The most famous Christmas Poinsettia rose is red, but specialist Poinsettia breeders have worked hard over the past few decades to create over 150 different varieties, including gorgeous pinks, oranges, creams and whites. In fact, Poinsettias in warm tones like apricot, pink, rose or salmon delight homes as early as October.
With their star-shaped bracts, Poinsettias are known as Christmas stars in many other languages, including Stella di Natale in Italian and Weihnachtsstern in German. Perhaps unsurprisingly, red Poinsettias are the most popular of all, followed by white and cream varieties. Next come bi-color and speckled cultivars, as well as the pink variety Poinsettia.
Contrary to popular belief, Poinsettias are not difficult to care for. So here are some tips and best practices to keep your Poinsettia in perfect condition during the Christmas season and well beyond.
Watering a Poinsettia.
Poinsettia Christmas roses do not like a lot of water. Always remember that the root ball of the plant should not dry out or become soaked. Overwatering can quickly lead to waterlogging, which in turn causes root rot and leaves you with a dead plant. You should get into the habit of inspecting its leaves. If they turn yellow or fall off, you are probably not watering it properly. As with orchids, many rose lovers mean well but overwater Poinsettias when they only need a little.
You should also water your Poinsettia when the soil feels noticeably dry. This could be every day if the plant is located near a radiator in a dry room, or only every few days in other locations. How to check? Carefully lift your Christmas star; if it feels light, it's time to water. Mini Poinsettias should be checked daily. You can also water these red Christmas roses by dipping them from below, which saturates the soil more than normal watering (soaking them once a week should be enough).
Poinsettias prefer room temperature water and small pots should be watered more often than larger ones as they dry out more quickly. For a standard 13cm diameter pot, give it no more than a small glass of water, or about 0.2 litres, to prevent the large pores in the soil from becoming clogged and waterlogged. Mini Poinsettias should not receive more than a glass of water. Remove any excess water that is still in the pot after 10 minutes.
When in doubt, it is best to keep Poinsettias a little drier and water them little and often, rather than rarely but heavily. Poinsettias are most durable when fertilized once a week starting about four weeks after purchase, using a commercial liquid houseplant fertilizer for roses, according to the dosage indicated on the package.
Getting the right temperature
Poinsettia Christmas roses need warmth and light. You can keep them near a radiator, but they must be protected from drafts: that is, NO fireplaces, open doors, open windows or windy hallways. If there are too many drafts, this Christmas rose may start to lose its leaves. Try to place the Poinsettia in a sheltered spot.
A temperature between 15 and 22 degrees is ideal, making these Poinsettias well suited to bedrooms and living rooms. Sufficient light is important for the red Christmas rose to grow and thrive, and during the winter months a south-facing window is ideal for it.
What to do with our Roses after Christmas?
To ensure it survives until next year, you will need to prune the Poinsettia in April, down to about 10 cm, and keep it at a temperature of 13°C. Replant in May and grow it in a cool, bright place during the summer, ideally at a temperature of 15-18°C.
When November rolls around, it's time to start forcing your Christmas rose. It will need 12 hours of bright light, followed by 12 hours of complete darkness to help it adapt to the shorter days of winter, which will help the roses thrive.
Bonus: Poinsettia Decorating Ideas
While Poinsettia Christmas roses make a beautiful standalone item, there are many other festive uses for them. They can be used as garlands on staircases and around banisters, or add a traditional touch of class to the Christmas tree with a few Poinsettia Belgium roses nestled in the branches. They also make eye-catching wreaths and make a stunning centrepiece for Christmas dinner.
