The more than 100 varieties of poinsettias come in a range of colors from
red, salmon, and apricot to yellow, cream, and white
(but not blue—these are a designer color created with dyes). There are also unusual speckled or marbled varieties with several colors blended together.
How do they get different colored poinsettias?
When it comes to the boldest, most unusual colors, there’s no magic with the planting process. “
They take a couple different layers of paint and mix paints
,” said Ron Svehla, head grower at Lynde Greenhouse in Maple Grove. “It’s spray painted, the plant goes into a painting booth and they paint them.”
What is the most popular color of the poinsettia?
Red
is the most popular color. However, poinsettias are also available in burgundy, pink, salmon, white, cream, and gold. There are also bicolored, marbled, and speckled poinsettias. The colorful part of the poinsettia, commonly referred to as the plant’s flowers, are actually modified leaves or bracts.
Are purple poinsettias real?
Poinsettias can also be orange, pink, pale green, and
even purple
. Those might not be associated with the holiday, but all of them are brilliant images that can occupy your home’s main décor in any other part of the year.
When should I buy a poinsettia?
The second week of December
is time to buy potted poinsettias and hellebores as gift plants. The second week of December is time to buy potted poinsettias and hellebores as gift plants to add some life to your holiday shopping.
Is a poinsettia a flower or plant?
Poinsettias are
native Mexican plants
. They thrive during the holiday season because they are short-day plants that require long nights to launch their color change. The colorful bracts of these plants are leaves, not flowers, with the most common bract color being red.
Can you keep a poinsettia alive all year?
Poinsettias
can be kept year after year
, and they will bloom each year if you give them proper care. When the leaves begin to yellow or when the plant is no longer desired as an ornamental, gradually withhold water. … After all the leaves have fallen, store the plant, in its pot, in a cool (50 to 60°F), dry, dark area.
When should I put my poinsettia in the dark?
In
mid- to late October
place your poinsettias in a completely dark area from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily until red color starts to develop on the flowers or “bracts.” “This can take quite a while,” Penhallegon said. “People often forget to cover the plant one or two nights.
How long does a poinsettia last?
It will depend on how well you follow the tips above, but on average a well-cared for poinsettia should last
4-6 weeks
until the flowers start to fall off. Remember, poinsettias like the warmth of centrally heated homes but they should be kept away from direct heat, as well as from drafty windows and doors.
Are blue poinsettias real?
Those odd-colored poinsettias seen popping up in stores for the last few years are
real
. They just also happen to be covered with a layer of dye that gives them a poinsettia color not found in nature. … The blue or orange poinsettia can fit into a decorating scheme that would be ruined by large, bright-red bracts.
Why is my poinsettia all green?
It is actually
the plant’s leaves that provide its color through a process called photoperiodism
. This process, in response to certain amounts of light or lack thereof, turns the leaves from green to red (or pink, white, and other shade variations).
Are there yellow poinsettias?
When one thinks of the poinsettia plant, the color red and the Christmas holidays immediately come to mind. But lovers of this native Mexican plant can brighten up their homes around Thanksgiving with
the Lemon Drop poinsettia
, a yellowish-gold variety.
Why are the leaves falling off my poinsettia?
Poinsettias will classically drop their leaves
if they are exposed to sudden changes in temperature, drafts or overly cool or dry rooms
. They also will lose leaves and wilt in response to an extreme need for water. When choosing a plant, pick a healthy, full one with no discoloration on the foliage.
What should I look for when buying a poinsettia?
Choosing Your Poinsettia
When shopping for a poinsettia, look for:
Plentiful dense, dark green foliage
.
Tightly clustered buds
to last throughout the holiday season. Fully colored small leaves surrounding the yellow buds; if they’re still partially green, the plant will quickly lose its color.
How do you keep a poinsettia alive year round?
To keep them happy throughout the season,
place them in bright, indirect light
. Water them regularly so that the soil stays evenly moist; if the surface of the soil is dry to the touch, it’s time for a drink. Just be wary of flooding them, because their roots can start to rot if they sit in standing water.
What part of a poinsettia is poisonous?
Though they have a bad rap, poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plants are only mildly toxic to cats and dogs.
The milky white sap
found in poinsettias contains chemicals called diterpenoid euphorbol esters and saponin-like detergents.
