of us dash through the shops looking for last-minute presents to give to our loved ones for Christmas. There is one crowd-pleaser of a present that always goes down a treat: a Poinsettia. The stunning red and green foliage is the perfect addition to any home during the festive season, with its lively colours perfectly in line with those of Christmas itself, and they add a fun splash of colour alongside the usual Christmas tree and its bright decorations of baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights.
However, one major downside of Poinsettia can be that they sometimes do not last that long after Christmas, going from a beautiful centrepiece to a wilted mess. Luckily, gardening expert and TV presenter Monty Don has some crucial tips to keep these gorgeous plants healthy and happy for a much longer time, which will allow you to enjoy them for months after the festive season.
“Hundreds of thousands of poinsettias are given as Christmas gifts and with a little care these can be made to last looking good for months,” Monty Don explained on his website. The stunning poinsettias are initially native to Central America and Mexico and in houseplant form they are much smaller than those that grow in the wild, which means that they have some specific care needs, the expert explains, particularly when it comes to the location in your home that you keep them.
“Modern poinsettias grown as houseplants are treated with a growth retardant to create the familiar short, bushy shape we all know and love but in their native Mexico poinsettias grow at the margin of the forest to a large 10ft high shrub.
“Poinsettias are only really comfortable in damp warmth. They do not like cool nights, very hot dry rooms, or big fluctuations in temperatures, so keep them where there is a constant average temperature, avoiding draughts, cold windows or even very bright spots that can get very hot in the middle of the day.”
When it comes to watering your Poinsettia, they can get pretty thirsty, but it is also crucial not to water them too regularly, Monty Don explains: “They like plenty of water but let the compost dry out before giving them a really good soak, standing the pot in a sink full of water and leaving it to stand for 10 minutes or so before letting the excess water drain from the pot.”
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