Poinsettia - how to keep it alive?

My Christmas poinsettia is already dropping its leaves. Anyone any suggestions how to keep it going please?

I buy one every year, and if I can keep it going to end Fenruary I feel successful!

Best I’ve achieved is making sure it’s not in a draft, soaking it in not-cold water and then letting it get nearly dry, and not in full sun.

This is water rustica said, but hasn’t helped me……

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Double evil……artificial and amazon! That wrecks the spirit of Christmas :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

I had one as a Xmas prezzie in 2019 and it’s still going strong. I put it outside the past two summers and took it in when the frosts arrived. It has grown a lot and has been pruned regularly. I had a few red leaves each Xmas since though not as vivid as when it was ‘new’.

But how do you keep it going Peter when it’s inside? Mine never last long enough to be put outside.

Thanks Jane

Possibly cold draught, dry air over-watering… who knows. They can be temperamental.

It is possible to keep them year after year, bringing them back indoors to colour, around September and putting them in an unlit room as evening falls.
It can lose nearly all its leaves and still revive, if you are brave enough to trim back any bare stems and keep talking to it.

If it truly loses all its leaves, let it dry out in a dim, cool place. You can then shock it back into life by giving it some water and a little more light and encouragement.

Like @Peter_Bird we had one for years and years in UK. I was astounded…
(by the way… cold water is too much of a shock… :wink: )

Triple evil, fabrique en Chine :thinking:

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Get behind me, Satan……I love my miserable weedy poinsettia with it’s dropping leaves and high maintenance requirments

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Just like any other plant, sunlight and water.

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and green fingers? :slight_smile:

But not too much… and not too little…

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Move to central America ? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::open_mouth::smile:

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I lived in Brazil in the 70s (fabulous life!) and the poinsettias there were trees. :grin:

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Hi. Poinsettias can be complicated! You need lots of light, heat and regular watering, but not too much. How the plant has been cultivated (quality of potting soil, for example), it’s transport to the vendor (did it spend time in a cold environment?) can also play a part in its robustness. This can often be seen by the price and type of shop it was bought in. Maybe repot your plant with a quality potting soil and change its position in your house. :slightly_smiling_face:

Morning all

From experience of Poinsettia and orchids … Give them to somebody else

Andy

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But Brasil has higher temps and a lot more humidity!

My Dutch friends could never understand why I cosset houseplants to keep them alive despite looking increasingly unhappy….they just get new ones. Until they saw the price of plants here! (Mind you, this year’s poinsettia was 4.99 at colryt and stil looks good).

I think that’s a terrible attitude. I much prefer yours! :grin:
Plants are living beings, to treat them as disposable is awful. Quite apart from the instant gratification effect in the garden centre industry contributing to global warming.

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