Poinsettia flower, which is not difficult to take care of at home, can be too capricious for many flower growers, because it often happens that you do not know how to make a plant bloom, what to do if it withers and withers when discards castings that turn yellow and fall off or just don't blush. There are a lot of questions, so it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself in detail with all the subtleties so that the Christmas star will delight you with its beautiful colors and healthy appearance ...
Poinsettia species and varieties
Poinsettia Oak Leaf is the first cultivated variety obtained in the first half of the 19th century and named for the characteristic leaf shape resembling the foliage of American oak.
The true embodiment of Christmas can be considered the classic bright red Premium Red poinsettia with a yellow-green, like a luminous middle and pointed broad-lanceolate bracts.
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For lovers of rich colors and laconic traditional forms, breeders have created a whole series of Cortez varieties dedicated to the conqueror of Mexico Fernand Cortez. The most solemn and memorable in this collection can be called the poinsettia variety Cortez Burgundy with crimson apical stipules.
Compared to the plants of this series described above, the Cortez Pink poinsettia variety is striking in its delicate purity. The golden core is surrounded by pink leaves, the tone of which becomes lighter with distance from the top.
The first of the "terry" varieties at the disposal of flower growers appeared the Poinsettia variety Winter Rose with a small greenish core and a luxurious rosette of fireplace leaves bordering it.
The peculiarity of the Premium Miro poinsettia variety is not only the curved, crumpled "petals", but also their double color, combining white, snow-white and pink shades.
Lighting for poinsettia
A tropical plant with a short color day. That is, poinsettia blooms only in winter, when it begins to darken early in our country. Many are unaware of this feature and turn on bright lighting next to the flower, thus confusing it.
In the normal mode, the flower needs bright light, but not in direct sunlight, otherwise all decorativeness will go away and in general the flower may get burns.
Most often, the plant is lodged in the southeastern windows, so that it has enough light, it is illuminated with lamps. It should be remembered that daylight hours cannot be artificially increased for them, otherwise it will not bloom.
Placing a plant
First of all, it is worth putting the poinsettia separately from the rest of the flowers. It should be borne in mind that the Star of Bethlehem comes from the tropics and, accordingly, has certain requirements.
- an indoor star does not tolerate direct sunlight, that is, it will feel most comfortable either on the eastern or western windows;
- prefers diffused light. To do this, you will have to install additional special devices;
- if it is too close, in winter, put to the glass, then the leaves will immediately darken and freeze;
- avoid drafts and open vents, as it does not tolerate cold;
- also do not place the poinsettia near batteries.
Temperature and humidity for poinsettia
The air must be warm, not lower than 15 degrees. At 14 degrees, the plant begins to ache, and at 10 degrees, the roots are already dying off.
The optimum temperature for plant development is 20-22 degrees. In October, it is advisable to slightly "cool" the plant by lowering the temperature by a couple of degrees. So the buds develop better, and the color of the stipules becomes more intense. In warmth, the bracts will become larger, but the color will fade.
A tropical plant loves moisture. During the period of flowering and growth, abundant watering and always moist soil are needed, but without stagnant water. The water from the sump must be poured out an hour after watering. Naturally, the water should be defended and brought to room temperature.
Dry air is harmful to the flower. Regular spraying solves the problem of moisture, and also protects against spider mites, one of the main enemies of poinsettia.
Choosing poinsettia in the store.
How to choose a poinsettia in a store? It is better to give preference to large and medium-sized specimens. They are generally well leafy. The presence of a large number of green leaves is very important. The brightly colored bracts are beautiful, but they do not provide the plant with its main function - food. They lack chlorophyll, and therefore photosynthesis is not possible. A plant with a small amount of green foliage, and even more so without it, is practically unable to survive in an apartment. Young (small) specimens stimulated to flowering are very difficult to tolerate apartment conditions. If your goal is to decorate the room for the holiday, and later throw it out, we recommend purchasing a poinsettia shortly before the event. For real flower growers who are ready to grow this "sultry Mexican" for many years, we recommend buying the plant immediately after delivery to the store. The chances of success will be significantly higher.
Watering and feeding poinsettia
Caring for a beautiful poinsettia at home also includes regular, abundant watering. The soil should not be dry or waterlogged. In winter, so that the plant does not shed its leaves, it is advisable to water the Bethlehem star with warm water, the temperature of which will be 2-3 degrees higher than the room temperature. Holes should also be made in the pot to allow excess moisture to escape so that the roots do not start to rot.
Full care of the poinsettia is impossible without timely fertilization. Often there is no need to feed the poinsettia, and during the flowering period, fertilization should be stopped altogether. Fertilizing the star of Bethlehem is possible only during transplantation, during the appearance of new leaves and before flowering. With the right choice of soil, top dressing can be done much less often.
Tips on how to transplant a Christmas star at home and not harm it
Not many home flower lovers know that plant transplanting is a real challenge and stress for him. And they treat this process quite lightly, which subsequently destroys many plants.
If, nevertheless, a transplant cannot be avoided, it is worth adhering to a number of rules:
- Choose the right time for transplanting - after the end of the dormant period, at the time of active growth of the plant. This will allow him to quickly adapt to new soil and conditions.
- Choose a pot of the right size - it should not be more than 1.5 cm from the previous one in diameter.
- By simple transshipment, carefully remove the plant without violating the integrity of the earthen coma and without disturbing the roots.
It should be placed in a prepared new container, filling the gaps in the earthen coma with new soil. For the adaptation period, place the plant under a glass dome to create increased humidity.
It is important not to forget to ventilate the plant every day in order to avoid the occurrence of the decay process.
It is important to remember that a poinsettia transplant is performed only if absolutely necessary. A month later, the greenhouse can be removed, during which time the plant had to adapt to new conditions.
Poinsettia transplant
A transplant is required after the end of flowering. The plant needs fresh soil and more space. The best time for transplanting is the spring months - March, April, May. After flowering, the poinsettia is cut short (more on that below) and transplanted into a looser pot.
Gardening shops sell special formulations of euphorbia soil, it is best to use them. The composition of the soil includes: leafy soil (2 parts), clay turf (3 parts), peat (1 part), sand (1 part). To ensure excellent absorbency and remove excess water, it is necessary to put an expanded clay layer on the bottom of the pot. The transplant capacity is taken small, slightly freer than the previous one.
Trimming poinsettia
Cuttings only have a positive effect on poinsettia. Shortening all stems by one third in March will stimulate growth. At least five new buds must be left on each stem.
Moreover, the cuts can be used as planting material for new plants, which will be discussed below. Also, in the summer, formative pruning is periodically carried out by pinching the tops.
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Short daylight hours, lack of sunlight force indoor plants to remain dormant. Poinsettia, a tropical shrub, has retained the bloom characteristic of wild relatives in the winter months, appearing in our stores in late autumn, brightens these gloomy days with exotic splendor.
You can buy a plant only in specialized stores, where the air temperature corresponds to the conditions of keeping this particular species, it must be above 15 degrees, otherwise there is a risk of getting a flower with frostbitten roots, eventually an unviable plant. You need to pay attention to some details:
- Lack of packaging (the flower should be clearly visible).
- The potting medium is moderately moist (excessively wet or dry is evidence of inadequate maintenance, may affect the life cycle of the Christmas star).
- Stems - evenly colored, without black, brown spots, firmly rooted with the ground; leaves are present on all sides of the stems, bright green, without signs of wilting, disease, insect damage.
- The bracts are clean, not pollinated with pollen (signs of yellowness, the presence of pollen indicate a long-lasting flowering).
- Flowers should be greenish-yellow in buds (blossoming inflorescences will soon finish flowering).
If the Christmas star matches the one described, you can safely buy, the presence of any discrepancies - it is better to refrain from visiting another store, otherwise the purchase will turn into a tragedy. Open markets, unheated pavilions, do not correspond to the content of potted flowers.
Reference! Despite the fact that poinsettia belongs to the poisonous genus of milkweed, there is no danger to pets. People who are allergic to latex need to be careful, the milky sap of the plant causes skin irritation.
Post-flowering poinsettia care
In most cases, poinsettia blooms until the end of February, during this period it sheds its leaves and a dormant period sets in, most people believe that the plant dies and throw it away.
To provide the poinsettia with good growth and abundant color, it must be cut in half and provide the plant with a shaded cool place (at least 10 ° C); you need to reduce watering, keep in a shaded place until the end of the night spring frosts, then take it out into the open air in the shade.
Forum, reviews of florists
Such a beautiful flower cannot remain without enthusiastic or sad reviews on the Internet. Whole sections of dozens of pages of discussion, advice, wishes dedicated to the Christmas star.
She says that from her own experience she was convinced of the importance of photoperiodism for flowering, how she hid her beauty for 7 weeks under a black bag, the stipules began to stain and she stopped removing it, left it as it is. The stipules stopped staining, grew green, the flower did not bloom. "... hence the conclusion: the flower should be sent daily for 14 hours in the dark until it has enough beautiful red bracts."
Tatiana, Chimkent, Kazakhstan.
She says that she grows her poinsettia with a tree, at the moment she is about a meter tall, in the spring she prunes, removing crooked, unsightly, thin stems.
Lenochka (Master of Floral Collections).
Her flower is already 3 years old. After the purchase, it crumbled quickly, she cut it off, stood a poinsettia at +14 - + 15, watered it 2 times a month, the leaves appeared a month later, it grows quickly. She cut her hair twice in the summer. She did not suit her dark nights, she was very afraid that it would not bloom. But at the end of January, red stipules appeared, in February it was all bright red, the Christmas star bloomed from February to May. Then she cut it to half again, and so it has been for 3 years.
Reproduction of poinsettia
At home, poinsettia is propagated only vegetatively. In the spring, the apical cuttings are cut (each of them should have 5 internodes - about 15 cm in length) and put in warm water for 10-15 minutes. The milky juice released at the same time is dried with hygroscopic paper or cotton wool, the sections are powdered with charcoal powder. Prepared cuttings are rooted in water or in a substrate of equal parts of peat and sand. After that, the seedlings must be placed in a greenhouse or covered with a jar or bag.
To accelerate the emergence of roots, stimulants are used - root, heteroauxin. The optimum temperature for rooting is + 24-28 ° C. The plantings are periodically moistened and aired. After about 3-4 weeks, roots appear, active growth begins. After 2 weeks after rooting, you can start fertilizing young plants. For better tillering, the shoots are pinched over 5-6 leaves. Such procedures are carried out regularly to give the bush a compact shape. For uniform development of the crown, periodically the pot with the plant must be turned. The grown seedlings are transferred into separate pots.
