Keeping the Poinsettia

The Christmas tree has been recycled, the Christmas tree mulch spread over the garden. Now what to do with the poinsettia? This year, I’m attempting to winter mine over…or, ahem, summer it over, as the case may be.

Poinsettias have been said to be poisonous to cats and kids. According to the Mayo Clinic website, poinsettia sap can cause some people skin irritation. (Interestingly, people with latex alergies are more likely than people without to have an allergy to the poinsettia sap because poinsettia and latex proteins are similar.) If poinsettia leaves are eaten, some people will get stomachaches, vomit, or have diarrhea. Yet, poinsettias are not lethal.

Likewise, poinsettias aren’t toxic to cats or dogs, though the sap can cause skin irritation. The Pet Poison Hotline website considers poinsettias a “minimal” threat and adds that lilies, a flower commonly used in bouquets, are highly toxic.

If you’re still worried about kitties and kiddies coming in contact with your poinsettia, place it in an out-of-the-path location.

I bought one of my poinsettias from the Boy Scouts during their annual wreath sales and the other two at Our Lady of Refuge Christmas Mass. I bought a $7 bag of potting soil from Shannon Florist and found an old bucket in the basement. I went to work.  How hard could it be, anyhow?

Poinsettias, native to Central America, are sensitive to the cold. One of my plants already got bitten by frost, though I’ve since moved them inside. The Cornell Extension website explains it’s difficult to keep poinsettias in normal household conditions. The air is too hot and dry. With proper watering–maintaining a constant “towel damp” soil – it can be done.

If you lose the flowers, you can enjoy the plant and its green foliage until next fall. Union County College in New Jersey says poinsettia’s red leaves are stimulated in the dark. To get the red leaves before Christmas, move the plant in October to a room with access to only natural light. Long nights and short days give us the blooms of the Christmas plant.

Good luck to any fellow gardeners attempting to summer over their poinsettia. Send us pictures, and tips, of your success stories!