The holidays are a time when a lot of the color of our outdoor landscape has faded away. The leaves have fallen, and gray skies are becoming more frequent. The holidays are also a time of happiness and cheer: a time that you spend with your loved ones. Having a festive Poinsettia in your home is a wonderful way to brighten the atmosphere and bring a feeling of love, laughter, and joy to your holiday gatherings.

With the introduction of long-lasting cultivars, during the past several years, the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is an all-around traditional favorite. The Poinsettia was introduced to the United States by Joel Robert Poinsett in 1825. He was the first United States Ambassador to Mexico. He obtained the plants from their native area in the wilds of southern Mexico. Like all members of plants in the Genus Euphorbia, the Poinsettia has white milky sap that may cause dermatitis or mild itchy rash in susceptible individuals.

Poinsettias should be placed near a sunny window where it will receive the most available amount of sunlight. Avoid allowing the plant to be exposed to hot or cold drafts as these conditions may cause premature leaf drop. An ideal room temperature is between 65- and 70-degrees Fahrenheit. Check the soil for water daily. When the soil feels dry to the touch, you should water the Poinsettia until the water drains out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot or container. If the Poinsettia container is decorated with foil or a pot cover slit or cut holes in the bottom of these covers to allow for escape of excess water. Also discard any excess water that might accumulate in the saucer.

Did you know the large-colored parts commonly thought to be the “flowers” of poinsettias are modified leaves called bracts? The flowers are greenish-yellow and are found clustered in the center of the bracts. And that you can reflower your 2023 Poinsettia for the 2024 holiday season? Reflowering your Poinsettia may be a bit of a challenge; however, it is better than tossing them into the compost pile.

From January through March, place your Poinsettia by a sunny window and remove any foil or pot covers from the pot it is growing in. If humidity in your home is below 35%, place Poinsettia on a pebble tray: a tray with pebbles or small stones. Place water in the trays to cover half to three quarters of the pebbles. Place your Poinsettia on the top of the pebbles. As the water evaporates in the pebble tray, it raises the humidity around your Poinsettia. Remember to replenish the water as needed. Remember to also water your Poinsettia when soil is dry to the touch. Do not fertilize during this time. During these months, it will be common for your Poinsettia to drop most of its leaves yet retain the colorful bracts.

In early April, cut back the Poinsettia to within 4 -6 inches of the top of the container. Keep in sunny window and water as needed. When new growth begins to appear normally in late April, this is the time to repot the plant. Choose a pot that has drainage holes and is about two inches wider and an inch or two deeper than your current pot.

Poinsettias do not like heavy soils; they are very susceptible to root rots. Choose a potting soil with a good amount of organic matter such as peat moss and is very well drained. During May, you can begin fertilizing with a dilute fertilizer.

Once the danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures remain above 50° F, move your Poinsettia outdoors, exposing it to direct sun gradually over a week or two to allow it to acclimate to the outdoors. Eventually, place it in an area that receives 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight, with some shade in the afternoon. You can either sink the pot into the ground or leave it above (remember, pots above ground may need water more frequently). To keep your Poinsettia from getting too leggy, pinch off the shoot tips, choosing tips with two or three fully expanded leaves below them. Do this every three or four weeks until mid-August to keep the plant compact and bushy. Remember to water your poinsettia regularly and fertilize it every couple of weeks.

In early September, it is time to bring your poinsettia back inside and place it back in a sunny window and pebble tray. Continue to water and fertilize every couple of weeks.

Now comes the tricky part. This step is critical to get your Poinsettia to flower for Christmas 2024. Poinsettias are short-day plants, meaning they grow vegetatively during times where there are long days and produce flowers when exposed to short days – or, more specifically, to long nights. For your plant to rebloom in time for Christmas, it needs to be in complete darkness from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and in daylight from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Start this process at the end of September until the bracts develop good color, usually by early December. This routine must be kept up every day including weekends. Providing uninterrupted darkness can be a problem for gardeners, unless there is a room in which lights are never turned on. If you do not have such a room, place your poinsettia in a dark closet, or cover it with a cardboard box each night for the required 14 hours. If using a cardboard box, tape all the seams with duct tape to cut off any light. Poinsettias take anywhere between 8-11 weeks to flower once the dark treatment has been started. For every night that you miss during the dark treatment, two days must be added to the bloom time. Poinsettias are very finicky; something as innocent as turning on a light at night for 10 or 15 minutes, or an outdoor light shining in can be enough to disrupt the blackout period and prevent flowering. Another issue is temperature at night need to be below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit preferred. Continue to water and fertilize throughout November. During December, quit fertilizing and water as needed.

With a little attention, you can keep your Poinsettias going and reflowering for many Holiday seasons to come. Happy Holidays!