Growing and caring for a Christmas tree at home

The most beautiful Euphorbia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), also called Poinsettia, is a representative of the Euphorbia genus of the Euphorbia family. In the wild, such a plant can be found in the tropical regions of Central America and Mexico. This plant is an evergreen shrub, because in the wild in its habitat, it has a height of up to 4 meters. However, when grown at home, the height of the bush reaches only 0.3-0.5 meters. Dark green elliptical leaf plates have petioles, a scalloped edge and a length of 10 to 15 centimeters. Rosette-shaped inflorescences consist of pale yellow small flowers, and around them bracts of a deep red color are formed, while unknowing people believe that these are flowers. Today, thanks to breeders, varieties with white, pink, yellow bracts, as well as two-color ones, have appeared. This plant was named after the first American Minister of Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, he was fond of botany and admired the beauty of poinsettia. Such a plant blooms at Christmas, in this regard, it is also called the "Christmas star" or "Star of Bethlehem".

Christmas flower - features

When you imagine a cactus, a picture of a thorny plant pops up before your eyes, but there are no rules without exceptions, and a Christmas tree is just such an exception: a cactus without thorns. A Christmas tree is generally a special plant, and a florist needs to know about its features:

• - flowering begins in December, before the new year, which is why they call it the Decembrist or Christmas tree;
• - since the flowers open slowly, they remain on the stems for a very long time;
• - The Christmas tree feels best on the north-east or west windows. The south window will require shading from the sun;
• - as soon as the budding of the Christmas tree has begun, do not move the pot, otherwise the plant may shed all the buds;
• - water containing chlorine or lime is not suitable for irrigation. The best water for watering a Christmas tree is rainwater, but if there is nowhere to take it, pour it with tap water that has been settled for ten days;
• - in addition to watering, a very important condition for a Christmas tree is air humidity: like all Brazilian plants, a Christmas tree needs to be sprayed with warm water.

How does the plant bloom?

The flowers of the poinsettia themselves are small and inconspicuous, the rosettes of red leaves give a beautiful decorative appearance during the flowering of the poinsettia. The change in leaf color from green to red begins in early December and lasts up to 5 months. After flowering, the green color will return and the leaves will fall off.

What if it doesn't bloom?

The Christmas star is a capricious pet, which for the grower means the need to exclude any adverse effects for her, since they can postpone flowering indefinitely. Therefore, it is recommended to stimulate it.

From the beginning of October, poinsettias have a blackout period of 8 weeks. To do this, cover the Christmas star with a blanket, a box, and an opaque cap for 14-15 hours a day.

Temperature range 15 - 16 degrees at night and 20 - 21 degrees during the day.It is very important that neither sunlight nor artificial light falls on a closed plant even for a short time. By the beginning of December, buds should already form on the shoots and the darkening is removed. The plant is placed in a bright place and looked after as an adult and healthy during flowering.

Despite the fact that poinsettia is quite difficult to grow due to the high susceptibility to the influence of unfavorable factors and because of the exactingness of the conditions of its maintenance, a florist who strictly observes all recommendations for maintenance and care regimes will be able to observe its decorative flowering all winter and understand why this spurge is called the most beautiful.

Caring for a Christmas tree at home

How to care for a Christmas tree.

Watering the Christmas tree should be regular, the earthen lump should not dry out, but the roots of the flower also do not like slush, so from watering to watering it is worth waiting for the top layer of the soil to dry. From March to August, regularly water the Christmas tree with soft water, spray it and feed it twice a month. In summer, it is better to take the plant out to the balcony, terrace or place it in the yard under the crown of a tree, but away from slugs and snails until the end of August or the beginning of September. Then gradually reduce the watering and place the flower in a cool room (about 15 C) on the southern windowsill - a balcony is very suitable for this. As soon as the buds begin to appear, watering and temperature are gradually increased and the Christmas tree is returned to normal. So, here's a rough calendar for a Christmas tree:

Watering mode

The Christmas tree is of tropical origin and loves spraying to maintain moisture. On hot days of summer, the procedure is carried out 3-4 times a week, and in winter, 1-2 times a month is enough. It is recommended to keep the flowerpot with the Decembrist on a pallet with wet expanded clay.

For irrigation, settled water without chlorine and lime or rainwater is used. Moderate watering is chosen. The earth should not dry out, but stagnation of moisture, from which the roots rot, is also undesirable. From March to August, watering and irrigation is carried out constantly, with fertilizing with fertilizer for succulents 1-2 times a month.

Zygocactus

Video: Houseplants 100 Most Popular Care

How to trim a Christmas tree.

The "haircut" of the plant is done primarily for a beautiful and even crown, because the stems begin to branch over time, and the zygocactus looks shaggy. Difficulties in pruning РекР° Р ± ристР° РІ РґРѕРјР ° С € РЅРёС… СѓСЃР »РѕРІРёСЏС ... no: you simply" unscrew the links "of the stem, which seem superfluous to you, and remove the old branches. The removed shoots can be used as cuttings for propagation of the Christmas tree.

How to transplant a Christmas tree.

It is advisable to replant young plants every 2-3 years, and those that are older - after 4-5 years. The root system of the Christmas tree is not very powerful, so the flower does not need a large pot. The pot is filled by a third with a drainage layer and 2/3 filled with a substrate, which you can make yourself. The soil for the Christmas tree should consist of sand, peat, leafy and sod land in equal proportions. The Christmas tree is transplanted in mid-March.

Christmas tree life cycle

The life cycle of a flower is divided into the following periods:

1. October to November is a dormant period.At this time, the plant needs complete rest at a temperature of 15-18 degrees, watering once a week and a short daylight hours. From the second decade of November, the flower can be sprayed and watered 3-4 times a week.
2. From November to December - the formation period. First of all, the buds are formed first. Watering during flowering should be regular and fairly abundant. And the temperature in the room is about 20 degrees.
3. From December to February is the flowering period. Dry air and rearranging the flower pot can cause the buds to fall off. You cannot rearrange and unfold the plant during the flowering period.
4. March to August is a growth period. At this time, the flower needs warmth, uniform watering and feeding (1 time in 14 days).

Christmas tree propagation

Propagation of a Christmas tree by cuttings.

The Christmas tree propagates by stem cuttings. To do this, take cuttings consisting of 3-5 segments, wither them, then drop them in a wet substrate in a shallow temporary container. On top of the handle, it is advisable to put on a glass jar or a plastic bottle with a cut neck to make a greenhouse. Sometimes the jar or bottle needs to be lifted to keep the stem from rotting. You can transplant into a permanent dish when roots are formed at the cutting. But you should not transplant a young plant into a large pot: both the view is ridiculous, and too much moist soil will not be good for the young, still unstable sprout.

Reproduction of a Christmas tree by grafting.

This method is unlikely to be useful to you, but for those who are not looking for easy ways in floriculture, it may seem interesting. How to propagate a Christmas tree by vaccination? For this, plants such as pereskia prickly or prickly pear are used: from pereskia or prickly pear, the branched upper part is removed, and the stem cleared of leaves is split in the upper part. The graft of the Christmas tree should consist of 2-3 segments, it is sharpened with a wedge and inserted into the crevice on the stem of the pereskii, the crevice is fastened with a long thorn or needle and fixed with a plaster or tape. The fusion should take place at a temperature of 18-20 C for two weeks. As soon as the scion starts to grow, the fixing bandage is carefully removed. By the way, do not forget to remove emerging shoots and leaves from the scion stem. Plants grafted in mid-spring bloom in the first winter.

How a Christmas tree reproduces

You can propagate the Decembrist by cuttings, dividing an adult bush and grafting.

Stem cuttings are prepared from 3-5 members. They do this in April-May. They are slightly dried during the day in a warm, dry place and placed in shallow containers with a moist substrate. To create a greenhouse effect, they are covered with a film, a glass jar or the top of a plastic bottle. The shelter is periodically removed for ventilation. Plentiful watering is recommended. The appearance of the roots will have to wait about a month. The rooted sprout is transplanted into a small pot. A large amount of moist soil is not good for an immature plant.

Experienced flower growers are experimenting with the Schlumberger grafting. As the main plant, prickly pear or prickly pereskia are used. They cut off the branched top, and the stem freed from the leaves is split at the top.

Reproduction by segments

Zygocactus graft is taken from 2-3 segments. The cut is sharpened and inserted into the crevice. For fixation, use a plaster, needle or awl. Engraftment should occur within 2 weeks. During this period, the room temperature is maintained at 18-20 ºC. When the leaves grow, the tightening pad is removed. Grafted in the middle of spring, the Decembrist will bloom in the same winter.

Christmas pests and diseases

What are the enemies of Christmas?

Christmas people are sick with fungal diseases: fusarium, phytium and late blight.Fusarium is treated with fungicides, and phytium and phytophthora, affecting primarily the root collar, are cured by such drugs as "Maxim", "Vitaros", "Topaz". Bacterial diseases arise from infection of a Christmas tree with a group of Erwinia bacteria, and look something like this: a dark spot appears at the base of the stem, then it spreads throughout the stem. Sometimes this is accompanied by discoloration of the stem, sometimes the stem acquires a reddish tint unusual for a plant. Antibacterial drugs are ineffective, the best way to prevent the death of a plant is to remove the affected part of the stem in time. If the process has gone too far, it is better to quickly carry out cuttings and grow a new, healthy plant, and say goodbye to the old, sick one.

Of the pests, spider mites annoy the Christmas tree, which die after the plant is treated with Actellik or Fitoverm. If you find white lumps that look like cotton wool between the shoots, it means that mealybugs have chosen your Christmas tree, which means that you will need Aktara or something similar.

Why does the Christmas tree fade?

If you regularly water the flower, but, despite this, the Christmas tree withers, check if it is affected by the dry hot air of the central heating radiators. Regular spraying of the plant is necessary, because it comes from tropical forests. And think, is it time to change the soil in the pot, maybe the plant needs a new nutritious soil?

Why isn't the Christmas tree blooming?

The reason that the Christmas tree does not bloom is usually in the wrong lighting and insufficiently fertile soil: try not to keep it on the north window and shade it, if necessary, from direct sunlight. Do not move the pot with the plant as soon as the buds have appeared, otherwise the plant may shed them, and you may have to puzzle for more than one year over how to make the Christmas tree bloom.

Why does the Christmas tree fall?

The reason that the leaves of the Christmas tree are crumbling is an excess of moisture in the roots of the plant. Succulent plants tolerate dry soil much more easily than liquid mud instead of soil. Try not to water the Christmas tree for several days, then pull it so as to pull the plant out of the pot along with the earthy clod: if you see dark rotten roots and hear a musty smell of rot, plant the Christmas tree cuttings immediately, because the “flooded” plant will most likely die. Although, if you change the soil and stop waterlogging the Christmas tree, it may recover.

What are the enemies of the zygocactus

The Christmas tree is prone to infection by fungal infections: late blight and phytium, as well as fusarium. The latter is fought with fungicides, and the rest are fought with the preparations "Maxim", "Vitaros", "Topaz".

Bacterial diseases begin with a dark spot at the base of the shoot. Gradually, the disease spreads to the entire stem, causing it to discolor and appear reddish. Only the removal of the affected stem can help the plant. In advanced cases, you need to have time to take a healthy stalk and grow. The bush itself is already doomed to perish.

The list of pests that annoy the zygocactus includes spider mites and mealybugs that resemble white cotton balls. For plant treatment use "Aktellik", "Fitoverm" or "Aktara".

Watch also a video on the topic:

What a Christmas tree looks like

The Decembrist is a thornless cactus. In nature, in the form of a climbing plant, it descends to the ground along the branches of trees. The Christmas tree grows naturally in the rainforests of Brazil.

The color of the Decembrist flowers in nature is very different, but usually red, white, orange and lilac colors are found. Flowers are found on the tips of long, serrated stems.At home, the flowers of the Christmas tree are not very large, but in nature they reach 8 cm.

Photo

The high decorativeness of poinsettia is difficult to question. The brightness of this winter beauty captivates at first sight.

Distinctive features of the Christmas tree

The peculiarities of growing a Christmas tree are associated with the climate in which it grows and develops. In general, they boil down to the following:

• it blooms in winter, before the New Year;
• flowers open slowly and remain on the stems for a very long time;
• The Christmas tree does not like direct sunlight, so it is better not to put it on the south window;
• you cannot move the flower after the buds have appeared on it. If you change its position, it is highly likely that the Decembrist will simply drop the buds, and it will not bloom;
• for watering a Christmas tree, water must be defended for at least a week. If it is possible to water it with rain or distilled water, do so;
• be sure to spray the flower with warm water, and as often as possible. The Christmas tree loves humid air very much.

Benefit and harm

The plant sap contains substances that can bring both benefits and adverse effects on humans and pets. The plant contains:

• alkaloids;
• saponins;
• gum;
• resin;
• Apple acid;
• euphorbin;
• beta amirin;
• taraxerol;
• rubberiferol;
• alpha euphorball;
• eupholus;
• selenium;
• B vitamins;
• vitamin C;
• vitamin H;
• iron;
• iodine.

1. The juice is used as a traditional medicine to remove warts and relieve itching in insect bites.
2. The juice and poultices are used as a pain reliever for toothache and joint pain.
3. It is believed that the juice reduces the risk of developing mastopathy and improves lactation.

The general toxicity of the plant is often too exaggerated, despite the irritating property of the juice, it is practically impossible for a person to be poisoned by it, but there is a danger of allergic reactions, especially in people with latex intolerance. mucous membranes, can cause a burning sensation and provoke profuse salivation. If a large amount of juice enters the gastrointestinal tract, its disorders are possible.

Despite the insignificant effect of the Christmas star on the body, all manipulations associated with the release of juice are recommended to be carried out with gloves beforehand. And during the flowering period, limit the access of children and pets to it.

Caring for a Christmas tree at home

Caring for a Decembrist at home comes down to taking into account its characteristics.

Watering

The soil in which the Christmas tree grows should not dry out, so watering is needed quite often, although moderate. It is also not worth pouring the flower, the roots of the plant do not like dampness. Therefore, the Decembrist needs drainage.

A Christmas tree needs to be watered regularly in spring and summer, but in autumn and winter, before the buds appear, watering should be somewhat reduced. In summer, it is advisable to take the Christmas tree out into the open air, for example, on a balcony or on a veranda.

After autumn comes, and watering becomes more rare, the plant must be transferred to a cool room, the temperature in which does not exceed 18 degrees. After the buds appear on the Christmas holidays, watering must be increased again.

Priming

For a Christmas tree, cactus soil, which is sold in specialized flower shops, is quite suitable. This soil is light, loose, absorbs water well and allows oxygen to pass through. Don't forget that the flower needs drainage.

Lighting

As we have already said, a Christmas tree should not be placed on the south window, because this flower does not like direct sunlight. It is desirable that the rays of the morning or evening sun fall on it, because the Decembrist needs light.

If the apartment windows face south, just move the plant away from the window, or, if this is not possible, just shade the plant. The Christmas tree also does not like drafts, so you should be more careful with the ventilation of the room.

Temperature

The best temperature for the growth of a Christmas tree ranges from 22 to 25 degrees, although in general this flower is stable and tolerates both a decrease and an increase in temperature quite well. Christmas is neither country nor hot. nor a sharp cold snap. It is a very hardy plant.

Top dressing

Like any ornamental houseplant, the Christmas tree needs to be fed periodically. It is best to purchase a special fertilizer for cacti, and apply it in accordance with the instructions in the soil. This should be done at least once a month.

Pruning

The plant should be pruned primarily for beauty, in order to form its shoots even and neat, otherwise, as a result of branching of the stems, the Christmas tree looks "uncombed".

There is nothing difficult in home pruning - you just need to carefully cut off those parts of the stems that seem superfluous and too long to you. These cut off shoots can then be used to breed a Christmas tree.

Transfer

The Christmas tree is transplanted after it blooms, around mid-March. It is advisable to replant young plants once every three years. and adults - once every five years. The roots of the Christmas tree are not very large, so it does not need to be transplanted more often.

The diameter of the new pot should be several centimeters larger than the previous one. The pot needs to be filled about a third with drainage, which is necessary for the childbirth, and soil for the cacti. After planting, it is advisable to lightly tamp the ground around the flower.

Transfer

Young bushes of the Decembrist should be transplanted at intervals of 2-3 years, adults - after 5 years. The plant has a poorly developed root system, and it does not need a spacious pot.

The prepared container is 1/3 filled with drains, and the rest with a substrate for succulents. When self-preparing the soil, leaf and turf soil are mixed with sand and peat in equal parts. The earth must absorb moisture and allow air to pass through.

A flower transplant is carried out in March. The plant is removed together with the soil from the pot and the extreme ground is cleaned. Place it carefully in the center of a new pot, 2-3 cm larger in diameter from the old one. Then evenly add and lightly press down the soil around the stem.

To remove voids, the pot is periodically tapped from different sides. It remains only to water the flower abundantly.

Christmas tree propagation

Reproduction of a Christmas tree at home is not difficult. It propagates by cuttings. which are separated from the stems, so reproduction can be combined with decorative flower pruning.

A part of the stem, consisting of 4-5 segments, you just need to dig into a small container filled with a damp substrate. The sprout can be covered with a bottle or jar on top to create a greenhouse effect and promote rapid rooting.

Just do not forget to raise the glass container periodically, allowing the cutting to breathe, otherwise it may rot.

When the roots appear at the cutting (this will happen in about a week and a half), it should be carefully transplanted into a pot filled with drainage and special soil for cacti.

Choose a small pot, because a large container with moist soil is undesirable for small roots.

The sprout needs to be looked after. moisturizing the soil in time, gently loosen the soil, spray the young plant and prevent the soil from drying out. If you do everything right, the young plant will begin to develop and grow rapidly.

Varieties and varieties

The wild-growing red-leaved Christmas flower has already been slightly supplanted by artificially bred varieties, among which the following varieties are the most popular:

1. Sonora white - bracts of light beige color.

2. Strawberries with cream - light purple bracts, the edges of which are snow-white.

3. Winter rose is a terry variety of poinsettia, the inflorescences of which are similar to roses.

4. Ice blow - bracts are red, but in the central part there is an area of ​​delicate pink color.

5. Madren - inflorescences are pale pink.

6. Bell, otherwise - Jingle Bells, bracts are scarlet, with white dots.

7. Sonora white luster is a variegated color of leaf plates, in which white and red colors are combined.

8. Dark red carousel - bracts of a classic scarlet color, but the shape is non-standard, wavy.

9. Pink cortese - salmon-colored bracts.

10. White Silver Star is a short, compact bush with warm white bracts.

11. Fire cortese and Peterstar - fiery scarlet bracts

12. Jester Red - burgundy veins stand out on the bright scarlet bracts.

1. Goldfinger and Galaktika - Very thick scarlet bracts.
2. Fiery Sonoran and Freedom - bracts are painted in a bright scarlet tone.

15. Hybrid Pink Carousel - pale pink double-type leaf plates with veins painted green.

1. DaVinci are deep pink leaf plates with whitish dots.

17. Jaster Pink - Pink bracts have a bright green border.

Also, there are Mix options that are used for group plantings to create a variegated and bright composition.

Also, in the case of group compositions, it is recommended to choose the most variegated subspecies of poinsettia:

• Strawberries with cream - recognized as the most decorative;
• Sonora White Glitter - contrasting combinations of white and scarlet;
• Variegated Bell Sonora - purple bracts with white strokes.

Why the Christmas tree does not bloom

Some growers complain that they seem to follow all the rules, but the Christmas tree for some reason refuses to bloom. The plant looks healthy, produces new shoots, reproduces and takes root easily, but flowers never appear on it.

The first reason why a Christmas tree may refuse to bloom is unsuccessful soil, in which there are no trace elements necessary for a plant. The Christmas tree must be fed, this is a necessary condition for abundant decorative flowering.

The second reason is insufficient moisture. The plant came to us from the humid tropics, so high humidity is also a prerequisite for the flower to feel good.

Spray warm water on it more often, the Christmas tree really needs such hydration. And do not forget about watering with warm water.

The third reason is excessively bright sun or lack of light. The Christmas tree will feel equally bad on the north side and on the south window, where direct sunlight falls.

And the fourth reason, on which we have already stopped, is not to rearrange the plant with buds, otherwise you can forget about flowering.

In addition, remember that the budding and flowering of a Christmas tree occurs on rapidly forming young shoots, so correct and timely pruning of the plant also contributes to its flowering. Therefore, by pruning a Christmas tree, you not only form a lush crown for it, but also help the plant to bloom and keep flowering for a long time.

If the Christmas tree not only refuses to bloom, or drops the buds, but also begins to fade, losing the stems, the reasons may be as follows:

• excessively dry air in your apartment;
• you water your flower a little, or you water it with less water;
• on the contrary, you flooded the plant, and the soil under it turned into a real swamp;
• your Christmas tree is growing in the wrong soil;
• the flower is too close to the central heating radiator.

If you can't often spray the plant with water, place it in a container filled with wet stones and add water as it evaporates.

Lack of bloom: disease or poor care?

Florists often ask why the Christmas tree does not bloom. Some believe that the main problem here is some kind of fungal disease. But actually it is not. Most often, everything is much simpler - the soil or lighting is not suitable for the plant. Do not put the flowerpot in direct sunlight. Such a plant will definitely not bloom. In a cool room, you should not put the zygocactus on the northern windowsill. At the end of autumn, when buds are laid, it is very important that the air in the room remains humidified. But usually the heating season begins at this time. And with central heating with the inability to regulate humidity and temperature, an unfavorable microclimate can form for this flower.

Lack of flowering zygocactus

Some believe that if there is a zygocactus in the house, caring for it necessarily involves the formation of a neat crown. And they make a serious mistake. By pinching the top leaves, the growers themselves destroy the flower buds. It is not surprising that the plant is not going to bloom after that.

There is one more nuance. This cactus needs updating in the spring. For this, cuttings, consisting of several leaves, are rooted in a specially selected soil. The seedlings are covered with a plastic bag, creating conditions close to a greenhouse. The flower pots are moved to another place at this time. In no case should condensation form inside such an impromptu greenhouse. Even when the plant is rooted, you should not immediately open the flowerpot, you need to wait a few days.

Helpful tips for caring for a Christmas tree

As we have already figured out, the Christmas tree is not a difficult plant to care for, however, in order to achieve its abundant flowering, you need to make some effort. And the most important thing is to properly prepare your plant for flowering.

Tips for caring for a Christmas tree boil down to the following:

• if you want the Decembrist to bloom long and lush, it is recommended to plant it in a narrow flowerpot;
• if, during the budding period, the flower is placed in a room with a temperature of 15-18 degrees, the Christmas tree will bloom much longer;
• if such a temperature difference occurs during flowering, then the Christmas tree can drop flowers;
• in winter, the Christmas tree must be highlighted with artificial lighting;
• in a new place after the purchase, the Christmas tree can drop the buds, this is a normal process of adaptation to new conditions, there is no need to worry about this. The next bloom will be normal.

By following all these simple tips and following the recommendations, you can ensure that your Christmas tree will delight you with abundant and lush flowering throughout the winter.

Growing poinsettia

As a rule, the most beautiful euphorbia is acquired during flowering in the store and presented as a gift for Christmas. Most often, when the bush fades, it dies, but if it is properly cared for, then such a plant will become a perennial, and it will decorate your home every Christmas. Tips for growing poinsettia:

1. After the foliage begins to fly around, it is necessary to reduce the watering of this plant, while the substrate should be practically dry. You also need to stop applying fertilizer to the soil mixture and shorten the shoots to 15 centimeters from the ground level. Then the container with the flower is placed in a cool and dark place, where it should stay until May.
2. With the onset of May, it will be necessary to stimulate the beginning of the growth of the poinsettia, while it must be placed in a sunny place. Then you should start watering and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. After the bush starts growing, transplantation into a fresh substrate will be required.
3. In the first days of October, plants should be put in a box that does not let light through at night. Or the pot can be put in a closet, while it must be there for at least 14 hours a day. This helps to stimulate the setting of buds in the bush.
4. From the beginning of the opening of the bracts, the bushes need to be provided with normal care.

When growing the most beautiful milkweed, it should be remembered that the milky juice that it secretes is poisonous. The sap can be most harmful if it gets into the eyes. There have been cases when the juice of this plant was the cause of the development of an allergic reaction. If it enters the gastrointestinal tract, it will provoke vomiting and intestinal upset. In this regard, when working with a flower, it is necessary to wear protective gloves.

All members of the Euphorbia family are poisonous. However, caring for such plants varies greatly depending on the species.

general information

The birthplace of the Christmas tree is the Brazilian and South American tropics.... Schlumberger belongs to the genus of epiphytic thornless cacti. It is a branching plant with flat small shoots and jagged edges.

Christmas flowers come in a variety of colors, but you can often find lilac, red, white, pink, purple and orange color palettes. The size of the flowers reaches 8 cm, and they flaunt at the ends of the stems of the Christmas tree.

The buds of the Christmas cactus open rather slowly, and the main flowering period occurs in almost all winter months.

Description

The plant resembles a low branching bush with flat-shaped stems with teeth along the edge. The structure of the soft shoot is articulate and devoid of thorns. At the base, the old stems are brown. Drooping stems allow you to grow a flower as an ampelous one.

During the flowering period, on the edges of hanging shoots up to 40 cm long, multi-tiered flowers 4-8 cm in size appear. The inflorescence consists of serrated segments and several pointed petals bent at the edges. The color of the flowers can be very different: scarlet, red, orange, lilac, white, pink.

Types of Christmas

Today there are a large number of hybrid species, which artificially bred florists. These species are quite varied and differ in size, stems and a palette of beautiful flowers.

The Decembrist is also called Varvarin's color. His natural place of residence is the tropical rainforests of the northern regions of Brazil.

One of the Schlumberger species, truncated or simpler trunkata, usually has straight and spreading stems with pointed teeth at the edges. The flowers of this zygocactus are very diverse in their color and are white, red, peach, yellow, salmon, orange-red and many other colors.

The variety of existing species does not stop breeders and they are constantly working to create new ones. As a result of fruitful work, you can now lenjoy such Christmas optionslike: Exotic, Gold Cream, Madonna, Christmas Chi, Aspen, Paula, Joyce Car, Tynsed, Madame Butterfly and many other species of this beautiful plant.

Rhipsalidopsis or, in common people, the Easter cactus is very similar to a Christmas tree. For inexperienced florists, it is quite difficult to distinguish them visually. The main difference is the flowering period, which is winter in zygocactus, and spring in ripsalidopsis. And also the arrangement of flowers, the corollas of which are slightly beveled or symmetrical in Christmas and Ripsalidopsis, respectively.

Common types

The following types of Christmas tree have earned the recognition of flower growers:

Truncated Schlumberger, she is Trunkata, with a jagged edge on straight shoots, growing up to 50 cm.The color of bunk flowers with asymmetrical petals in this species is quite diverse: salmon, golden, lavender, crimson, peach. There are flowers with a transition from light orange to pale crimson. Flowering ends with the formation of a pink-red fruit-berry.

Trunkata Bukley is the oldest species from which the Decembrist descended. The drooping shoots of the plant have rounded protrusions. On the extreme limbs, lilac-pink flowers bloom from several symmetrically located petals.

Boucle

• Russeliana with glossy stems and flat limbs without corners and notches. It grows no more than 30 cm. Flowers with a green peduncle and an abundance of elongated, sharp petals, colored pink, red, purple.
• Gertner with bell-shaped orange-red flowers and large segments of shoots 7 cm long.
• Christmas Microsphaerica is a flower with cylindrical shoots, as in the photo. The size of the segments is 1.5-4 cm. It blooms at the end of March with small white flowers.


Microspherical
As a result of selection, a large number of hybrids were obtained, which have different sizes and colors of flowers. The following varieties deserve attention: Madame Butterfly, Madonna, Gold Cream, Exotic, Paula, Aspen. The Christmas tree has a "double" very similar to him called Rhipsalidopsis, Hatiora or Easter cactus. The difference between them lies in the different flowering times. Hatiora blooms in spring, that's why it is called that, and the Decembrist - in winter.

The second difference is in the structure of the flower. The elongated corollas of the flower are slightly beveled, and in Ripsalidopsis they are arranged symmetrically.

Home care

Any plant requires appropriate care based on its natural predispositions. The Christmas cactus is also no exception, although not particularly whimsical.

• Lighting. The Christmas cactus does not like direct sunlight. To avoid burns, it is advisable to determine a place for him away from direct sunlight. A good option for this would be window sills that face east or west. If the location of the windows does not allow this, then the pot with the plant needs to be shaded.
• Watering. It is necessary to water the Schlumberger only after the topsoil has dried up by a few centimeters. High humidity and flooding can lead to root rot and death of the plant. Watering should be done separated water at room temperature.
• Required air humidity and spraying of the Christmas tree.

Many tropical plants, to which Schlumberger belongs, love special care and certain conditions. To create the desired moisture regime, you need to carry out systematic spraying. In the hot season, this is done several times during the week, and in winter in a warm room - at least once a month. For these purposes, a shower or a spray bottle is usually used. The water should be soft and at room temperature. Christmas lover high air humidity, therefore, in addition to the spraying procedure, you can substitute a container with wet expanded clay under its pot.

• Temperature conditions. Rozhdestvennik is a plant that is quite cold and heat resistant. It can withstand temperatures up to almost 40 degrees Celsius. Although the optimum temperature for growing it is -20-25 degrees. In winter, it is advisable to move it away from the hot battery and place it closer to the window. In summer, he loves fresh air and the proximity of trees. Therefore, if there is a summer cottage or a personal plot, it can be taken out into the garden in the bosom of nature. You just need to make sure that he is not disturbed by snails or slugs.
• Top dressing. Several times a month, especially during the growth period (March - August), the Christmas tree needs special feeding. But it's not a problem.They are sold in almost any flower shop.
• Soil for a Christmas tree. Store potting mixes made for cacti are fine for this plant. The main criterion for this potting mix should be good air and moisture absorption, as well as its leafy base. Although such land can be prepared independently at home. This requires the following components in unequivocal proportions: sod land, leaf land, peat, coarse clean river sand.

Home content

At home, Schlumberger prefers western and northeastern windows. From the sun's rays, the flower should be shaded so that there are no burns. The optimal lighting mode is diffused light. With the beginning of budding, the flower cannot be moved to another place so that it does not drop the buds.

The Decembrist is resistant to heat and coolness. In summer, zygocactus will grow well on a terrace or balcony. In the yard it can be placed under a tree. With the onset of autumn, watering is reduced to 1 time in 7-10 days, and the pot is placed in a cool place, where the temperature is about +15 ºC. When bud balls appear at the edges of the stems, the temperature of the content is raised to +25 ºC and the usual watering regime is restored.

Indicative Schlumberger Life Cycle Calendar:

To give a decorative look and the formation of a beautiful crown, branching shoots are cut. The procedure is not difficult. The "extra" part of the stem and old lashes are removed with a twisting motion.

Plant transplant

The young plant grows rather quickly. therefore it needs to be transplanted at least once in a few years. And if necessary, adults are also transplanted, but only once every 3-5 years.

The Christmas tree does not have powerful roots, so a large container for planting it is not required. For the transfer, the usual transshipment is carried out. To do this, you need to make good drainage:

• New larger pot.
• Stones or expanded clay - 1-2 layers.
• The soil mixture is 1–3 centimeters.

Then transplant the plant from the old pot into a new one, without removing all the soil from the roots, and place it in the center, sprinkling it with soil, trying to avoid tilting. It is not necessary to compact the soil much. It is enough to knock on the new Christmas home from all sides.

Then you need to water the plant and put it in a permanent place. Another watering carried out after the soil has dried up by a few centimeters.

Transplantation, reproduction and formation of a Christmas tree bush

The young Decembrist is growing rapidly, so it needs to be transplanted at least once every 2-3 years. If necessary, an adult plant is transplanted once every 3-4 years.

The Christmas tree has a weak root systemso a large planting pot is not needed. The transfer is carried out in the usual way - transshipment. For drainage you will need:

• expanded clay or pebbles (1-2 layers);
• soil mixture (1-3 cm).

The plant is transplanted into a new pot along with an earthen clod, the voids are filled with soil. It is not necessary to strongly compact the soil. Then the flower is watered and removed to a permanent place. As soon as the soil dries out a couple of centimeters, a second watering is carried out.

Reproduction methods

The Christmas tree is propagated by two methods - stem cuttings or grafting. But they mainly use the first method, the second is used extremely rarely. Therefore, we will consider only propagation by cuttings.
This will require cuttings with 3-5 segmentsthat wither slightly. Then they are dropped into a moistened substrate in a temporary container. To create greenhouse conditions, a plastic bottle with a cut-off neck is worn over the cutting. To prevent the cuttings from rotting, the bottle is sometimes raised.When the cuttings are rooted, they are transplanted into a permanent pot. Do not take a large pot for transplanting, it will not only look ridiculous, but too much wet soil will harm the young plant.

Bush formation

In order to form a beautiful bush, you need to pluck the stem segments. As a rule, this is done after the flowering of the plant. It is necessary to select the separation mark, after which the lower part of the stem is clamped with the index and thumb, and the upper part must be broken off using rotational movements. This method can be used to separate several parts. In no case should you cut off segments!

Pinching strengthens the stems plants and promotes abundant flowering. Plants with a well-formed bush grow longer and bloom every season for more than 20 years, while the trunk of the flower becomes stiff.

Flower propagation

Reproduction of Schlumberger is carried out in two ways - by grafting or by stem cuttings. Reproduction by grafting is used quite rarely, so we will focus on the popular grafting.

For propagation by this method, Schlumberger gently unscrew stem cuttings with several segments from the mother plant. Then they are put to dry, which takes place in a dry, dark and warm place during the day. After that, you need to plant the cuttings in containers with an earthen mixture and create greenhouse conditions for them. To do this, cover them with cut-off plastic bottles or jars.

In the process of rooting cuttings, which occurs within a month, you need to air them every day for half an hour and water abundantly. When new segments appear, the plant needs to be transplanted permanently into pre-prepared pots. So that young plants do not weaken from a large amount of wet soil, the pots are selected in a container corresponding to the seedlings.

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.

How to properly crop a poinsettia photo

During transplantation, the plant can be injured, it is better to transplant it together with a lump of earth by the transfer method, trying to maintain the integrity of the root system.

Christmas diseases

Schlumberger's pretty disease resistant plant, but not "iron". Sometimes it also undergoes painful syndromes and even stops blooming:

If the Christmas tree stops blooming, nThe reason for this is most often an insufficient amount of trace elements, which should be present in well-fertilized soil, or improper lighting. Direct sunlight and the northern side are contraindicated for it, and the southern windowsills, where this plant is located, must be shaded.

If a Christmas cactus has dropped its buds, do not disturb it by rotating or rearranging it to another place. Otherwise, you risk forget about its bloom for a long time.

If the Christmas tree fades:

• Air is too dry.
• Insufficient watering.
• Lack of nutrients.
• The proximity of a hot battery.

To eliminate this problem, it is necessary to normalize the frequency of spraying and watering, substitute a container with wet expanded clay under the pot, and also completely change the soil if fertilizers do not correct the situation.

Falling out of Christmas segments happens due to highly moist soil.This plant has a favorable attitude towards moisture, but does not like "swamps". The plant can die if it is damaged by bacteria and fungi on the decaying root. If you transplant it when the disease is already running, it is unlikely to help. Therefore, it is better to insure yourself, when all is not yet lost, and urgently plant young cuttings.

Possible growing problems

Schlumberger is a rather resistant plant. However, it can also be subject to painful symptoms or pest attacks. The main problems of zygocactus:

• Lack of flowering... The reason for this trouble is most often the lack of trace elements. In order not to puzzle over the question of why the Christmas tree does not bloom, you should regularly feed it with appropriate fertilizers. During bud formation, it is not recommended to rearrange the plant or turn the pot. Otherwise, the buds may fall off, after which it will be problematic to make the Christmas cactus bloom.

• 
  

  Withering. The plant withers with insufficient watering, too dry indoor air and the proximity of hot batteries. To eliminate the problem, you need to pour expanded clay into the pallet and constantly moisten it. And also it is necessary to regularly bathe the flower in the shower and observe the correct watering regime.
• Rotting and falling off segments... This happens when the soil is waterlogged. If moisture stagnates in the pot, the roots of the plant begin to rot, and are affected by fungi and bacteria. If a Christmas tree is significantly affected by rot, it will hardly be possible to save it. It would be wiser to cut and root a young healthy stalk, and dispose of the diseased plant.
• Pests... The Decembrist can be attacked by spider mites and mealybugs. At the same time, cobwebs or sticky lumps of whitish color appear on the shoots and between them. To combat insects, special insecticides are used with which the entire flower is treated.

What flowers can not be kept at home and why

If a Christmas person is well cared for, he will be safe from illness. The owner only needs to be careful, monitor the condition of his pet and take the necessary measures to preserve the health of the plant in a timely manner.

The care and cultivation of a Christmas tree is quite simple, even for novice flower growers. Therefore, lovers of a green room should definitely settle this amazing and unusually beautiful flower on their windowsill.

Schlumberger pests

With good home care, the Christmas tree is almost 100% protected from pest attacks. Although you still need to know about them.

• Mealybug. This "infection" forms whitish lumps between the shoots of the Christmas tree. At the initial stage, you can wipe the affected areas with a soft cloth, having previously moistened it in alcohol. If the disease is started, and it does not help, purchase a special remedy in a flower shop thatProtects the plant from mealybugs.
• Spider mite. These pests are easy to spot. Having seen a thin web on your plant, you can safely use the Actellik drug against spider mites.

Christmas - extraordinary houseplant, which pleases the eye with its flowering. With good and proper care, it will give you a good mood from its blooming appearance throughout the winter season.

General information

The homeland of the most beautiful milkweed is Mexico, poinsettia is a representative of the genus Euphorbia, a family of Euphorbia.

In the 60s of the last century, selection work with the most beautiful milkweed bore fruit in the form of new varieties and subspecies, which were intended as indoor plants for growing in pots, and fields with these plants were gradually replaced by greenhouses.

Cuttings and plants were sold all over the world and then poinsettia became one of the attributes of Christmas.

In the USA, this plant is very popular and Americans even have a holiday - Poinsettia Day, which is celebrated on December 12.

At the moment, hundreds of varieties of the most beautiful milkweed have been bred, and the work of breeders is aimed not only at improving the decorative effect of the flower, but also at increasing the duration of preservation of inflorescences, as well as increasing the resistance of the Christmas star to transportation.

Reproduction of poinsettia

Reproduction of poinsettia is carried out by cuttings in spring and summer. The shoots of the plant contain milky juice, so the cuttings are placed in warm water to drain. After that, it is allowed to dry and planted in soil consisting of a mixture of peat and sand in equal proportions.

Since the poinsettia has a small root system, they are planted in 1 liter pots, 2 cuttings each, after dipping them into the root. The stalk is buried no more than 1 cm, otherwise it may rot. It is necessary to maintain the temperature within 24-28 degrees. Containers with cuttings must be constantly sprayed and ventilated. Cuttings take root for about 3 weeks. In order for the plant to branch out in the future, it is cut off.

General information about the plant

Punsettia is a plant of the Molochaev family, named after Joel Poinsetti. He first brought the flower to the United States and started breeding it. The overseas guest also has other names: the most beautiful euphorbia, the most beautiful euphorbia, the Christmas star.

The homeland of euphorbia is Central America, namely the tropical part of Mexico and Guatemala. Here the Star of Bethlehem looks like a two to three meter high shrub that settles in the shade of the mountain slopes.

With sudden temperature changes, the leaves fall off

The breeders have managed to significantly reduce the size of the plant. In culture, it is a flower, with a height of 30 to 50 cm, which is suitable for growing at home. It has straight stems, ovate pointed leaves with denticles along the edges. At the tops are small yellow rosette inflorescences, framed by large bright perianths.

Diseases and insect pests

Quite often, the deterioration of the plant's condition is associated with the appearance of pests on it, for example, thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, as well as the presence of any diseases.

• Gray rot. Gray bloom on leaves and stems. For elimination, Skor, Celandine are used.
• Powdery mildew. The appearance of a white bloom on the leaves. Topaz or Fitosporin helps - M.
• Aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. The leaves curl and turn yellow, and the inflorescences fall off. Remove damaged areas, wash the flower with soapy water, and then treat it with insecticide.

How to care for poinsettia?

In order for the spurge to be healthy and to please the owners, it is necessary to take good care of it.

Where to place the flower?

Poinsettia does not tolerate drafts and exposure to direct sunlight. It is best to place it on the east or west side of the house. In the summer, it is better to move the plant to fresh air, and if this is not possible, then it is necessary to ventilate the room where it is located.

In winter, it is necessary to provide additional lighting so that the flower does not shed its leaves. For this, you can use specialized phyto lamps or fluorescent lamps.

Watering mode

In summer, spurge should be watered frequently, and in winter, reduce the amount of watering. It is forbidden to use ice water in this case.

It should be at room temperature. During flowering, in winter, it is important to water the poinsettia with warm water, the temperature of which is a couple of degrees higher than the indoor air temperature.

Otherwise, the flower may shed its beautiful leaves. Try to avoid excessive soil moisture, as well as aridity. Excess water must be drained from the pan a few minutes after watering.

Indoor humidity

Too dry air only interferes with the growth of euphorbia. Spraying with warm water saves the day.It is best to do this daily.

Poinsettia feels extremely good and comfortable in high humidity. During the dormant period, from February to March, air spraying can be stopped, and from April, that is, from the moment new shoots appear, spraying must be resumed.

Top dressing and fertilizers

From spring to autumn, every two weeks it is necessary to feed the plant with mineral fertilizers. Use complex liquid or granular mineral fertilizers for indoor flowers. Before flowering, in early autumn, you can add potassium and phosphorus salts.

The soil

A good soil for poinsettia is a slightly acidic (pH about 6) substrate. Soil composition: clay-soddy, leafy and soddy soil, sand 3: 2: 1: 1. Don't forget about quality drainage.

The flowerpot must be spacious so that the plant can grow in it for about 3-4 years.

A pot that is too large can retain excess moisture, and with frequent watering and poor drainage, the roots can rot.

Transfer

The flower must be replanted every year. This procedure is carried out at the end of spring. Two months before this, the stems must be cut by a third. The poinsettia is placed in a warm room with sufficient sunlight and watered daily with warm water. As soon as the leaves appear, the flower can be transplanted into a pot slightly larger than the first one.

At the bottom of the pot, you need to lay out a layer of drainage, for example, expanded clay, and then fill it with prepared fresh soil. An earthen ball with a poinsettia is installed in the center of the pot. You need to try not to scatter it and not damage the fragile roots. If the roots are damaged, then they need to be cut off, and the cut site should be treated with activated carbon. If there are free places, then fill them with soil, and all the roots were placed in the ground.

Place the poinsettia in a warm place before planting it. The room temperature should not exceed 20 degrees. Now you can start watering the flower abundantly. When the first shoots appear, only 6-7 of the strongest should be left, and the weak should be cut off.

Pruning

Euphorbia usually grows extremely rapidly. To prevent the flower from becoming too large, it must be pruned periodically. The flower is trimmed, leaving stems about 10 cm high from the ground. Further, the beautiful shape of the flower crown is simply maintained.

What to do after purchase?

After moving to a new location, poinsettia will take 20 days to acclimatize. It is necessary to take care of the flower during this period with special care. First of all, you will have to ensure optimal humidity and temperature.

Blooming poinsettia feels great on a well-lit windowsill without drafts. In this case, you need to ensure that the leaves do not come into contact with the cold glass, otherwise the flower will throw them off. The optimum temperature for milkweed during the adaptation period is 18-20 ° C of heat. The lighting should be bright, but diffuse. In order for the plant to bloom longer, it needs to be supplemented in the evening for 1-2 hours.

The ground under the bush must be constantly moist. In the first 2-3 days after purchase, you do not need to water the spurge. Then moisturize every 3 days with warm filtered water. To be sure that the plant needs watering, you need to push an earthen ball under it to a depth of 2 cm with your finger. If the soil is wet, watering is not needed. Dry - water until water appears in the pan. After 30 minutes, the water is removed from the tray.

The room where the pot with the Christmas star stands should be kept at moderate humidity (within 50-55%). If the air is too dry, it is advisable to cover the radiators with a wet cloth, put stones or gravel soaked in water in a tray with a flower, put a jar of water or an aquarium next to the pot.

It is useful to periodically spray the leaves in the morning, making sure that no drops of water fall on the bracts.

After 3 weeks, the poinsettia is transplanted into a new (preferably ceramic or clay) pot. This is done like this:

1. The ground under the bush is thoroughly moistened.
2. Drainage is poured into an empty pot of the same or slightly larger volume, and then a slightly acidic soil mixture of the following composition:

- 3 parts of sod land and leaf humus;

- 1 part of peat and river sand.

Euphorbia is transferred into a new container along with a clod of earth. The voids in the pot are filled with soil.

Adult specimens are often not transplanted

Since it is not always possible to create optimal conditions for the growth of an exotic flower, novice growers prefer to buy poinsettia annually in December, and when bright bracts fly around, throw out the plant. If you want to experiment and test your skills, then you should study the information below about the conditions of detention.

Care errors

• Leaves turn yellow and fall off during the growing season - high air temperature
• Leaves are sluggish - insufficient watering
• Leaves wither and fall - excessive watering
• Leaves dry - low air humidity
• Dark spots at the base of the trunk, the plant staggers - the plant is flooded, root rot is possible. The plant is urgently transplanted into new soil, the root system is examined, damaged roots are removed, the remaining roots are treated with a root rot preparation. The pot for the transplant is treated with laundry soap or a new one is taken.

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Why does Poinsettia not turn red, leaves turn yellow and fall?

The plant declares its dissatisfaction with the conditions of maintenance or care not only by refusing to bloom, but also by changing the color of the leaves and dropping them.

For example:

• with sharp fluctuations in temperature, in the cold (below 16 ° C), when exposed to a draft or a prolonged absence of watering during the growing season and flowering, the upper red leaves of poinsettia lose their brightness, turn yellow and fall off.
• When moisture gets on the leaf blades, dark spots appear.
• Too dry air leads to drying and darkening of the edges of the leaf blades.

It is impossible to achieve a decorative appearance of a plant without care. A little attention and poinsettia annually, on Christmas Eve, will give their owners a bright, luxurious and long-lasting bloom.

Purchase rules

Advice! The joy of buying a Christmas live gift will not be darkened if you know some of the intricacies of choosing a poinsettia. When buying, carefully examine the flowers themselves. Make sure they are not already covered in fluffy pollen and are brown or dark green in color.

And if the pollen is already ripe, then the Christmas star will not retain its bright color for long, and you will not be able to admire the perfection and sophistication of its shape. The plant will soon lose the elasticity of the leaves, they will curl up and fall off. This is a natural process of wilting, but it largely depends on the conditions in which the plant is kept.

A healthy flower should be harmonious in shape. From any side, the Star of Bethlehem should look attractive.

Overgrown hooked branches signal the unprofessional shaping of the bush.

Diseases and pests typical of a flower

The pungent juice of poinsettia repels many pests, but some are not afraid. And due to the mistakes of the grower, dangerous diseases can develop.

Table: from what diseases and pests poinsettia suffers

Photo gallery: diseases and pests from which poinsettia suffers

The mealybug is easy to identify, but getting rid of the pest is problematic.

A spider mite is not an insect, so there are special preparations to combat it - acaricides

For some reason, the whitefly is very partial to the yellow color - this feature is used in the manufacture of homemade traps

You will have to fight not only with adult individuals of thrips, but also with larvae hiding in the ground

Gray rot is a dangerous disease that is difficult to treat and only in the early stages, so special attention should be paid to preventive measures

Fusarium is difficult to detect until it's too late - usually, the plant withers in a matter of days

Reproduction method by cuttings

The Christmas tree propagates quite easily by cuttings, for which it is necessary to take several segments.

Breeding procedure:

1. Tear off the handle with your hands, which should consist of three or more segments. The leaves should be free of damage, rot and buds.
2. Before planting, the stalk must be submerged, for which it should be kept in a cool place for some time.
3. Prepare a small container and fill it with zygocactus potting mix. To grow a lush bush, you can plant several cuttings in one wide, but shallow container.
4. Stick the cuttings into the moist soil and cover them with a glass cover on top.
5. Place the planting in a well-lit, warm place where there is no direct sunlight and drafts.

During rooting, cuttings should be ventilated daily and the moisture content of the substrate should be monitored. When dry, the soil is sprayed with water from a spray bottle. After the appearance of new leaves, the shelter is removed and the plant is provided with the usual care.

Leaving during flowering

A blooming Decembrist requires a special attitude towards himself. To keep blooming long, and the buds did not fall off, the following rules must be observed:

• Do not prune before or during flowering.
• During the laying of the buds, watering should be moderate, and the feeding should be increased.
• The plant is recommended to arrange additional lighting.
• Bloom will last longer in a cool environment. At high air temperatures, flowers bloom and fade faster.
• The pot for the Christmas tree should not be large, otherwise the plant may not bloom.
• During flowering, you cannot rearrange it to another place and even just twirl the pot. Such actions will lead to dropping of the buds. That is why you should not be upset if a blooming Decembrist brought from the store drops flowers. This is a natural process for the zygocactus, which does not like to be disturbed during flowering.

If all these conditions are met, the Decembrist will bloom magnificently and for a long time..

Description of red poinsettia flower

Poinsettia cannot be called a completely unpretentious plant - this beauty has a capricious and quarrelsome character, but you can find an approach to it if you create the necessary conditions. The bright leaves (predominantly red in color) that appear on the tops of the stems of this plant from the euphorbia family are mistakenly considered by many to be flowers, although poinsettia blooms rather inconspicuous.

The Christmas star, as the poinsettia is popularly called, is perceived by some as a temporary guest on the windowsill, but not because this plant dies soon after purchase, but because the poinsettia does not want to “bloom” with its extraordinary colorful leaves next season. And this happens due to non-observance of the light regime, or due to the lack of a rest period. So that this mexican beauty for a long time delighted you with her elegant look, try to "make friends" with her, and she will surely reciprocate you.

Currently on the shelves of flower shops you can find poinsettia not only with red leaves, but also with pink and yellow - caring for different varieties does not differ in anything, so choose the color to your liking. Also, often, out of the desire to give the plant as “New Year's” look as possible, it is sprinkled with sparkles, and this leads to the fact that the purchased flower quickly loses its decorative effect due to spots that have appeared on the leaves.

Pests

If aphids attack the poinsettia, the leaves will begin to curl, turn yellow and fall off. The flower stops growing and developing. Gently wipe the leaves of the plant with soapy water, and then rinse the flower in the bathroom under a warm shower. Remove heavily affected areas of the plant. Treat the bush with some insecticide against sucking insects (actellic, fitoverm and others) as many times as it should be according to the instructions.

In the same way, you can get rid of the scale insect and spider mite.

Whitefly poinsettias and mealybugs can cause considerable harm. Read about how to recognize these parasites and how to deal with them in our articles:

Whitefly on indoor plants - how to deal with a pest?

Mealybug on indoor plants: how to fight, causes of appearance, prevention

DISEASES

The most beautiful euphorbia can get sick with fusarium, gray mold, powdery mildew.

Gray rot appears due to high humidity. At the same time, a gray mold bloom appears on the stems, and brown spots form on the leaves. Affected plants must be treated with Skor, Celandine or Foundation.

In case of fusarium disease, the stems first turn brown, and then turn black, after which the shoots wither and die off. In plants affected by powdery mildew, a white bloom forms on the flowers and leaves; as the disease develops, the bush gradually turns brown. To get rid of these fungal diseases, you need to use fungicidal preparations.

Popular varieties

Euphorbia is the most beautiful - a plant from hot countries, homeland - the tropics of Mexico and Central America. Under natural conditions, the height of the bush reaches 3.5–4 m, but for cultivation in a dwelling, breeders have bred smaller indoor poinsettia varieties: only 30–50 cm. Despite its small size, the "Star of Bethlehem" always attracts attention, delights in bright colors.

Characteristics:

• evergreen tropical shrub from the Euphorbiaceae family;
• the leaves are elliptical, 10 to 15 cm long, often with an edge and cuttings, the color is dark green;
• species: with red, white, yellowish, orange-salmon, pink bracts, variegated plants. The most popular are scarlet tops;
• bracts of bright red color surround small inflorescences. Most believe that the scarlet "Star of Bethlehem" at the top of the plant is a splendid flower, but it is just a bract. If you look closely, you can see nondescript greenish-yellow inflorescences framed by rich colors;
• flowering occurs during the Christmas period. In the winter cold, a blazing "Bethlehem" star appears.It is no coincidence that this name is popular and well-known. Often the most beautiful euphorbia is called the "Christmas Star";
• it is difficult to resist the spectacular appearance of such an unusual flower as poinsettia. Photos of a flowering plant are impressive. "The Star of Bethlehem" often falls into the TOP - 10 most beautiful indoor flowers along with begonia, home rose, Decembrist, azalea;
• propagation at home is carried out by cuttings;
• after the flowering period, a small bush may die, however, with strict observance of the rules of care, the plant turns into a perennial;
• like other plants from the Euphorbiaceae family, poinsettia secretes milky juice on the cut, the liquid is poisonous. Do not allow milky juice to get into the eyes, mouth, skin: allergic reactions, intestinal upset are possible. For this reason, pruning and other operations with the stem and leaves are carried out in medical gloves, and precautions are taken. It is necessary to protect the flower from pets because of the poisonous juice.

The deep red shade of the bracts is not the only one, as many believe. Breeders have bred several hybrid varieties with top elements of yellow, pink, white. Two-color and variegated "false petals" look original.

Popular cultivated varieties and hybrids:

• Oak Leaf. The reddish-orange bracts are similar to American oak leaves.
• Premium Red. Intensely red bracts, small yellow flowers in the middle.
• Cortez Burgundy. Crimson apical stipules.
• Cortez Red. Scarlet bracts with green veins.
• Winter Rose. Curved lush "petals" of a yellowish-cream shade with a pinkish center.
• Freedom Jingle Bell. The original bracts are pale pink, with a coral shade and a light green border around the edges.
• Polar Bear. White poinsettia with delicate bracts. The lower leaves have greenish streaks.
• Sonora Marble. Variegated variety: the upper bracts combine a light yellow and pink hue, the lower ones are completely green.
• Tapestry. Bright scarlet bracts, lower leaves "fresh", green with an uneven yellowish border at the edges.
• Cinnamon Star. A hybrid variety with an orange-salmon shade of bracts. After a while, a slight reddish coating appears on the surface.
• Jingle Bells. On the carmine-red leaves the "first snow" is scattered - specks of cream and white tones.

Blooming Christmas Veil

How to make poinsettia bloom for Christmas at home? In early September, carefully examine your bush. Leave only strong shoots and remove weak ones. For the normal formation of flower buds, the Christmas star needs a short daylight hours, no more than 10 hours. For at least 14 hours, the flower must be in complete darkness for the successful laying of flower buds. And the short day period should last about one and a half to two months. Therefore, from the end of September to December, the flower is artificially shaded, for example, from 6 pm to 8 am with a dark bag or cardboard box. Otherwise, poinsettia will continue to form normal leaves rather than bracts. At the same time, they are trying to reduce the temperature of the flower content to 18 - 20 grams. These moments are very important for the formation of buds and bright color of future bracts.

Bracts acquire a bright red color closer to the New Year holidays

Poinsettia flowering time

In a couple of months, at the end of November, small greenish formations, similar to small buttons, will appear on the tips of the shoots of the plant. Watch the development of the buds and you will see that they become more noticeable every day. Throughout autumn and December, the leaves of the bracts also grow - they are arranged in a spiral. It's time to return the pot to its original, warm and bright place. Closer to the New Year holidays, the bracts acquire a bright color, most often red, which gives the indoor flower a chic festive look. Some unknowingly consider these bright and unusually beautiful bracts to be poinsettia flowers. In January, the bracts reach their maximum size and brightness, after which they begin to fade and fall off. The plant enters a dormant period again.If you organize a high-quality wintering for your star, she will properly rest, restore her strength and next year she will thank you with a gorgeous flowering.

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How to choose a poinsettia

It is sometimes extremely difficult for beginners to achieve flowering poinsettia indoors. Therefore, if you want to please your loved ones with an unusual gift on Christmas, consider purchasing a plant ready to bloom at a flower shop. And after the holidays, try to preserve it for many years.

We recommend buying poinsettia exclusively in specialized flower shops

Make a purchase in advance, at least a month before the holidays. It is better to choose a specimen from unpackaged plants, which you can clearly see from all sides. There should be no wilted, twisted or diseased leaves on it. Take a good look at the back of the leaves for insect pests. The potting soil should not be damp to the touch. If this is the case, the plant may have been improperly maintained and the root system is affected by gray mold.

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The flower should look healthy and attractive. It should be smooth, beautiful, leafy on all sides. The stem should be evenly covered with dark green leaves. Pay attention not to the bracts, but to the flower buds. It is better if they have not yet opened - then the flower will bloom longer. Bracts should be free of pollen. If the leaves are yellowish in color and with pollen, it means that the flowering has already begun, perhaps, soon the Christmas star will shed its outfit. The temperature in the store room must be above 15 degrees, otherwise the roots of the plant may be frozen. You'd better refuse to buy suspicious copies.

When you choose a plant that is suitable in all respects, try to create favorable conditions for it during transportation. When the air temperature outside is below 15 degrees, and in winter there may be sub-zero temperatures, the flower must be carefully wrapped in thick paper, placed in a spacious box or bag - fragile poinsettia leaves may be damaged in tight packaging, and the decorative effect of the flower will suffer. At home, immediately release the flower from the packaging.

We remind you that during the cold season it is absolutely forbidden to buy poinsettia in the subway, in the markets or in unheated shops.

How to care for poinsettia after purchase?

If you bought a Christmas star just before the New Year holidays, then it is better to postpone the transplant. For several days, the pot should not be touched at all and rearranged from place to place - let the flower acclimatize in new conditions, preferably not far from the south window. Yes, and you should not transplant a flower during flowering - it can lose its elegant bracts. You will have to suffer with the transplant until spring. Begin to lightly feed the poinsettia with potash and phosphate fertilizers, designed for flowering houseplants, every two weeks, until it blooms. Remember to water the blooming star sparingly and keep the room at a comfortable temperature and high humidity.

If you bought a poinsettia in early autumn, then after a couple of weeks it will completely get used to its new place of residence and it can and should be transplanted into a beautiful pot with nutritious soil. Because the substrate in which the flower for sale was grown does not usually contain enough nutrients and is not suitable for long-term growing of plants in it.

Popular white, red and pink poinsettia varieties, description and photo

Beautiful poinsettia is presented in many varieties.The most common varieties with white, scarlet or pink bracts.

Snow white varieties:

Sonora White. One of the most famous varieties. It gained its popularity thanks to the ivory-colored bracts. The variety is unpretentious and will decorate any corner of the house.

Arctic White. This flower has received a lot of love from florists for its snow-white star, which looks out through the rich green foliage.

Red varieties:

Premium Red. A common variety of bright red poinsettia with a yellow-green heart. The pointed dark olive leaves have a velvety surface.

Cortez Red. An attractive variety with bright scarlet top leaves that acquire dark green veins as they grow.

Rosaceous poinsettia:

Cortez pinc... This variety amazes with its delicate purity. Light pink petals gently surround the sun's core.

Freedom Jingle Bells. The plant belongs to terry varieties. An unusual combination of colors gives this flower an unforgettable look. The rose-colored top and pale pink bracts are surrounded by a thin pale green stripe.

Catalog of indoor flowers with photos and their names. In a special publication of our portal, we will tell you in detail about indoor flowers. You will learn about the types of indoor flowers, fruit indoor flowers and see the photo gallery.

Description of poinsettia

Poinsettia (sometimes in Russian-language sources there is a variant of spelling with one "t" - poinsettia) - a type of herbaceous or bushy plants belonging to the Euphorbia family and numbering more than 100 representatives.

In Europe, poinsettia is known as the "fairest euphorbia" (Euphorbia pulcherrima - the official name in accordance with the botanical classification), "Christmas" or "Star of Bethlehem". This is due to the timing of flowering - beautiful bracts bloom just in time for Catholic Christmas.

In nature, poinsettia looks pretty impressive, but "indoor" specimens are much smaller

In nature, poinsettia is found exclusively in the tropics. She feels great in the shade of taller trees, preferring the slopes of the mountains. Its habitat is Central America (Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Belize).

Under natural conditions, poinsettia is a low graceful shrub 1-3 m high. "Home" poinsettia rarely grows above 0.5 m. The average height of the bush is 30–35 cm. The stems are intensively branching, the branches are bare from below. The leaves are deep green in color, as a rule, smooth to the touch, in the form of an elongated ellipse, pointed at the end. The edges are serrated. The average length of a leaf is 12–15 cm, its width is about half that.

The surrounding buds of poinsettia leaves change color

Contrary to popular belief, poinsettia flowers are very nondescript. They are very small, yellowish, collected in inflorescences in the shape of an umbrella or rosette. What are considered bright petals - scarlet, crimson, snow-white, combined, are actually bracts. They are densely located at the tops of the shoots. Poinsettia buds form in mid-December, bracts last until the end of winter.

The fact that poinsettia is often mistaken for flower petals are actually bracts

Like all Euphorbiaceae, the stems and leaves of the poinsettia contain a milky white juice. It is quite caustic and can severely burn sensitive skin, so all work with the plant should be carried out only with rubber gloves. If it gets on the mucous membrane, there is a risk of severe nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Anyone who is allergic to pollen should be careful with a flower. Since Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock can develop.

However, American natives have learned to "squeeze lemonade out of lemon." After a certain treatment, they use the poisonous juice as an effective antipyretic, a drug for toothache, a remedy for warts and insect bites.Leaf poultices help relieve attacks of rheumatism and sciatica.

The popularization of the plant, which was still known to the Aztecs under the difficult-to-pronounce name cuetlaxochitl (the Indians perceived it as a symbol of beauty), the world owes to the first US ambassador to Mexico, and also to a physician and amateur botanist - Joel Roberts Poinsett (or, in the French manner, Poinsett) ... It was in honor of him that the flower was named.

In Europe and the USA, Christmas is unthinkable without poinsettia, just like without a tree and gifts.

The fashion of giving poinsettia for Christmas at the beginning of the 20th century was introduced by the owner of the greenhouse, Albert Ecke, and reinforced by his son Paul.

Poinsettia is also appreciated among adherents of the Feng Shui teachings. It is believed that the flower develops the owner's sociability, attracts pleasant people to his house, neutralizes the influence of negative energy, “extinguishes” conflicts and quarrels, relieves stress. The owner of the poinsettia develops the qualities of a leader, women lose weight effortlessly and look significantly younger than their age. Because of such "violent activity", the flower is not recommended to be placed in the bedroom - it simply will not let the owner sleep peacefully.

Video: the appearance of the most beautiful poinsettia

How to make a flower bloom?

Not all poinsettia owners manage to achieve regular flowering of the plant. However, even in this case, not all is lost - the flower can be made to bloom.

Under natural conditions, the signal for the beginning of flowering is a decrease in the length of daylight hours to 10 hours. This is because lighting, even dimmed ones, delays the formation of flower buds.

When grown at home, you want to mimic the natural reduction in day length. To do this, in the second half of September, in the evenings, the plant is covered with any opaque material or transferred to a dark place for at least 12 hours a day.

After about a month of carrying out such manipulations, the Christmas star will bloom.

Description and types of the Decembrist

Zygocactus is native to South America and Brazil, where it grows in tropical forests with dense and lush vegetation. Unlike regular cacti, the plant has no thorns. Its stems are articulated in the form of flattened leaves, at the ends of which pink, orange, red, white, purple or purple flowers form and bloom in winter. Flowering begins in December and continues throughout the winter.

There are several types of Christmas tree, which differ in color of flowers and size of leaves:

• Truncated Decembrist - large epiphyte is distinguished by light green joints, large purple, pink or white flowers and red fruits.
• Schlumberger Buckley - a plant up to 50 cm high has dark green, glossy, dense leaves. During the flowering period from November to March, large tubular multi-tiered flowers bloom, the color of which ranges from white to purple.
• Zygocactus Russeliana - the variety is distinguished by branches up to 80 cm long and dark green flat leaves with veins and corrugated edges. Large flowers have hanging pistils and pointed edges of the petals.
• The Decembrist Gertner is a large zygocactus with fleshy dense leaves up to seven centimeters long. Flowers with hanging stamens and elongated petals can have a wide variety of colors.

Flower shops often offer a Schlumberger mix. These are several types of plants with flowers of different colors, among which you can choose the option you like.

How to make poinsettia bloom red Caring for poinsettia after flowering

In order for poinsettia to please with flowering many times, you just need to know the features of the plant's life cycle in natural conditions. By simulating periods of rest and active growth, you can easily achieve beautiful flowering.

Do the following:

• Water with less water when the poinsettia has faded. Leaf shedding after flowering is normal, don't be intimidated.
• When only bare branches remain, all the tops are cut off. Most of the plant should be cut to a height of up to 10 centimeters;
• After pruning, transplant is carried out without damaging the roots, along with the old clod of earth.
• In the summer, a period of dormancy begins, the poinsettia should rest and gain strength before the future flowering in December. It is placed in a cool, dark place.
• At the end of the dormant period of 2-3 months, we put the poinsettia in a bright place, increase the watering.
• They feed the Christmas star at the beginning of active leaf growth.
• It is better to remove numerous processes, leaving only a few of the strongest ones. By the way, cut shoots can also be easily rooted.
• The crucial time begins in September. Beautiful flowers for Christmas will be obtained if the necessary conditions are met. Buds are laid in autumn, flowers appear in winter. Many growers have mixed feelings, they do not know what to do to make the flower bloom. In the fall, daylight hours remain long, while poinsettia need a short one. She should sleep 14 hours, 10 hours awake in bright light. Move it to a dark cabinet or cover it with a cover after 10 hours of light. Water in moderation, without excess moisture.
• Two months of such conditions will ensure the further development of the flower. Bright bracts will bloom, after a while flowers will appear.

By fulfilling the conditions listed above, you will get a blooming poinsettia for the New Year and Christmas holidays.