Poinsettia, or rather the beautiful spurge Euphorbia pulcherrima, is the undisputed queen of December and the most famous species of this genus. There are few plants that are so associated with Christmas, and therefore liked so much.
The greatest decoration of poinsettias are the characteristic red leavessub-inflorescence (so-called bracts) surrounding inconspicuous (up to 1 cm high) cup-shaped inflorescences resembling single flowers. Podsadki play the role of charm. In varieties, they can be pink, cream, and recently also yellow. Variants with two-color bracts are also popular. Flowering of poinsettias, and thus the discoloration of sub-inflorescence leaves, is caused by a short day, therefore flowering plants are encountered only in winter.
Flowering plants are treated primarily as seasonal plants, discarded after flowering. By providing plants with proper care, we can extend the period of their decorativeness. One of the most important things we should pay attention to is the quality of the plants we buy. It is best to buy well-leaved poinsettias (fallen leaves, often visible on the surface of the substrate, a sign of poor condition of the plant), with firm shoots and poorly developed inflorescences.
In order to keep the Bethlehem stars in good shape for as long as possible,we must remember that they are very sensitive to drafts - cold ones cause shedding leaves, and hot ones (e.g. from a fireplace) favor quick menopause. This also applies to the way home from the store, where the plants should be tightly wrapped in paper or foil and not exposed to frost. In the apartment, the plants should be placed in a very bright place, away from heat sources. The optimal temperature for poinsettias is 16-18 ° C.Too high is conducive to rapid fading and leaf shedding, as well as too low humidity of the substrate and air. Therefore, the drying of plants should not be allowed - the substrate should be constantly moist.
As a rule, plants are watered 2-3 times a week, but it is worth checking the soil moisture every day and replenishing the water shortage. The overflow of plants is equally dangerous, which also results in leaf fall - so let's make sure that the substrate is very well drained.
Since poinsettias are sensitive to ethylene, keep them away from its sources. These are exhaust fumes (gas stoves, fireplaces, tiled stoves), cigarette smoke and ripening fruit.
Difficulties with obtaining attractive plants for the next winter are related not only to their flowering, but also to maintaining their compact habit. Immediately after flowering, as the day gets longer, shoots also grow and the leaves turn green. Shoots should then be trimmed over the 3rd node and the weak ones removed.Until May, the plants are dormant, then they are watered less and not fertilized. From June, we fertilize the poinsettias once a week and start watering them more intensively. Three months before the expected flowering, the Bethlehem stars should be kept under short-day conditions, i.e. less than 10 hours. For the plants to bloom, the 14-hour period of darkness must not be interrupted, not even briefly, by light for the first 8 weeks.
The plant came to us from Mexico, where it was first associated with the Christmas liturgy. In the 17th century it was given Christian symbolism - the characteristic inflorescences were supposed to refer to the star of Bethlehem (hence the popular name of this plant), and their red to the blood of Christ. However, the real fashion for poinsettias was introduced by the multigenerational family of Ecks, American nurserymen who had the secret of obtaining plants with a compact habit. Instead of a typical shrub, poinsettia has become a multi-stemmed plant, perfectly suited for growing in pots.Single-shoots are grown more and more. A new group of 'Princettia' varieties with the unusual pastel color of the pods is intended for such cultivation.
