Flowers of Christmas - The Poinsettia

Some flowers of Christmas - the poinsettia are one of the most popular during the Christmas holiday. These plants are originally from Central America and Mexico. They are now native to the warmer climates of southwestern U.S. and Mexico and they are vulnerable to the cold and frost. So if you live in the cold areas of the country and are doing Christmas shopping and want to purchase those flowers of Christmas, the poinsettia, be sure you make that purchase your last stop so you can take it right home.

When you are ready to buy your poinsettia plants look for plants that have dark green leaves and brightly colored flowers. If the leaves or flowers are dry or they are turning brown around the edges find another plant. Poinsettia flowers are slow to open, but once they are open and in full bloom they will remain that way and be attractive for a number of weeks. If the weather is cold when you purchase your plant make sure they wrap it well for the trip home as a short exposure to the cold and wind can possibly damage the plant.

These beautiful flowers of Christmas are easy to keep, in fact their blooms will probably last long after Christmas and sometimes they have gone as long as Valentine's Day. They like to have a sunny room with the temperature between 60 - 70 degrees F. They do not like the high heat from a furnace vent or from a fireplace; they also do not like drafts.

When you get them home make sure they have plenty of water and then allow the soil dry before watering again. They are forgiving, if they begin to dry out give them some water and they will come right back. If the leaves start to fade to lighter green that means they need more sunshine.

Once summer comes around you can put your poinsettia outdoors in a sunny location. You can plant it into your garden or leave it in the container. Trim it so it has a nice round shape and use a regular fertilizer every few weeks. You want to bring in the plant in the fall before the first frost arrives.

To force a poinsettia to bloom can be a real challenge; some people have tried but just a few have succeeded. You might as well give it a try if you have kept the plant around and healthy all year long. It is a very simple concept.

At any time between late September and the beginning of October you need to have the plant in total darkness for at least 14 hours a day. This can be a tricky feat: any small light can upset the entire process. During the daytime hours it should receive at least 6 hours of sunlight. You need to continue this process on a daily basis for at least 10 weeks. After the ten weeks bring it out in the open and when the color starts to appear use a high nitrogen fertilizer every couple weeks. Here is a tip for covering your plant; cover it with a box or paper bag every night, or place it inside a black plastic bag and twist tie it on the top. Every morning when exposing it to sunlight untie the twist and carefully lower the bag. The flowers of Christmas - the poinsettia will hopefully be in full bloom for the holidays.