Study the secrets and techniques of poinsettias to assist them thrive

Store-bought poinsettias produce a shocking show of crimson, and these tropical vegetation may be coaxed into an encore efficiency in case you have the endurance, says Clare Wilson

By Clare Wilson

EVERY December, I purchase as many poinsettia houseplants as I’ve room for in my dwelling. These tropical vegetation, natives of Central America, give a shocking crimson show that, for a lot of, is an ideal dwelling Christmas ornament.

Every bloom of a poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is technically an inflorescence moderately than a flower, and its “petals” are literally modified leaves known as bracts, which flip scarlet in autumn. The true flowers are unimpressively tiny yellow balls on the centre of every cluster.

In its pure state, this shrub is a straggly monster that may attain 3 metres tall. The poinsettias that we …