Poinsettia. Christmas Star. Flower Star of Bethlehem (poinsettia, Christmas flower), reproduction and care Poinsettia flower magical properties

Poinsettia flower (poinsettia) belongs to a small class of perennial ornamental houseplants that bloom in December. In Europe and America, where Christmas is considered the main holiday of the year, the lush flowering of a beautiful bush on the eve of the holidays comes in handy. Due to its unusually showy appearance (brightly colored bracts form a star shape) and flowering time, the poinsettia is considered a symbol of Catholic Christmas not only in European countries and the USA, but also here, in Russia. It is often called the Christmas or Bethlehem star. In this article, we will tell you how to properly care for poinsettia at home so that it will delight you with flowering every year.

Blooming poinsettia, along with traditional conifers, is the main decoration of the room and holiday table on the eve of the New Year holidays. Often it is presented as a gift to loved ones at Christmas and New Year. What is this flower?

Poinsettia (lat. Poinsettia) is a plant from the genus Euphorbia of the Euphorbiaceae family. Translated from Latin, it sounds like this: Euphorbia is the most beautiful (Euphorbia pulcherrima). The tropics of Central America are considered the birthplace of the flower - it was in Southern Mexico that it was discovered for the first time. The first American Minister of Mexico, fond of botany, Joel Roberts Poinsett was delighted with the beauty of the beautiful milkweed and cultivated it in his greenhouse. In his honor, the flower got its name. In 1828, Poinsettia was brought to the United States, where they began to successfully grow in greenhouses and botanical gardens. A couple of years later, the Christmas star already appeared in Europe, where it quickly spread as a Christmas decoration. In Russia, the most beautiful Euphorbia began to be used to decorate the interior for the New Year holidays not so long ago, at the end of the 20th century.

Under natural conditions, poisettia reaches 3-4 meters in height.

In the wild, the most beautiful Euphorbia grows in the form of an evergreen perennial shrub and reaches a huge size - up to three to four meters in height. It grows in hot dry places where moisture gets only periodically. Its dark green leaves with serrated edges have an ovoid elliptical shape. Their length reaches 10 -15 cm. Poinsettia blooms with small yellowish-beige flowers, which are collected in inflorescences in the form of rosettes. Before flowering on the plant, brightly colored bracts appear around each rosette of flowers, which last up to several months and provide a luxurious appearance to this shrub.

In room conditions, this flower does not grow above 30 - 40 cm. The length of the bracts is up to 10 - 15 cm, the width is 6 - 8 cm, the diameter of the peduncle is 20 - 30 cm. In wild types of poinsettia, the bracts are only red. The bright red bract, rising above the dark green foliage, is considered a classic of the genre. Breeders have bred varieties with bracts of other shades. Often, flower growers grow hybrids at room conditions, in which bracts are pink, white, burgundy, yellow, and even bicolor and variegated.

Is poinsettia poisonous?

A distinctive feature of all euphorbia plants is the presence of milky juice in its tissues. Some believe that this juice is poisonous. But it's not. To be poisoned, a person or animal needs to eat 500 pieces of this plant at once. The only threat when the juice of a flower gets on the skin is the risk of dermatitis in people who have an individual intolerance to the milky juice secreted by all plants of the euphorbia family. If you are one of them, wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after any contact with the plant. Scientists have long proven the harmlessness of poinsettia for human health and pets.

It is a well-known fact that the ancient Aztecs used the milky juice of the poinsettia to make medicines for fever, and dyes for fabrics and cosmetics were made from the bright petals of the bracts.

Varieties

Let's introduce you to some varieties of poinsettia.

Most varieties of poisettia have a red bract.

Bright red bracts are characteristic of the following varieties: Sonora, Olympia, Galaxy, Annette Hegg Dark, Angelica, Barbara Ek Suprem, Goldfinger, Emperor, Capri, Coco Red, Cortes, Xenia Red, Millennium, Premium Red.

Winter Rose has unusually curled scarlet bracts, making this poinsettia look like a rose.

'Champion' has a paler red bract, while 'Red Jester' has dark veins on red stipules. Purely scarlet bracts are found in varieties "Red Diamond" and "Freedom".

Pale pink bracts have the following varieties of poinsettia: Annette Hegg Pink, Da Vinci, Dorothy, Rose Festival.

Pure white bracts have the following varieties: Annette Hegg White, Sonora White, White Star, Cortez White.

The white bracts of the Regina variety have green veins.

Cream-colored bracts adorn the following varieties of poinsettia: Marble, Regina, Pink Ribbon, White Freedom.

Variety "Maren" impresses with a milky flower garden with pink tint, and "Silver Marble" is characterized by pink stipules with a white border. In the Strawberry with Cream variety, the leaves of the bracts are pink-purple in color with jagged edges.

How to choose a poinsettia

For beginners, at times, it is extremely difficult to achieve Poinsettia flowering in room conditions. Therefore, if you want to please your loved ones on Christmas an unusual gift, consider purchasing a ready-to-flower plant from a flower shop. And after the holidays, try to save it for many years.

Make a purchase in advance, at least a month before the holidays. It is better to choose a specimen from unpacked plants that you can clearly see from all sides. It should not have wilted, twisted or diseased leaves. Carefully check the back of the leaves for the presence of pests on them. The soil in the pot should not be damp to the touch. If this is the case, the plant may have been improperly maintained, and root system affected by gray mold.

The flower should have a healthy and attractive appearance. It should be smooth, beautiful, leafy on all sides. The stem should be evenly covered with dark green leaves. Pay attention not to the bracts, but to the flower buds. It is better if they have not opened yet - then the flower will bloom longer. The leaves of the bracts should be free of pollen on them. If the leaves are yellowish and with pollen, then the flowering has already begun, perhaps soon the Christmas star will throw off her outfit. The temperature in the store room must be above 15 degrees, otherwise the roots of the plant may be frozen. Better stop buying suspicious copies.

When you choose a plant that is suitable in all respects, try to create for it favorable conditions during transportation. When the air temperature outside is below 15 degrees, and in winter it can be subzero temperature, the flower must be carefully wrapped with thick paper, placed in a spacious box or bag - fragile poinsettia leaves may be damaged in tight packaging, and the decorative effect of the flower will suffer. At home, immediately release the flower from the packaging.

We remind you that in the cold season it is strictly forbidden to buy poinsettia in the subway, in markets or in unheated store premises.

How to care for poinsettia after purchase?

If you purchased a Christmas star just before the New Year holidays, then it is better to postpone the transplant. For several days, the pot should not be touched at all and rearranged from place to place - let the flower acclimatize in new conditions, preferably not far from the south window. Yes, and transplanting a flower during flowering is not worth it - it can lose its elegant bracts. You will have to wait until spring with the transplant. Start lightly feeding your poinsettia with a potash and phosphate fertilizer meant for flowering houseplants once every two weeks until it blooms. Remember to water the flowering star sparingly and keep it indoors comfortable temperature and high humidity.

If you purchased a poinsettia at the beginning of autumn, then in a couple of weeks it will completely get used to its new place of residence and it can and will need to be transplanted into beautiful pot with fertile soil. Because the substrate in which the flower for sale was grown does not usually contain enough nutrients and is not suitable for long-term cultivation of plants in it.

Poinsettia care at home

Location and lighting of the flower

Poinsettia loves bright but soft diffused light. Choose for her windows facing west or east. But place the pot not on the windowsill, but on a table or shelf near it, since direct sunlight for the leaves is unacceptable. In the summer, it is possible to take the flower pot outdoors, just protect the flower from direct sun rays, drafts, precipitation and wind.

Poinsettias do not like direct sunlight.

AT winter time it is not desirable that tender poinsettia leaves touch the cold window glass. You can not place the pot opposite the open window - low temperatures and drafts will have a detrimental effect on the health of the plant. For normal lighting in winter dormancy, poinsettias usually need six to eight hours. However, in regions with very short daylight hours, less than 6 hours a day, the plant will have to organize additional lighting using a phyto lamp or a lamp. daylight. If you take care of the additional lighting of the flower in January, you can prolong its flowering somewhat.

Temperature

The optimal room temperature for poinsettias during the year is 20 - 25 gr. Too high a temperature of the flower content can adversely affect the formation of the peduncle in the future. Although, in winter, during the flowering period, it is enough to maintain a temperature of 18 - 20 gr. At temperatures below 15 gr. the plant can get sick and die. Keep this in mind when you open a window in the winter to ventilate the room. The flower does not tolerate drafts, it does not like sharp fluctuations in temperature. Therefore, you should not put a pot with a plant near heating appliances and uninsulated window frames.

Humidity

Like all tropical plants, poinsettia thrives in high humidity. It is especially necessary to monitor the humidity indicators in summer, when it is hot indoors and outdoors, and in winter, when the heating devices are working at maximum. It is advisable to spray the air around the plant with warm water daily, while not getting on the leaves, so as not to spoil their appearance with the appearance of spots. During the dormant period, from February to March, air spraying can be stopped, and from April, that is, from the moment new shoots appear, spraying should be resumed.

You can increase the humidity in the room by placing a flower pot in a tray of wet pebbles. A wide container of water installed near the plant and a damp towel on the heaters will also help.

Watering

Poinsettia should be watered regularly in spring-summer-autumn with soft, settled water at room temperature. It is necessary that the water moisten the entire earthen ball in the pot. Drain excess water from the pan about twenty minutes after watering. Do the next watering no sooner than it dries. upper layer soil from a previous watering. But do not allow the soil in the pot to dry out completely - you will lose all the leaves. If you see that the leaves of the poinsettia begin to wither between waterings, urgently water it with a small amount of water. And then water as usual, at the right time - perhaps the interval between waterings was too long, or the room was too hot and dry. In summer, it is better to water the flower more often, but moderately, so that the water does not linger in the soil for a long time. During flowering, in winter, it is important to water the poinsettia with warm water, the temperature of which is a couple of degrees higher than the air temperature in the room. Otherwise, the flower may shed its beautiful leaves.

soil and pot

The plant will live in a pot for 2-3 years, so it must be spacious

For poinsettia, a loose nutrient mixture of soddy, leafy soil, sand and peat in equal amounts is suitable. The acidity should be close to neutral. Choose a spacious pot so that the plant grows in it for at least two to three years, the same in height and width. Excess moisture can linger in a pot that is too large, and if frequent watering and poor drainage, roots can rot.

top dressing

They begin to feed the plant in the spring, after the end of the dormant period or a month after transplanting into new soil. Once every three weeks is enough. Use complex liquid or granular mineral fertilizers for indoor flowers. So until autumn. In preparation for flowering, in early autumn, potassium and phosphorus salts can be added. During flowering and after it, during dormancy, it is not necessary to feed the poinsettia.

Transfer

Poinsettia is transplanted every two to three years in the spring, at the end of April, by transferring an earthen coma into a new pot, two to three cm larger in size. A layer of drainage material, for example, expanded clay, must be laid out on the bottom, then pour part of the prepared fresh soil. Place an earthen ball with a flower in the center of the pot, being careful not to scatter it and not damage the fragile roots of a tropical star. If you still damage the roots or see that the poinsettia has dead roots, cut them off with a clean tool. Process cuts activated carbon. fall asleep vacancies soil so that voids do not form in the pot, so that all the roots are in the ground, but there is enough space on top for watering. Moisten the soil thoroughly after planting.

Video: how to cut and transplant poinsettia in spring

All operations with poinsettia are best done with gloves, as the milky sap of the plant in sensitive people can cause allergies or dermatitis. You shouldn't taste it either. Believe me - it is bitter and not tasty!

rest period

Quite often, after flowering, the poinsettia is simply thrown away in order to get a new one by next Christmas, as we throw away after the New Year. live Christmas tree. This is more typical of the inhabitants of America and Europe. Our flower growers are trying to preserve the tropical beauty and after flowering, they properly care for the Christmas star. all year round so that by the next New Year's holidays she again charmed the owners with her splendor.

The flowering of poinsettia ends in late January - February. Then comes a period of rest. We learn about this by young green leaves above its bracts. The bracts themselves wither and fall, the poinsettia falls into a dream.

Your actions:

Cut the stems of the plant to 15 cm in height, leaving four to five buds on each. Cut off excess shoots, give your bush the desired correct shape.
Move the flower pot to a cool room with a temperature of 16 - 18 gr. Reduce watering to once every 10 days, but make sure that the earthen lump does not completely dry out. Stop feeding.

The dormant period of the poinsettia usually lasts one and a half to two months. When you see that new shoots have begun to grow, take the flower to a warm, bright place. Start caring for him according to the rules described above. If the time for transplanting has come, it's time to transplant the plant into a new nutrient substrate. The bush will begin to grow actively, young shoots will appear. The flower can be in the form of a tree or a bush, you choose. In the first case, only one trunk should be left, and in the second, leave two or three of the most powerful stems. Leave five to six strong young shoots on each stem. Delete the rest. Powder the slices with crushed charcoal. As the young shoots grow, pinch their tops - then the poinsettia will become better to bush. A month and a half later, start feeding poinsettia complex fertilizers for decorative and deciduous houseplants. In August, the grown shoots are usually pinched for the last time so that they have no more than five leaves. If your poinsettia is summer period was on fresh air, then it is brought into the room - at night the air temperature drops sharply. In autumn, watering is slightly reduced, they begin to feed with fertilizers with potassium and phosphorus.

Blooming Christmas Eve

How to make poinsettia bloom for Christmas at home? In early September, carefully inspect your bush. Leave only strong shoots, and remove weak ones. For the normal formation of flower buds, the Christmas star needs a short daylight hours, no more than 10 hours. At least 14 hours the flower must be in complete darkness for the successful laying of flower buds. And the short day period should last about one and a half to two months. Therefore, from the end of September to December, the flower is artificially shaded, for example, from 6 pm to 8 am with a dark bag or cardboard box. Otherwise, the poinsettia will continue to form regular leaves rather than bracts. At the same time, they try to reduce the temperature of the flower content to 18 - 20 gr. These moments are very important for the formation of buds and the bright color of future bracts.

Bracts turn bright red closer to the New Year holidays

Poinsettia bloom time

After a couple of months, at the end of November, small greenish formations similar to small buttons will appear on the tops of the shoots of the plant. Watch the development of the buds and you will see that they are becoming more noticeable every day. All autumn and December, the leaves of the bracts also grow - they are arranged spirally. It's time to return the pot to its former, warm and bright place. Closer to the New Year holidays, bracts acquire bright color, most often red, which gives the indoor flower a chic holiday look. Some unknowingly consider these bright and unusually beautiful bracts to be poinsettia flowers. In January, the bracts reach their maximum size and brightness, after which they begin to turn pale and fall off. The plant again enters a dormant period. If you organize a quality wintering for your star, she will properly rest, recuperate and next year will thank you with chic flowering.

reproduction

In the wild, reproduction of euphorbia occurs with the help of seeds.

AT indoor floriculture for propagation of poinsettias, plant cuttings are usually used - both apical and stem. You can use the shoots left after pruning the plant. Rooting is possible at any time of the year. But young shoots obtained in spring, after the end of the dormant period of the flower, take root best of all - at this time new buds form and the shoots grow and develop rapidly.

At home, poinsettia is propagated by cuttings.

Ideally, the cutting should have five internodes. The lower cut is made under the knot, it should be oblique. The lower leaves are removed. The milky juice must be washed off, then dried with a clean napkin so that the vessels of the shoots do not clog. Root cuttings in pots drainage layer and a soil mixture of high-moor peat and sand. The cuttings are planted in a moist substrate to a depth of 2 cm. It is advisable to use Kornevin for rooting. Cover the pot with a film or a cut off top plastic bottle and put in a warm bright place. Maybe on an insulated window sill. Rooting temperature should be within 22 - 25 gr. periodically humidify and ventilate the greenhouse. If rooting occurs in the summer, protect your seedlings from direct sunlight. In a month, the cuttings should have roots. After another couple of weeks, they can be transplanted into separate pots with a diameter of 8 cm in nutritious loose soil from leafy soil, peat and sand. To prevent young seedlings from stretching, pinch their tops. Then take care of them, as for adult plants.

Poinsettia diseases

The health of your Christmas star is directly dependent on the conditions in which it is kept. All problems are from elementary neglect of the rules for caring for poinsettia at home. Let's consider some of them.

• If a gray coating resembling mold appears on the inflorescences and stems of the plant, and the leaves become covered with brown spots, then your Christmas star is most likely sick with gray rot. The disease was provoked high humidity air and overwatering. To eliminate gray rot, use the following chemicals: Fast, Celandine or Fundazol;
• If the leaves on the poinsettia turned brown-black, began to curl, wither and die, most likely the plant became infected with fusarium.
• If the shoots and leaves of the poinsettia are covered with white bloom, most likely the plant is sick powdery mildew. At the first sign of the disease, treat all parts of the flower with Topaz or Fitosporin-M fungicides;

• If the leaves of the poinsettia turned yellow and began to fall off, then the cause may be a violation of the temperature regime. The flower does not tolerate sharp fluctuations in temperature, drafts, at temperatures below 15 gr. its roots freeze;
• The leaves of poinsettia turn yellow even in poor lighting, when the soil is waterlogged, when it dries out, and when the ambient humidity is low. To avoid this problem - maintain the temperature, spray the plant, water regularly and moderately, provide bright but diffused lighting - and everything will go back to normal;
• If traces of burns appear on the leaves or the color of the bracts begins to fade, then the reason may be that the direct rays of the sun fall on the plant. Change the place of residence of the flower, move it to a more shaded place or shade the bush with a curtain or blinds;
• Rotting of the root system will occur due to constant waterlogging of the soil in the pot or poor drainage. You may forget to remove excess moisture from the pan after heavy watering. Remove the plant from the pot, inspect the roots. If only some areas of the root are affected, remove them with a sharp, clean tool, treat with some kind of fungicide and transplant the flower into a new pot with loose nutrient soil and good drainage. Water sparingly excess water remove from the pallet in time;
• The poinsettia does not tolerate the cold at all. Even a short stay in the cold will have a detrimental effect on a perfectly healthy plant - the leaves will begin to fall off, and soon the roots will begin to die off;
• If the flower has too small bracts or they change color, then this is due to a lack of lighting during the formation of buds and the full color of the bracts;
• If you bought a beautiful plant, and upon arrival home, it shed all the leaves, then the most likely reason lies in the hypothermia of the poinsettia. Remember, maybe you bought a flower in a dubious place - in the subway, in the market. Or the store did not observe the temperature regime for the maintenance of flowers. Or you didn't pack the plant well when transporting it home.

Pests

Video: Poinsettia Care Secrets

We introduced you to another tropical beauty- poinsettia or Christmas star. Caring for her is not so difficult, every novice grower can grow this bush. But only very patient and responsible exotic lovers will help this miracle - the plant bloom on Christmas and New Year's Eve and become a decoration of the festive table. We are sure that following our recommendations, you will become the owner of a luxurious Christmas star grown by yourself.

Aquarius has a reputation for being the most original sign. It is ruled by the planet of conservatism and strict hierarchy Saturn together with the planet of revolutions Uranus. Surprisingly, the qualities of these planets coexist together, and those born under the sign of Aquarius are both the guardians of the foundations and the main violators of them. Moreover, they somehow know which traditions should be protected at the moment, and which ones should be destroyed to the ground. This is a socially active sign, striving to interact with people and able to organize them for a common cause, he shows a strong interest in finding friends and like-minded people.

Plants of Aquarius are mascots for those who aspire to society, to vigorous activity, who are looking for friends, people who are close in spirit and intellect. These plants are good to keep in the house or at work for those who are busy. mental labor. Such an indoor flower contributes to the birth of original ideas, helps to find a non-standard solution to any issue, to look at familiar things in a new way.
Plants of Aquarius are necessarily unusual in some way, their original appearance can immediately catch the eye, or it can greatly surprise only with a closer look.
The most beautiful poinsettia, she is the most beautiful euphorbia, she is christmas star or Christmas tree- undoubtedly an amazing plant. It blooms in December or January, when there is very little light and immediately attracts attention with large red flowers. But upon closer examination, it turns out that these are not flowers at all, but leaves, among which barely noticeable small yellowish real flowers lurk. The poinsettia is not the only plant with decorative leaves, but if other plants have beautiful leaves all year round, then they adorn the poinsettia for only a few weeks. And then, like petals from a faded flower, she will shed her scarlet leaves, and only ordinary green ones will remain on her.
It is customary to put pots with poinsettia in the rooms of children and adolescents, as this plant contributes to good study, increasing intelligence and perseverance. In the presence of poinsettia, it is easier for young people to discover and reveal their talents and decide on their future profession. Poinsettia can also be useful for adults, it helps a person to find himself, to become a whole person with a strong will. And it is also believed that this plant promotes weight loss and slows down the aging process in the body. Perhaps this is how the ruler of Aquarius Saturn, the great enemy of excesses and the ruler of time, manifests itself in her. The properties of Uranus, symbolizing friendly communication, are also manifested in this flower.
Poinsettias do well in places where large companies gather. This flower contributes to the general fun and enjoyment of communication.
Poinsettia grows wild in Central America, in the tropics of Mexico., its bushes are two to three meters high. Since ancient times, the indigenous people used it to make paint and medicines and treated it with great respect. Poinsettia was considered the favorite plant of the leader Montezuma. The Aztec legend explains the origin of the poinsettia from a drop of blood of the goddess, whose unhappy love literally broke her heart.
The poinsettia got its name in the 19th century in honor of Poinsett, the first American ambassador to Mexico, who discovered the plant and contributed to its widespread use as an ornamental. Although even earlier, the monks who lived on the territory of present-day Mexico decorated temples with poinsettia at Christmas. But the flower received its second name "Christmas star" in Hollywood at the beginning of the 20th century. when, just before Christmas, an enterprising gardener first put up just-in-time poinsettias for sale. Bright leaves-flowers, shaped like a star, looked very impressive in the middle of winter. And soon in America it became impossible to imagine the main winter holiday without a Christmas star.
Symbolic meanings of poinsettia: attractiveness, splendor, fun. As well as flight, change of place, absence, rare meetings, bright but frivolous relationships, casual acquaintances in big company. All these meanings reflect the qualities of the Aquarius sign and the planet Uranus that rules it.

"Secret Power" No. 3, 2012

Poinsettia, a Christmas star or, scientifically, the most beautiful Euphorbia is most beautiful plant, which can be grown on your windowsill in an ordinary city apartment. Photos of this flower can be seen below.

Initially, it grew only in outdoor conditions in warm countries, but then it was successfully domesticated, and now it can delight us with its extraordinary beauty in any warm place. Buy this plant usually on New Year's Eve. Due to the fact that spurge grows in winter, they began to purchase it to decorate the house on the eve of this family holiday.

In this article, we will tell you what a poinsettia or a Christmas star looks like, why it is called that at all, how to properly care for it and how to propagate. We will also touch on the topic of signs and superstitions and tell you what magical properties this home flower has. If you are fond of Feng Shui, then this article will also be useful to you.

The name of the poinsettia comes from a physician and plant lover named Joel Roberts Poinsett. He lived in Mexico in the 19th century. He really liked this plant, and he thought about its reproduction. Subsequently, many varieties of poinsettia were bred. The great doctor did this together with a Mexican family named Ecchi.

Observing this unusual plant, the Acky and Poinsett family noted that the color of milkweed just personifies Christmas, so they began to call this flower a Christmas star. Moreover, it begins to bloom just before the New Year and Christmas, and the shape of the leaves resembles a star in it. First, the plant was grown in open ground, then in a greenhouse, and then varieties were bred that can grow in room conditions.

Currently, a large number of varieties of the Christmas star are known, which have a different color. This flower can be not only purple and red, but also pink, blue and even white. Such varieties of poinsettia are known as:

1. Barbara;
2. Angelica;
3. Regina;
4. Dorothy;
5. Festival rose;
6. White Star;
7. Poinsettia D12;
8. Origitea;
9. Feeling.

What does a poinsettia look like and what are its characteristics?

As you probably guessed by the name of this beautiful plant, it looks like a star. Rather, its leaves look like stars, because their shape is also five-pointed. The leaves also look like maple leaves. They have pointed tips and densely cover the entire plant.

The color of the leaves of milkweed is green, but the buds that are located on top of the leaves in the core of the plant are red, pinkish, blue or even white. The color of the flowers depends on the variety of the plant. The so-called flowering - this is the beautiful color of the inflorescences, because there are few flowers on this plant, and they are very small. Most often flowers yellow color. Blooming poinsettia is an extremely beautiful sight, but after flowering, the plant takes off all this beauty from itself and begins to bloom only by the next New Year, if it does not die.

Poinsettia blooms from December to March, and then either dies or falls into the so-called hibernation and sheds leaves like trees in autumn. In order for the plant not to die, it must be looked after and protected from temperature extremes. Euphorbia does not like frost, since its country of origin is hot Mexico. Therefore, poinsettia cannot be bought on the street. To purchase this flower, choose warm specialized stores.

Home care

We note right away that poinsettia is a very whimsical plant, and it needs proper care and due attention. She needs to be looked after no less than, for example, a violet and an orchid. It all starts with buying a poinsettia. As soon as you bought this flower in the store, immediately take it home and do not walk down the street with milkweed in your bag. It is better to go to the store by car, this will allow you to deliver spurge home without injuring it and without stressing the plant.

If you don’t want your Christmas star to suddenly drop its leaves and fade, then keep the house out of drafts and make sure that the flower is in a room with moderate humidity and an air temperature of at least 17 degrees, thus you will make it bloom longer. But strong heating of the air should not be allowed either, so that the plant does not experience strong thirst. If you notice that the poinsettia is drying, then you should increase the humidity in the room or try to spray the leaves of the Christmas star with a spray bottle more often.

Also, to prevent leaf fall, you should water spurge in a timely manner. This should be done as needed, that is, when the earth in a pot of poinsettia becomes dry. Water must not be allowed to stagnate in the pan or in the pot itself, otherwise the leaves may change color and turn black. It is also advisable to periodically spray the plant with water at room temperature, this will protect the plant from drying out in dry air and also save the leaves of the poinsettia from spider mites.

As for lighting, it should be maximum. Place the poinsettia pot in the brightest room. It is impossible for the leaves of this plant to touch the cold window, because this will be stressful for the Christmas star, which she may not endure and will react to this by twisting the leaves or falling off.

If you want to experiment, you can plant several varieties of Christmas star in one flowerpot. It will look very original, such an unusual mix-bouquet will surely surprise your friends at the celebration of the New Year. This plant will also serve a good gift for your friends and relatives for the New Year and Christmas.

The most beautiful poinsettia: four stages of life

The Christmas star has four periods of life. This is the flowering period, the dormant period, the growing season and preparation for flowering. Let's take a look at all these stages of the life of a poinsettia. So, during flowering, which falls on December-March, the most beautiful euphorbia must be kept on such a windowsill, where it is warm and light. The window cannot be opened in winter cold air did not adversely affect the flower. In more detail about the care of the plant during flowering, we talked a little higher.

The second period is the dormant stage. It falls in March-April. At this time, the red leaves of the plant begin to fall off, and the green ones also practically disappear. You can guess that the spurge is entering a dormant phase if you see green leaves appear on top of the bracts. During dormancy, it is better to move the plant to a slightly darkened place, and watering should be somewhat reduced.

Even if the soil in the pot is, in your opinion, too dry, then you should not pay any attention to it. The fact is that the flower during this period of water is almost not required. The upper shoots must be cut off, and the spurge itself should be transferred to the windowsill in a room where the air temperature will be about 13-15 degrees.

The third period is the growing season. It falls in May-September. As soon as the sun begins to shine brighter and more actively, the poinsettia enters the vegetative phase. During this period, it is necessary to transplant the plant into more big pot. The earth in a new pot should be loose and moisture permeable. If you want to choose the ideal land for this plant, then take milkweed leaf soil, soddy soil, peat and sand for transplanting. And the ratio of these components should be 2:3:1:1, respectively.

Be aware that the size of the chosen pot will affect the plant, and if the pot is very large, the plant will be very tall. Please note that this indoor plant can grow in height and up to 50 cm. Therefore, the window sill chosen for it should be spacious. When the plant is transplanted, you can take it to the balcony or to the garden, but remember that it does not like direct sunlight.

Avoid drafts and cold air. The temperature at which the poinsettia will grow comfortably in the vegetative phase should be around 17-25 degrees Celsius. Watering the plant too often is not required, you can even say that this is unacceptable. If the soil is very wet, this can lead to rotting of the milkweed roots.

Don't forget to feed. This plant loves fertilizers that contain the same amount of potassium, phosphorus and sodium. Welcomes spurge and bird droppings. When the plant begins to actively grow and start new shoots, you can choose three or four of the strongest cuttings and leave them to develop further, and the rest of the kids can be cut off and given to friends for propagation. Remember that the poinsettia only propagates by cuttings, and it does not produce seeds. Or you can just plant your Christmas star in several pots and root it in new places.

Well, the last stage is the preparation for flowering. This period usually begins at the end of September and lasts until November. This phase is the most time-consuming and requires special efforts from the amateur grower. If the milkweed is not provided with all the conditions for the formation of flowers, then it may die without entering the flowering phase.

In order to prevent your poinsettia from dying, you should cover the plant with a cardboard box from the end of September for the period from 6 pm to 8 am. This will protect the flower from artificial light, which this plant does not like very much. You can also move the pot with the Christmas star to the greenhouse, or just send it to the room in which no one lives, if there is one in your house. This will also benefit the plant.

As a last resort, if you don’t have a suitable cardboard box to cover the plant and protect it from artificial light, you can simply cover the window where the Christmas star pot is standing with a thick curtain that does not let light into the plant. This will also serve as a good incentive for the formation of flowers on the poinsettia. A video on caring for a poinsettia will allow you to better understand how to properly care for this plant.

To ensure proper care of milkweed, you should feed it once a week. universal fertilizer, and water only half the pot as needed. Toward the end of November, the plant can already be transferred to the windowsill, where it will be warm and light. And now it remains to wait for your Christmas star to bloom. First, small buds will appear on the Christmas star, and then flowers.

Signs associated with poinsettia and the meaning of this plant

First of all, it is worth noting that the poinsettia is a symbol of Christmas, and it is most often bought for this holiday. If you do not have the opportunity to buy a live flower, then you can make a quilling poinsettia. There are a lot of video tutorials on how to make this beautiful flower. Foamiran poinsettia looks very impressive.

With this beautiful plant some signs are connected. For example, if it withered or turned yellow as soon as you brought it home, then this means that your family has an evil eye or damage, because plants are very sensitive to black magic, especially such a whimsical flower as a Christmas star.

The poinsettia has a lot positive properties but its leaves are poisonous. And if the juice of this plant gets on your skin, then you can get burned. Therefore, milkweed must be handled very carefully, because its value is still very high. After acquiring a poinsettia, harmony will reign in your family, as this flower charges the house with positive energy, absorbing all the negative atmosphere into itself. From this, euphorbia dies immediately in the house where there is a powerful negative energy in the form of corruption and evil eye.

According to Feng Shui, this plant should be placed in the bedroom of the newlyweds so that everything is fine on the marital bed, so that the young can quickly acquire offspring. This flower also protects from betrayal, it brings happiness to married couples. It gives the woman living in this house a special charm and sexuality. The most beautiful poinsettia or euphorbia frees a man from lustful thoughts and discourages every desire to look at one of the women, except for his wife.

It's all about such an unusual plant as the Christmas star. Now you know how to properly care for her so that she does not shed her hair prematurely. lovely leaves and know how to propagate it. We wish you to celebrate every New Year with bright colors poinsettias on your windowsill!

The sale of poinsettia begins to appear closer to Christmas. This flower is associated with the Christmas and New Year holidays. This is due to the fact that the purple flowers of poisettia appear just at this time of the year. Hence the second name of the most beautiful Poinsettia was born - "Christmas Star". Moreover, its inflorescences are so similar to bright stars. This plant is also called the "Christmas miracle", the "Star of Bethlehem", "the most beautiful milkweed".

The poinsettia belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. Its natural habitats are Mexico, Guatemala and other parts of Central America. There, the flower can be found on the damp shady slopes of the mountains. The poinsettia was known to the ancient Aztecs. They used the paint extracted from the scarlet bracts for their war paint and dyeing of fabrics, and the milky juice was used for medicinal purposes.

• In the wild, the plant grows up to 3 meters in height, but can be half as much. The growth form of the poinsettia is shrubby.
• The leaves are dark green, oval, pointed at the end, on some species have a slight pubescence. They grow quite large, up to 10-15 cm in length.
• What many mistake for poinsettia flowers are just bracts. The flowers themselves are small, yellow, collected in a rosette.
• At wild plant bracts are red. The selection of the flower made it possible to obtain other colors: white, yellow and two-tone. It is the bracts that make the poinsettia so decorative.
• Flowering occurs from December to February, after which the plant is most often thrown away, using as a disposable bouquet.

Popular varieties

Growing and flowering conditions

Even if you buy a plant for only a few months and do not intend to keep it, it needs to create comfortable conditions in the house. It is a pity for some to throw away a flower and they decide to extend its life and get re-blooming already at home. Let's talk about how to achieve this.

For the flowering of the "Christmas miracle" you need to create certain conditions, namely, to provide a short daylight hours. It is recommended to do this starting from mid-October. This is not difficult to achieve, but regularity is needed. Every day the plant is cleaned in a dark place, starting from 18-00 to 8-00 in the morning.

It can be a closet or just a closed closet. You can do it differently, providing the plant with darkness under a black tight bag. This procedure promotes the laying of flower buds. The period of short daylight hours should last 2.5 months.

In December, flower buds will begin to develop, and the bracts will gradually change their shade. The "Star of Bethlehem" is no longer dimmed, the feeding is reduced and the flower pot is placed in a bright, warm place with a temperature of 20 ° C, providing it with regular watering with warm water. Now this symbol of Christmas will definitely please everyone with its elegant look.

Poinsettia has faded, what to do

The "Christmas Star" blooms in early March. If you want to keep it until the next flowering, watering is gradually reduced, the flower dries and sheds leaves and goes into a dormant stage.

The shoots are cut to half the length and the pot with the plant is removed in a cool, dark place (for example, a basement), where it is kept at a temperature of 10 ° C. Poinsettia should be watered rarely and sparingly, so that the earth ball does not dry out completely. The rest period lasts 1.5-2 months.

Poinsettia (Christmas star): home care

Not everyone knows how to provide proper care for such an exotic plant as poinsettia. Meanwhile, there is nothing complicated in this, especially if there is information on how to properly handle it.

Poinsettia enters the house on the eve of the Christmas holidays in its most active stage - at the time of flowering. The bush should be well formed and have a large number of leaves. Bracts should be brightly colored, do not take greenish ones.

Helpful advice! When choosing a plant, inspect it and buy a copy on which traces of pollen are not yet visible - such a flower will last longer in festive decoration.

Check how healthy the plant is: whether it has dry or twisted leaves, dark spots, traces of pests, mechanical damage. Do not buy a flooded plant, it may have rotten roots. It is better to choose an adult bush, which is 2-3 times larger than the pot - such a plant looks more spectacular. The poinsettia should be well packaged during shipping to protect it from the cold.

Give the flower time to adjust to your home. Postpone transplanting until spring, when the plant has finished flowering. Put it on a bright window and keep it at a temperature of 18-20 °. If the thermometer is below 14 ° C, the bush will die. In order for the flowering to last longer, it is recommended to arrange a backlight.

The first days after the purchase, it is better not to water the "Christmas star", but to spray its leaves, trying not to fall on the bracts. A little later, watering resumed

The backlight near the plant is left for the entire time of its flowering. A fluorescent lamp or a special lamp for plants is suitable for this. It is necessary to avoid drafts, temperature differences, proximity to heating appliances- all this will negatively affect the poinsettia.

On a note! To increase the humidity of the air, the flower itself and the air around it are sprayed daily from a fine spray, avoiding water droplets on the bracts.

Watering in winter should be moderate. You need to wait until the top layer of the earth in the pot dries out and only after that water the flower. It is desirable to defend water for irrigation for at least 2 days. The earth in the pot is shed to the bottom, the excess water from the pan is drained after a few minutes.

It's important to know! If you have overdried the earthen ball and the leaves of the poinsettia have lost their elasticity, you can not water it abundantly. First, moderately moisten the soil, and after a while water the flower again.

In May, after the dormant phase, the poinsettia begins to be watered, increasing the volume of water with each watering. This will stimulate the growth of green mass. The higher the air temperature in summer, the more often the plant is watered.

Fertilizers for the "Christmas star" begin to be applied after leaving the dormant period and continue until the start of the next resting phase. Thus, the period when the poinsettia is fertilized lasts 10 months a year - from May to February.

Fertilizer is applied every two weeks immediately after watering. Mineral complexes, organics, biohumus-based fertilizers are used as top dressing. They can be interchanged.

How to grow poinsettia: video

Poinsettia pruning is carried out once a year, before the plant is sent to rest. The signal to start the procedure is wilting and loss of leaves. Out of ignorance, it may seem that the plant is dying, but this is not true.

Each shoot is shortened so that 3 to 5 dormant buds remain on it. In the future, young stems will grow again from them with an abundance of new leaves, the bush will be updated, compact in shape. To form a strong bush, 5-6 shoots are left on it, no more. So that the plant does not grow excessively over the summer, you can pinch the top of the head from time to time, but only until August. Then the laying of future inflorescences begins.

Until the end of the dormant period, there is no point in transplanting poinsettias. It must be transplanted before active growth begins. Start the procedure as soon as new leaves appear on the shoots. The soil must have neutral acidity, the following components are taken for it:

• 3 parts of loam or sod land;
• 2 parts of leaf land;
• 1 part peat;
• 1 part sand.

On a note! The sand should be large in size, small grains of sand make the soil less breathable.

In order not to greatly disturb the roots of the flower with a transplant, make it by transshipment of an earthen clod, gently shaking off pieces of soil from the lowest roots and from the top layer. The new pot should be a couple of centimeters larger in diameter and height.

At the bottom, be sure to put expanded clay drainage. Then pour a little earth and put the plant upright in a new container. The earth is gradually added near the walls, filling the pot to the top. At the final stage, the soil must be slightly compacted and watered.

Spring pruning and poinsettia transplant: video

Poinsettia is capable of propagating by seeds and vegetatively. At home, the seed method is practically not used due to inappropriateness. AT natural environment habitat, the seeds of the plant are carried by the wind, after which new specimens appear on the mountain slopes. In an artificial way it is very difficult to achieve seed germination, so flower growers propagate poinsettia by cuttings.

For cutting cuttings choose the youngest shoots. It is best to cut the crown to 7 cm with 3-5 developed buds. The cut is made directly below the node. Cut cuttings should be washed in warm water, so that the milky juice does not form a film that interferes with the formation of roots, and then place it in a growth stimulator solution for 12 hours. Before planting, the cut is treated with crushed coal in order to prevent decay.

• In a container with a substrate, the stalk is buried no more than 1 centimeter.
• The soil for planting should be loose and fertile, have a drainage layer under it.
• The container is placed in a bright and warm place, inaccessible to the bright sun and covered with a film, creating a greenhouse effect.
• The soil is regularly moistened by spraying, and the shelter is raised in order to ventilate the seedlings.

Roots appear in about a month. From this moment, the growth of the aerial part of the plant begins. As the bushes grow, they are transplanted into a large container, and the growing shoots are pinched, forming a compact, lush crown at the poinsettia.

Poinsettia is characterized by many diseases common to all plants, but there are also specific diseases. What is sick "Christmas miracle"?

Of the pests on poinsettia, there are: thrips, scale insects, aphids, worms, whiteflies, mushroom mosquitoes. The earlier pests are noticed, the easier it is to get rid of them. Needs to be processed soapy water 2-3 times with an interval of 7 days.

Against scale insects and worms, you can spray the bush with mineral oil - pests will suffocate under the oil film. If these measures do not help, insecticides such as Atkara, Commander, Iskra and others are used.

Growing problems

Problems with appearance and plant health can be caused by improper care.

If the leaves turn yellow at the edges, after which they turn brown and fall off, the problem is the salinity of the soil. This leads to watering with too hard water and rare transplants, due to which harmful impurities. Water for irrigation must be defended, or melt and rain water should be used.

The reason can also be too dry air in the room, waterlogging or drying out of the soil, lack of lighting, too sharp a temperature drop. In addition to the above, natural causes lead to yellowing and falling of the leaves - when at the end of February the plant prepares for rest, it sheds its leaves and goes into the dormant stage.

To change the color of the bracts, the poinsettia must be kept in short daylight hours for 2 months. How to do this - we told above. Without this, its leaves will remain green, alas.

It happens that the bracts turn red, but in some places remain green, have an uneven color - this is caused by temperature changes during the staining period. Maintain a stable temperature regime, do not open the window on the window where the poinsettia stands, do not transfer it from one room to another.

In addition to natural causes, when the plant is preparing to rest, wilting of the leaves can occur with insufficient watering. It is enough to saturate the earth with moisture and the leaves will pour, regain their turgor.

By wilting the leaves of the poinsettia, it can react to a sharp temperature drop, burn the roots with fertilizer (fertilize only in moist soil). In general, the flower reacts negatively to all sudden changes. Keep it at the same temperature, arrange proper watering, let's have a lot of light - and everything will be all right.

It is believed that if the purchased poinsettia in the house immediately turned yellow and began to die, this means that someone has spoiled or jinxed the owners of the apartment. Euphorbia is the most beautiful - a very sensitive flower, one might say - "capricious". That is why he reads any negative information and heavy energy. In the event that the brought plant, on the contrary, grows and radiates with beauty, the sign interprets this as the presence of complete well-being in the house.

From a feng shui point of view, poinsettias are the place to be in the newlyweds' bedroom. Then the marriage will be happy and the spouses will soon have offspring. This plant will protect the newlyweds from betrayal, and give the wife exciting sexuality and feminine charm. The husband simply will not need to look at other women.

Since the flower is most often given on new year holidays, it is associated with the miracle of Christmas and a bright, cheerful New Year's feast, which means that it is already able to cheer up and please with its tropical beauty.

We are considering home care for poinsettia. We tell you how to properly care for the Christmas star after purchase and what to do in spring, summer, autumn and winter.

We describe watering, top dressing, reproduction, pruning, transplanting, flowering, rest period, as well as possible problems when growing a plant.

Poinsettia, spurge or Christmas star?

The plant is native to rainforests Mexico on the Pacific coast. The common English name poinsettia is given to the flower in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced it to the US in 1825 as the first US minister to Mexico.

Scientifically, poinsettia is called the most beautiful spurge (Euphorbia pulcherrima), and in Europe and the USA it is known under the popular name - the Christmas Star, the Star of Bethlehem, the Star of Christ, as it blooms before Catholic Christmas (December 25th).

In the United States, the plant is very actively used during the celebration of Christmas as a decoration for homes, churches, offices and public places, and December 12 is the official National Poinsettia Day.

To date, more than 100 varieties of plants have been bred with different colors of bracts, for example: red (Angelica, Barbara), white (EckesWhite, WhiteStar), cream (PinkRibbon, Regina), pink (Dorothe, FestivalRose).

Poinsettia red: how to properly care for at home?

Lighting

The Christmas star flower loves a lot of diffused light, so windows on the southeast, southwest, west or east side are best suited. In the summer, it is necessary to shade during the day so that direct sunlight does not fall.

Temperature

For a plant, the optimal temperature regime: the active growth phase is + 18-25 ° C, flowering is not lower than + 16 ° C, the dormant period is + 11-16 ° C. The main thing is to protect it from drafts and temperature changes.

How to properly water poinsettia?

In summer, water the poinsettia once every 2-3 days, depending on the air temperature, as moisture actively evaporates due to high temperatures.

In autumn and winter (preparation for flowering and flowering) the Christmas star does not need to be watered often, it needs moderate watering - 1 time in 6-8 days.

During flowering, it is useful to spray the plant every 3-4 days with a small amount of warm and settled water.

top dressing

During active growth and development from May to September, the poinsettia must be fed with a complex mineral or organic fertilizer, and during flowering potash fertilizers.

Diseases and pests

Most often, the Christmas star is struck by the whitefly, spider mite and mealybug. Read more about how to get rid of these pests.

For the prevention of diseases and pests, it is necessary to comply with the conditions for caring for the most beautiful milkweed and inspect the flower weekly, especially carefully the underside of the leaf and leaf sinuses.

Reproduction of the Christmas star at home

Poinsettias are propagated vegetatively in the same way that grown samples from seeds lose varietal features. At the same time, it is very difficult to obtain seeds at home.

Reproduction by cuttings

1. Cut off the top of the young shoot at an acute angle so that there are at least 4-5 internodes on the handle (approximate length is 8-10 centimeters) and cut off the lower pair of leaves.
2. To clean the milky juice, place the cuttings for 10-12 minutes in a container with warm water or wipe the cut with blotting paper. Then it is desirable to sprinkle the cut with charcoal to prevent decay.
   Attention: touching the cut with your hands is undesirable, skin irritation is possible. Wear gloves.
3. Plant the poinsettia cutting in a moist nutrient substrate (peat, sand, leafy and soddy soil - 1: 1: 3: 3) to a depth of about 1 cm to reduce the risk of root rot.
4. Place the container with the cuttings in a warm place (18-22˚С) with diffused light and cover with a film. Spray moderately daily and ventilate to keep the substrate moist but without excess water.
   After about a month, the cuttings of the Christmas Star take root and new leaves appear on them.
5. Pinch off young shoots as they grow to speed up the formation of new stems. In September, transplant the cuttings into separate pots with a diameter of 10-16 cm.

• The optimal time for propagation of poinsettia by cuttings is May-June. Also, cuttings can be used for cuttings from pruning after flowering (March).

ATTENTION!

The most beautiful poinsettia, like all euphorbias, secretes milky juice. Latest Scientific research proved that the juice is minimally toxic and does not pose any danger to human health.

The juice can cause mild irritation if it comes into contact with sensitive skin, and if ingested, it can irritate the stomach, and can sometimes cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Pruning or transplanting a flower in rubber gloves, and at the end of them, wash your hands with soap and water. Take special care of your eyes - in case of contact, rinse them running water at least 15 minutes.

Care after purchase for poinsettia or during flowering (December-February)

After buying a poinsettia, you need to create optimal conditions for its flowering and development.

1. Room temperature + 16-24 ° C, no drops and drafts. During flowering, the most beautiful euphorbia needs in large numbers scattered light, in case of deficiency, leaves may fall off.
   In winter, it is ideal to place on the south window, but the western and east side will fit too.
2. Maintain high humidity: spray the flower with settled warm water 1-2 times a day. Dry air reduces the decorative effect: the leaves begin to dry out and turn yellow, and fall off prematurely.
3. Water the Christmas Star after the top layer of the substrate is dry. The most beautiful poinsettia loves moderate soil moisture. Too much water is a big risk.
4. The first 20-25 days the flower will get used to the new conditions. After three weeks, it needs to be transplanted into a new substrate: universal soil mix + sand + vermiculite + drainage at the bottom.
   Transplanting will prolong the flowering of the Christmas star. If it is not possible to transplant, then feed the most beautiful euphorbia fertilizer for flowering plants.

How to buy the right poinsettia?

It is better to buy poinsettia in the warm season, but in most cases it is bought in November-December, when it blooms and has maximum decorative effect.

• Before buying, carefully inspect the flowers (not bracts!). The central inflorescences should not be opened (ie buds) so that the Christmas star still blooms in your house for as long as possible. Foliage should be lush and healthy.
• Buy a flower in a warm store (temperature not lower than +15 ° C). In winter, there is a risk of buying a plant with frozen roots, especially in the market.
• The most beautiful Euphorbia is afraid of frost, especially in a flowering state, so it is necessary to deliver it to the house as soon as possible. Before going outside, carefully wrap the poinsettia in paper and cover with a cloth.

An excellent copy of the poinsettia (Christmas star) to buy

Care for red poinsettia after flowering: pruning, rest period (March-April)

Poinsettia stops blooming, usually in early to mid-February. The approach of the end of flowering can be determined by the appearance of green leaves on top of the bracts. After flowering, the Christmas star sheds leaves (bracts), it begins a dormant period.

1. Cut the stems about 50% (leaves a bush about 14-16 cm high), leaving 4-5 buds on each. With pruning, you can give the desired shape and density to the crown, and then maintain it by trimming and pinching new shoots.
2. Transfer the flower to a darkened room with a temperature of + 11-14 ° C. Water it rarely and little (1 time in 10-12 days), but at the same time, so that the substrate does not dry out completely (some flower growers allow complete drying).
3. After 1.5-2 months ( optimal time) the rest period of the most beautiful poinsettia ends, and it is transferred to its usual place.

Poinsettia after pruning in March

How to make a poinsettia bloom a second time? Transfer

After the end of the dormant period, it is better to transplant the poinsettia for re-blooming into a new substrate.

1. During transplantation, an earthen ball near the roots is saved and transferred to a new pot, a little bigger size(transshipment). At the bottom of the pot, a drainage layer is required.
2. The soil mixture is prepared independently (peat, sand, leaf and sod land - 1: 1: 3: 3) or bought in ready-made fluffy and nutritious.
3. After transplantation, the Christmas star is transferred to a warm and bright room(the south or southeast side is best) and begin to water abundantly after the top layer of the soil mixture dries by 2-3 cm.

10-15 minutes after watering, be sure to drain the water from the pan to avoid root rot.

Poinsettia transplant with a clod of earth

Care from May to September for the Christmas star

After the transplant and the onset of warm days, the Christmas star flower begins to grow and develop. During the active growing season, it is not difficult to take care of it: the main thing is to avoid drafts and direct sunlight.

1. Lots of ambient light and abundant watering stimulate the growth and development of poinsettia, new shoots appear. Of the young shoots, it is recommended to leave the strongest 4-6, and cut off the rest.
   If desired, a remote shoot can be rooted (reproduction by cuttings), and a new plant will grow from it.
2. The shoots are pinched so that the Christmas star does not stretch out, but bushes, and a compact and beautiful bush is obtained.
3. Every two weeks, it is desirable to fertilize with fertilizers for decorative and deciduous species or complex ones. Poinsettia also responds to the introduction of humus, humus or bird droppings with a sharp growth.

Preparation of poinsettia for flowering: October-November

In autumn, the air temperature drops, and accordingly gradually reduce watering and top dressing. To encourage the poinsettia to develop bracts, i.e. "bloom" is necessary for at least two months in the fall with continuous long dark nights and bright sunny days(8-10 hours).

1. To do this, from September 20-25 until the end of November - the beginning of December, from about 18.00 to 08.00, cover the Christmas Star with a thick cloth, cardboard or a dark bag so that the light does not fall on it and night falls. At the same time, move it away from the battery on the windowsill, but without touching the cold window, so that there is uniform coolness.
2. In preparation for flowering, water the poinsettia moderately (after drying half of the substrate) and maintain the temperature at least +16 ° C.
3. On December 1, transfer the most beautiful poinsettia to a sunny window and a warmer place. Soon, buds and colored bracts will appear on the milkweed.

Why isn't the poinsettia blooming?

During the preparatory period for flowering (two months), any random light at night (even a TV turned on, a street lamp or a passing car) can disrupt the laying of flower buds.

Poinsettia flowers

Poinsettia leaves turn yellow, fall or fall off, what should I do?

• In poinsettia, the leaves wither and fall, most often due to an excess or lack of water.
• The poinsettia can shed its leaves abruptly without wilting due to drafts or extreme cold.
• The leaves of the Christmas star turn yellow, mainly due to the dry air in the room, against the backdrop of high temperatures. Spray the flower and water more often.

The most beautiful poinsettia: interesting facts

• The milky juice of the most beautiful milkweed is used by the inhabitants of Central America to reduce warts, lubricate the bite site with insects, with toothache, as an anesthetic.
• The popularity of the flower was brought by the Ekki family. Albert Ekki, and then his son Paul, began to grow the Christmas star in open ground and greenhouses, and later an indoor form was bred.
• Euphorbia most beautiful - the most popular plant for the holidays in the United States. During the Christmas season, 40 to 50 million copies are sold.
• The poinsettia often dies after flowering, so follow the flower care tips carefully.