The poinsettia, which is also called the Christmas star, points the tip of his nose during the holiday season. All dressed in red and green, it contributes to the festive atmosphere by blending in perfectly with the decor. Although its bracts are usually red, there are white, pink, yellow, creamy-white, salmon, and sometimes even variegated varieties. As for the leaves, they are always bright green. And if the poinsettia usually sulks after the holidays, that’s not a reason to throw it away! On the contrary, with a few gestures, it is even possible to make it bloom again for a second Christmas! Discover all our advice to give a second life to your Christmas star.
You should know that in its natural environment, in Mexico, the poinsettia can easily reach 2 m in height and sometimes more! In France, it is generally grown in pots and its size is rather dwarf. This makes it a wonderful table decoration plant during the holidays.
Actions to take to keep the poinsettia alive
When the flowering ends just after the holidays, do not throw it in the trash! To help it recover, place your plant in a cool room from January then water it at regular intervals until spring.
Then, when the beautiful season ends, drastically reduce watering. The plant enters a vegetative pause as soon as the first leaves begin to fall. Stop all watering at this time. The earth needs to stay dry for a whole month.
At the end of this month, cut back the plant rather short by about 10 cm. Then resume watering and move your poinsettia to a warmer location between 15 and 23°C. The plant will appreciate good humidity with regular baths (the water should be at room temperature), but be careful never to leave standing water in the dish. Also, the room should be very bright.
It is also possible to place the plant outside between May and September if the temperatures are mild and to add a little fertilizer during the summer.
Tip to make your poinsettia blush again
If you like challenges, here is one! Making the bracts of the poinsettia red is indeed not an easy task. However, if you want to see it a second time on the Christmas table, here are some tips.
First of all, the poinsettia reveals its colors only when the days are short. Must therefore avoid placing it in direct sunlight and even to expose it to the light of day. In September, place it in natural light for 10 hours then lock him in a closet in total darkness for 14 hours ! This amounts to placing it in the dark around 6 p.m. and taking it out the next morning at 8 a.m. Do this during eight weeks.
After these eight weeks, take care of your plant normally while maintaining a temperature of 15 to 18°C overnight. After all that, you should see your poinsettia blooming again this Christmas!