Q&A for How to Care for Poinsettias

Fertilize poinsettias every 6 to 8 weeks, while the poinsettia is not in bloom. Use a balanced houseplant fertilizer, such as 20-20-20. Don’t over fertilize. Don’t fertilize blooming poinsettias (typically in November and December).

These are probably particles belonging to the soil your poinsettia was planted in, called perlite. This naturally occurring material is commonly added to soil mixtures to provide proper drainage and water retention. Perlite is a lightweight volcanic rock-like material. If perlite is not the culprit, granular fertilizer or an insect problem could be the white ‘things’ you are seeing.

Yellowing leaves on the poinsettia usually indicate that the plant is either being overwatered or underwatered. Given they're usually kept indoors, the culprit is more often than not too much water, out of over-attentiveness to the plant. Only water when the soil feels just moist to the touch, otherwise it may become waterlogged. There are other possible causes, such as a mineral deficiency, root rot or over-fertilizing, each of which would need to be assessed in turn if the issue is not about watering.

Many poinsettias experience neglect after Christmas, maybe because their owners think the plant can cope without care or they lose interest in what is treated as a "Christmas decoration." Also, the mass production of poinsettias for sale at Christmas time means that they're heavily fertilized and watered prior to sale without a focus on longevity and resilience, so many are in a weakened state by the time they're purchased. A lot of TLC and following the care steps outlined above will usually help to keep your poinsettia alive till next Christmas and beyond, just don't neglect it!

Ideally, a poinsettia needs around 6 hours of light, in an indirect position such as a windowsill which doesn't get too hot. Make sure the poinsettia doesn't touch anything cold (like a window pane) or hot (like heating), as both things can kill off the leaves.

First, make sure your poinsettia is in a healthy condition, including removing weak stems, fertilizing regularly and keeping it in an optimal environment of the right temperature, light and watering. Second, to help increase the bushy look of your poinsettia, pinch back the tips of its new shoots but always leave at least two nodes on each new shoot. As already mentioned, it's also important to remove weak stems so that you encourage the growth of only healthy, strong ones.

You can grow poinsettia in the garden, provided the conditions are appropriate, including living in a warm climate and being able to plant in a position that has partial shade during the hottest part of the day in rich, well-drained soil. You will find out more information on growing in the garden in this wikiHow: How to Grow Poinsettia .

This is likely a fungal disease and needs immediate treatment to prevent the fungus from spreading to the whole plant. Immediately remove the affected leaves and dispose of them in your household trash to avoid spreading to other plants. Then, use a suitable fungicide spray from the garden center but be careful to use it according to the directions and not overuse it or the plant may die. Also, most fungicides require regular reapplication every few days, to make sure the fungus is really gone. Take care not to overwater a poinsettia, as this can lead to fungal problems.

It is probable that these are not white "ants" but rather an insect called whiteflies, which are a common pest for poinsettias. Unfortunately, they're hard to control and the best option is usually to tolerate the pest and then discard of the plant after Christmas in order to prevent their spread to other indoor plants. If you really want to try to salvage it, try spraying underneath the leaves every 4 to 7 days using an insecticidal soap. This must be repeated until there are no more signs of them but beware that this method may not work and it's a lot of effort for a plant that is tricky to care for at the best of times. In future, always check the plant before purchasing it, as that is usually the point of infestation by whiteflies.

It is recommended that you cut back dead foliage in February/March, after blooming has finished. You can also prune throughout the year to keep the plant in shape, and when the new shoots appear in summer, remove some of the tips to help make the plant bushier. For more details on cutting back at the right time and in the right way, check out the wikiHow: How to Prune a Poinsettia .

You may be over-watering. If you push a pencil into the soil almost to the bottom and withdraw it, you can tell if your soil is too wet or dry. The soil only needs to be slightly moist. If it is too wet, root rot can set it. Obviously, you don't want it to be too dry either, and don't use too much fertilizer.

No, it is not different.

Yes, that's completely fine.

Yes, but it won't flower as often. Place the broken branch in a cup filled with a 3:1 ratio of water and plant food. If you don't have plant food, use some sugar and just enough black dirt to change the color of the water.

Leave it in a lit environment. Water it every day, but don't over-water it.

Yes. I live in Seminole County. I have planted several in my yard over the years in partly-sunny locations. They seem to do best in afternoon shade, where they can grow 5 feet or higher. They don't need much care, and the leaves will turn red without doing anything special.

Yes, it will turn red the first of November. If you live in a very warm climate, like Florida. Keep it outdoors year round and it will continue to grow and reproduce red leaves every year. Just fertilize a couple of times a year.