Since my knowledge of poinsettias is limited to buying several just after Thanksgiving, setting them around the house and then carrying them to the dumpster sometime in February, I visited one of the larger growers in the Solanco area for a few pointers.
       Poinsettias as a pot crop are relatively new. As recently as the late 1970ies, your choice was red. It was also quite tall and leggy. The Paul Ecke family in California spearheaded bringing poinsettias into the mainstream marketplace.
      Today we have many breeders competing to provide a broad spectrum of colors. The plants are grower friendly, consumer friendly, long lasting and so much easier to care for than they were just a few years ago.
      Growers are experimenting with new forms, like topiaries and miniatures that are very popular. On occasion, some people will buy a white one, spray paint it and add glitter to fit a particular Christmas décor. I’ve got way too much gray hair to warm to that idea.
      Each year there are new varieties. Topping the list this year is ‘Ruby Frost’ with a creamy flower with splashes of pinks and reds.
      Get your poinsettia now, put it most anywhere in your house, water it once or twice before Christmas and it won’t be dumpster ready until well after the New Year. Water it often and I can’t make the same promise. The pot should be light weight and the soil shouldn’t feel wet but don’t let the plant wilt.
      Color will be most intense when temperatures average between 55 and 65 degrees.
If you are bent on keeping it till next year, treat it like any other house plant. In the spring, wait until the danger of frost is past, and put it outside for the summer. In the fall, bring it in and place it in a room that receives only natural light. Your bracts will color by Christmas. If you are as successful as I have been you will head to the dumpster in late November before heading to the greenhouse for a new one.
      Poinsettias are not poisonous. A recent study at Ohio State University showed that a 50 pound child who ate 500 bracts might develop a slight tummy ache. I guess I will believe them, and enjoy the plant and the season rather than weighing myself and collecting more that 2000 bracts to be sure.

Thanks to Marty Henry, Henry’s Greenhouse in Drumore Township