by Ussama Qadri

Created on: January 30, 2010

Native to Mexico, Poinsettias are mostly grown in hot zones. The average height of a poinsettia is 8 feet. They flourish in hot weather and can not tolerate much of frost. They should be planted in pots so that with the change in weather they can be brought indoors to avoid being harmed by the cold. The plant needs to be pruned and pinched to keep it healthy and in shape from time to time or it will get leggy and out of shape.

Poinsettias requires acidic soils for growing and ideally you should use a potting mix for growing this plant so that it does not get the root diseases it is prone to get from garden soil.

The bloom colors are white, pink and red and the plant is famous as a holiday plant.

When growing poinsettias be very careful with watering as too much of it will kill the plant. If you are keeping your poinsettias inside make sure they are getting enough of their much loved humidity as any fall in the desired humidity levels will prove detrimental for the health of poinsettias. Keep a humidity tray or water bowl close to your plant so that it compensates for any loss of humidity and also mist the plant regularly. However never make your plant roots come in direct contact with the water as it will kill the plant.

Sudden changes in the weather can also kill poinsettias as it proves highly stressful for this delicate holiday plant.

Provide them with plenty of sun and southern window is ideal for placing a poinsettias pot. With extreme winter the plant will loose all of its leaves and go into dormancy stage. At this time they need to be in a well ventilated area which is not too warm. Cut down on watering it at this stage. With the arrival of spring it should be pruned so that healthy and new growth is stimulated. Repot it in a pot that has new plating mix free of insect threat and water thoroughly before placing it in a sunny window facing south.

With the right season the poinsettia plant will grow as vigorously as before. Keep the plant misted and watered without over watering it. When there is no danger of frost left, take it outdoors while providing it shade from the too hot sun that will prove dangerous for poinsettia plant.

At this stage pinching will help to keep the plant in shape otherwise it will become rangy. At this stage they need fertilizing and misting.

By following the above direction you will have a healthy poinsettia.

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