Traditional red and green Christmas colors brightly sparkle from the myriad poinsettias decorating the holiday venues. Poinsettias show a wide range of colors, including pinks, yellows and multicolored varieties with striking speckled foliage and novelty appeal.
These interesting -- and despite what you may have heard, non-poisonous -- plants add much to our holiday beauty and color.A few simple tips will keep your poinsettias looking good for the holiday season and long beyond.
Look for poinsettias with the small ball-shaped flowers that have not fully opened or dropped. That indicates the plants are not too mature and have not been unduly stressed. The red, white or pink bracts are really leaves and are not part of the true flower.
Protect poinsettias from the cold when transporting them. These tropical plants can be damaged after only a few moments exposure to cold temperatures and react by dropping their leaves. Protect plants you buy by making the purchases and transporting the plants during the warm part of the day. Sleeving or wrapping the plant also guards against winter's icy blasts. Never leave the plants in unheated vehicles nor leave them on porches when delivering them as gifts.
They thrive in bright, natural daylight with at least six hours of sun. Avoid hot afternoon sun shining directly on the plant. For maximum life, they like a consistent temperature that does not exceed 70 degrees during the day or fall below 65 degrees at night. Avoid placing plants near drafts, air currents or heat sources such as fireplaces or heat vents. They show chilling damage if exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees.
Poinsettias do best with a moist soil. They should never wilt, but overwatering can be fatal. Water thoroughly when the soil feels dry to the touch, and when you water add enough so it drains out the bottom of the pot. Never allow plants to sit in water as root rot will destroy the plant.
Poinsettias grow well without additional fertilizer during the bloom season. If you want to maintain the rich green color and promote new growth after the holidays, add blooming plant fertilizer according to the directions on the fertilizer label. Remove foil wrapping or other leak proof liners to prevent water from collecting in the pot.
Anything that keeps the plants standing in water is fatal.
Poinsettias have long been reported to be poisonous. The original source of this myth is one story from 1919 that an Army officer's 2-year-old child allegedly died after eating a poinsettia leaf. While never proved by medical or scientific research, the story took on a life of its own.
Defenders of the poinsettia have done extensive research to allay public fears. The Society of American Florists did extensive research and could find no ill effects from feeding poinsettia leaves to rats. According to the PoisindexR Information Services, a 50-pound child would have to ingest more than 500 poinsettia bracts to surpass experimental doses. Even at this high level, no toxicity is indicated.
The American Medical Association Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants (copyright 1985) states, "Most inquiries on poisoning concern the poinsettia, which has been found to produce no effect either orally or topically or occasionally cases of vomiting. The plant does not contain irritant diterpense."
That's not to say you should eat one. Like other nonfood items, the poinsettia may cause stomach discomfort if ingested, but nothing more.
Poinsettia poisoning is an "urban legend" that has long been associated with this plant. The best advice is to enjoy them as a plant and not as food, and you will not suffer any harmful effects.
The real horticultural trick, when growing poinsettias, is to get them to come into flower the next year if you save them. For a fact sheet on growing and reblooming your poinsettia next year, send me a legal size SASE c/o the Deseret News, Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.