Poinsettia 'Red'

Euphorbia pulcherrima

How to grow Poinsettia 'Red'

  • Dappled Sun

  • Medium

Once you get your Poinsettia home, position it carefully, away from draughts and heat sources, which can cause leaf drop. Don’t put it on top of a television, near a fireplace or ventilating duct, or anywhere near a door.

Poinsettias like room temperatures of between 68 – 70° F; their color lasts longest when temperatures do not exceed 70° F during the daytime or fall below 65° F at night. They need at least six hours a day of indirect sunlight; if direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

Allow your Poinsettia to dry out slightly between waterings; water when the soil feels dry to the touch, so that the water just starts to come out of the drainage holes. It’s important that you don’t overwater your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. If you’re keeping your Poinsettia in a decorative container, remove it before watering, and let the water drain away completely. Standing water can lead to root rot.

On the other hand, Poinsettias need moist air; mist your plant frequently during the blooming season to keep it happy. While the Poinsettia is blooming, it won’t need to be fertilized, but applying a balanced fertilizer after the blooming season is over will maintain healthy foliage and promote new growth

Red likes a position of dappled sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Red is thought of as tender, so remember to wait until your soil is warm and the night time temperature is well above freezing before moving outside.

Growing Red from seed

Transplanting Red

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTINUED CARE AND REBLOOMING
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When the leaves have fallen (usually by late March or early April), cut the Poinsettia back to about 8" in height. Continue a regular watering program, and fertilize your plant with a good, balanced. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth. Transplant the Poinsettia into a larger pot (no more than four inches larger than the original pot).
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Continue regular watering during the growth period, and fertilize every two to three weeks. Once all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55° F or above, you can put the Poinsettia outside (being sure to bring it back in if there’s any chance the temperature will fall below 50° F)! If pruning is necessary to keep the plant bushy and compact, be sure pruning is done by September 1.
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Then comes the hard part; complete light control. From October 1, the Poinsettia will need to be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. You’ll have to cover the plant with a black polythene bag or a large box, as any stray light, such as that of a streetlight or lamp, can stop the re-flowering process.
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In the daytime, from October through December, the plant will need 6 – 8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60 – 70° F. Temperatures outside of this range can also delay flowering.
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Following this regime faithfully for eight to ten weeks should give you a flowering Poinsettia for the Christmas season; the actual bloom time will depend on the particular variety.

Ensure that temperatures are mild (minimum night temperatures should be around 18°C / 64°F) and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Red is a tender plant.

Harvesting Red

Red folklore & trivia

According to Joyce Schillen, in The Growing Season (1996), a little Mexican girl named Pepita wanted more than anything to give a fine present to the Christ child but as she was very poor, she had no gift to present. As Pepita walked sorrowfully to church with her cousin Pedro, he tried to comfort her. “Pepita,” he said, “I am certain that even the most humble gift, given in love, will be acceptable to His eyes.” Pepita gathered a bouquet of weeds from the roadside, entered the church, and placed her gift tenderly at the feet of the Christ child. Miraculously, Pepita’s ordinary weeds burst into brilliant red blooms! They were called Flores de Noche Buena, Flowers of the Holy Night.