{"id":8451,"date":"2026-09-19T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/?post_type=press&p=8451"},"modified":"2026-09-25T17:23:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T15:23:03","slug":"poinsettias-are-hardier-than-you-think-spot-and-avoid-common-care-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/press\/poinsettias-are-hardier-than-you-think-spot-and-avoid-common-care-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Poinsettias are hardier than you think. Spot and avoid common care mistakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Poinsettias are one of the most popular houseplants. However, many plants start to lose their leaves shortly after purchase. This gives the impression that these plants are very delicate. In reality, it is usually minor care mistakes that lead to problems. If you understand the needs of a poinsettia, you can enjoy its vibrant colours for many weeks \u2014 often well beyond the festive season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good preparation is key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The length of time a poinsettia will look its best is determined in-store. These plants are sensitive to cold and draughts, but often only show signs of damage days later. Paying close attention when buying a poinsettia will prevent disappointment later on. Fresh specimens have dense, healthy foliage and small, yellow-green flower buds at the centre of the colourful bracts. The surrounding environment also provides clues: Plants in bright, sheltered locations usually retain their bracts for longer. It’s also worth taking a quick look at the soil \u2013 it should neither be dried out nor too wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid cold, even on the way home!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many poinsettias are damaged en route. These plants are originally from Mexico and don’t tolerate cold well. So, make sure you wrap them well for transport, in layers of paper or a blanket, and take them straight to a warm place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consistency is key indoors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At home, poinsettias need stable conditions. A bright location with temperatures between 15 and 22\u00b0C is ideal. Direct winter sunlight is also harmless. Drafts and strong temperature fluctuations are more problematic, so avoid placing poinsettias too close to a warm radiator or fireplace. When airing a room, protect the plant or move it elsewhere temporarily<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When watering, less is more<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes when caring for poinsettias. Poinsettias can tolerate short dry periods better than being saturated. Only water when the top layer of soil feels dry, to a depth of about 2 or 3 cm, and use room-temperature water. A good rule of thumb for the correct amount of water is, standard poinsettias in 13cm pots need about 100ml per dose, roughly equivalent to a champagne glass. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini poinsettias in 6cm pots only need 10\u201320 ml, roughly a shot glass. It is also important to remove any excess water from the drip tray after 15 minutes. How often you need to water depends primarily on location and temperature. Small plants and those in warm spots usually need more frequent watering than larger specimens in cooler rooms.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Fertilising? A topic for later<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poinsettias don’t need additional nutrients during their flowering period. They are usually pre-fertilised when you buy them. Only fertilise them regularly if you plan to continue growing them after the flowering season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can look beautiful for longer than you think<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poinsettias are often considered short-lived seasonal plants, but this is an unfair assumption. Provided they are kept in the right conditions, they look attractive for many weeks and bring colour to the winter months. By avoiding common mistakes, you can enjoy their characteristic vibrant bracts well into the new year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that doesn’t have to be the end of the story: After flowering, poinsettias can easily be propagated and develop into decorative houseplants. In summer, they can be placed outdoors in a sheltered spot. With a little patience and consistent darkness for several weeks, it’s also possible to get them to bloom again, although they may not be quite as impressive in their second year.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the right spot and with careful watering, poinsettias will look their best for many weeks. Read more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8370,"template":"two-column-press","press_cat":[58],"press_main":[125,53],"class_list":["post-8451","press","type-press","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","press_cat-care","press_main-care","press_main-press-releases"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press\/8451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press\/8451\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8452,"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press\/8451\/revisions\/8452"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"press_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_cat?post=8451"},{"taxonomy":"press_main","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starsforeurope.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_main?post=8451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}