PLANT CARE Poinsettia

Even though we associate poinsettias with the mid-winter holidays, they're actually a tropical plant and need to be kept away from drafts and cold. Too chilly temperatures can cause their colorful leaves (called bracts) to drop.

Keep the soil of your poinsettia moist and allow it to dry out only slightly in between waterings. Encourage new blooms by pinching off spent blossoms and adding plant fertilizer when it's actively growing new buds or leaves. Poinsettias can also be cut from the plant and used as cut flowers. When you cut a stem, a milky-white sap flows from the cut end. Place the stem in water immediately to allow it to hydrate before mixing it with other flowers.