Poinsettia ....
You may think now that outdoor gardening is at rest, it is time to rest from gardening. Well, not so much. This time of year, there are several specific houseplants that are plentiful.
For example the Poinsettia.
They are seen on church alters, in shopping mall displays, at nurseries and at Grandma's house. From short to tall. From red to orange to yellow and white. Poinsettia's make a pretty addition to
this holiday season.Poinsettia's are a type of Euphoribia genus. It can grow from about a foot tall to tree like stature. It has dark green leaves and small bracts. The bracts are actually colored leaves. These can be orange, red, yellow, white, pink. Bracts are formed from twelve hours of darkness for at least five days in a row. After that they need lots of bright light for continued color. The poinsettia does have flowers, they are the small yellow structures found in the center of the leaf bunches. And there are more than one hundred cultivars of poinsettias. They are grown and cared for indoors this time of year.
So how are they cared for during this season?
+ place it in a sunny window, preferably south, east or west
+ keep daytime temp near 70 and night time temp around 60, drastic change in temp is not advised
+ water when surface feels dry to the touch, do not let it sit in water
+ if your house tends to be dry, more watering may be necessary, poinsettias do not like an arrid air
Poinsettia plants provide a beautiful color to your tabletop or on your desk. They remind us that spring will not be far behind.
So be sure and pick up one today ... one for a neighbor, a shut-in, a co-worker or for yourself. It will bring a bit of Mother Nature inside.
Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.
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