Poinsettia is a classic Christmas flower with its festive red and white bracts. It comes from Mexico and has special needs that make it a little harder to take care of like other houseplants. But caring for a poinsettia year round has its own reward: new blooms for the next holiday season.
In its home country of Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia is a shrub or small tree, not a holiday plant. It grows 10 to 15 feet tall (3. 0 to 4. 6 m. ) as a deciduous or semi-evergreen plant on mid-elevation slopes along the Pacific Ocean. Its native habitat is tropical and seasonally wet.
What many people describe as the poinsettia flowers, that showy red part, are actually bracts. Bracts are changed leaves that surround the flower. The poinsettia flower is the small yellow bloom in the middle. Most poinsettia bracts are red, but in cultivation, you can find white, pink, and peach.
Few plants represent the holidays like the poinsettia. Their big bright red or white bracts seem to embody the festive spirit and add a burst of color to seasonal decor. But sadly, many a poinsettia meets an untimely demise shortly after the holidays, wilting and dropping leaves. If your poinsettia plant is looking a little lackluster or even near death don’t give up on it just yet! With some TLC and troubleshooting, it’s often possible to revive a dying poinsettia and nurse it back to health.
Signs Your Poinsettia is Struggling
How can you tell if your poinsettia is in distress? Here are some common signs:
- Wilting, drooping leaves
- Leaves falling off
- Yellow or brown leaves
- Dry, shriveled bracts
-White crusty deposits on soil (salt buildup) - Root rot (mushy, black roots)
- Stunted growth
- Weak, thin stems
If your plant exhibits any of these symptoms it likely needs some restorative care. The sooner you intervene the better its chances of bouncing back.
Reasons for a Declining Poinsettia
Before attempting to rehabilitate your plant, it helps to understand what factors may have contributed to its decline Common causes include
- Overwatering
- Underwatering
- Lack of sunlight
- Extreme temperature shifts
- Dry air
- Salt buildup from water
- Root rot
- Lack of nutrients
- Pests like mites, mealybugs, or aphids
Pinpointing the likely culprits will help guide your revival efforts.
Steps to Revive a Dying Poinsettia
With attention and care, you can nurse even a neglected-looking poinsettia back to health. Here are some steps to take:
Assess and address pest problems
Check closely for any pests like whiteflies, spider mites, or mealybugs that may be weakening the plant. Treat with horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps as needed. Isolate if infestation is severe.
Prune off dead leaves and stems
This helps allocate the plant’s resources towards new growth. Make clean cuts just above leaf nodes or at the base.
Add supportive care
Give the plant a plant stent or stake for support if it’s become leggy and weak-stemmed.
Check for root rot
If roots are brown, mushy, or easily pulled away, trim off the affected areas with a sterile blade and repot into fresh, sterile soil.
Repot into well-draining soil
Use a sterile, well-draining potting mix. Add perlite or orchid bark to improve drainage.
Find a bright, warm spot
Poinsettias need about 6 hours of indirect sunlight daily. Keep away from drafty areas, heating vents, and excessive cold.
Maintain even moisture
Water thoroughly only when the top inch of soil is dry. Discard excess water in saucers.
Increase humidity
Boost humidity levels around the plant through misting, pebble trays, or a humidifier.
Apply balanced liquid fertilizer
Feed every 2-3 weeks according to label directions to provide vital nutrients.
Monitor for improvement
Within a few weeks of focused care, you should see new growth, leaf recovery, and improved bract color.
emergency care for a Wilting plant
If your poinsettia is severely wilted with dried, shriveled leaves, it needs emergency reviving. Start by:
- Trimming off all dead and spent leaves, stems, and bracts
- Watering thoroughly until it drains freely from the drainage holes
- Moving it to a warm, brightly lit spot away from drafts
- Mist leaves to increase humidity
- Covering with a plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect
Hopefully within 12-24 hours, your poinsettia will be revived and standing back up again! Continue caring for it properly to aid its full recovery.
Special holiday care tips
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Display poinsettias for 4-6 weeks maximum for best bract longevity.
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Sleeve or wrap foil around pots to protect roots if setting outside.
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Avoid placing near cold drafts, heat vents, or excessive heat or chill.
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Make sure plants are not displayed in water. Allow excess to drain.
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Provide at least 6 hours of bright, indirect light daily.
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Water when soil surface is dry; avoid overwatering.
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Move plants to a cool, dark spot at night to encourage bract color.
Caring for Poinsettias Post-Holidays
Assuming your poinsettia survives the holidays after reviving efforts, you can enjoy it long term as a houseplant. Here’s how to care for it year-round:
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Prune back stems by half in spring and repot into fresh potting mix if roots are crowded.
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Place in a bright window where it will get several hours of direct sun.
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Water whenever the top 1-2″ of soil becomes dry.
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Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer during spring and summer.
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Maintain temperatures above 55°F.
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Move outdoors in summer in shade if desired. Bring back indoors before temps drop below 50°F.
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Prune back to 6-8″ in September to promote new compact growth.
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Beginning mid-October, give it 14 hours darkness and 10 hours light daily to initiate flowering.
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Protect from cold and drafts, provide bright light and even moisture as bracts color up.
With conscientious care, your poinsettia can thrive for months or years as an attractive houseplant, rewarding you with that festive holiday coloration again and again when winter rolls around.
Troubleshooting Issues with Reviving Poinsettias
Even if you follow all the recommended revival tips, your poinsettia may still struggle. Here are some fixes for common problems:
Yellow leaves – Usually indicates overwatering. Allow soil to dry out more between waterings.
Wilting – Can signal under or overwatering. Check soil moisture and adjust watering accordingly.
Leaf drop – Natural after bracts fade. But can also mean too little water, light, or humidity.
Leggy growth – Needs more sunlight. Pinch back tips to encourage fullness.
Poor flowering – May require the 14/10 light/dark treatment to initiate buds.
Root decline – Repot into fresh soil, trim off any mushy roots, and water less frequently.
Salt buildup – Flush soil every few months and use distilled or rain water.
Pests – Isolate plant, prune affected parts. Spot treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
FAQ About Reviving Poinsettias
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
How do I revive a dead poinsettia?
Assess the damage, address any disease or pest issues, prune off dead parts, repot into fresh soil, provide ideal lighting and humidity, maintain even moisture, and fertilize to encourage new growth.
What makes poinsettia leaves fall off?
Overwatering, underwatering, cool temps, dry air, or pests can cause leaf drop. Improve conditions and prune off any dead leaves.
How can I make my poinsettia re-bloom next year?
Give it 14 hours darkness/10 hours sunlight daily from mid-October to mid-December to initiate flowering. Protect from chill and provide bright, indirect light as bracts color up.
Why is my poinsettia drooping and wilting?
This can be from over or underwatering, low light, cold drafts or heat stress. Check soil moisture, adjust watering, and improve growing conditions.
Can you revive a poinsettia in water?
Severely wilted plants may be revived by standing stems in water for 12-24 hours until revived. Then repot into soil, provide care, and monitor recovery.
Is Epsom salt good for poinsettias?
Occasionally watering with Epsom salts can provide magnesium, improve bract color, and help revive an ailing plant.
Don’t give up too quickly on a sad looking poinsettia around the holidays! With attentive care tailored to its needs, you can often nurse it back to full health and enjoy its colorful display again next holiday season.
Do Poinsettias Come Back Every Year?
Like other tropical plants, poinsettias are most often grown as annuals. Most people buy them to decorate their homes for the holidays and then throw them away in January or when they start to lose their shine.
Of course, in their native range, poinsettias grow year-round like other plants. We can keep yours alive all spring, summer, and fall if you take good care of it. By Christmas next year, you’ll have fresh new bracts.
How to Care for Poinsettias Year Round
To take care of a poinsettia all year, start by providing the right conditions:
- A sunny room with no drafts
- Temperatures around 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (12. 8 to 18. 3 Celsius) at night and between 65 and 70 (18. 3 to 21. 1 Celsius) during the day.
- Protect from temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius)
- At least six hours of indirect light per day
- Only water when the top two to three inches of soil are dry.
- Every time you water, make sure the water runs through the holes in the soil.
Overwatering and pooled water are very damaging to poinsettia. If you bought a plant during the holidays, the pot probably has a holiday-themed plastic or foil wrap on it. Remove this to avoid standing water and place the pot on a tray instead.