Poinsettia Care: Keep It Thriving All Season and Make It Rebloom

Poinsettias are the classic holiday plant, but most of them end up in the bin by January, usually because of cold drafts, soggy soil or the foil wrapper they came in. The good news is that a poinsettia is easy to keep looking great right through the holidays, and with a little patience you can keep it all year and even get it to turn red again next Christmas.

Poinsettia care at a glance

Need	What a poinsettia wants
Light	Bright, indirect light; at least 6 hours of good light a day
Water	When the top inch is dry; water thoroughly and drain
Temperature	65 to 72°F by day, 60 to 65°F at night; never below 50°F
Drafts	Keep away from doors, cold glass, heaters and vents
Pot	Drainage hole; remove or puncture the foil wrap
Fertilizer	None while in color; balanced feed every 3 to 4 weeks from late winter
Lifespan	Colorful for 6 to 8 weeks or more; a perennial shrub if kept
Pets	Mildly toxic: sap irritates mouth and stomach (ASPCA)

How to choose a healthy poinsettia

A poinsettia that starts healthy lasts far longer. When you buy one, look for:

• Tight yellow centers. The little yellow flowers in the middle should be closed or just opening, not dropped. That means the plant is fresh.
• Green leaves right down to the soil. Missing lower leaves usually means it has been overwatered, underwatered or chilled.
• Firm, upright stems with no drooping or wilting.
• No pests. Check under the leaves for whiteflies, which flutter up when you touch the plant.
• Not left in a plastic sleeve. Plants kept sleeved for days start dropping leaves and bracts.

Getting it home safely

Poinsettias are tropical and easily damaged by cold. Even a few minutes below 50°F (10°C) can cause leaf drop a few days later. Have the plant wrapped or sleeved for the trip, make the store your last stop, and never leave it in a cold car. Remove the sleeve as soon as you’re home.

How much light does a poinsettia need?

Place your poinsettia in bright, indirect light: near a sunny window but not touching the glass, or a few feet back from a south or west window. Aim for at least six hours of good light a day. In a dim corner the leaves yellow and drop and the color fades sooner. Don’t let leaves touch cold window glass in winter. See our lighting guide.

How to water a poinsettia

Poinsettias like soil that’s evenly moist but never soggy. Overwatering is the most common way they die.

1. Check the soil every couple of days by pressing a finger into the top inch.
2. When it feels dry, take the plant to the sink, remove the foil and water thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes.
3. Let it drain for 10 minutes, then put it back in its foil or cover pot.
4. Never let it sit in water collected in the foil or saucer.

Small pots dry out much faster than big ones, especially in warm, heated rooms, so check them more often. More in our watering guide.

Temperature and drafts

Poinsettias are happiest at normal room temperature: 65 to 72°F (18 to 22°C) during the day and slightly cooler, around 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C), at night. Cooler nights help the color last longer. Keep them out of cold drafts from doors and windows and away from hot air from radiators, fireplaces and heating vents. Both cause sudden leaf drop.

Fertilizing a poinsettia

Don’t fertilize while the plant is in color. It doesn’t need it, and feeding won’t make the bracts last longer. If you’re keeping the plant, start feeding with a balanced houseplant fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks once new green growth appears in late winter or spring. See our fertilizing guide.

After the holidays: keeping it alive

Once the holidays are over you have two choices: enjoy it until it fades and compost it, or keep it as a houseplant. Kept poinsettias grow into attractive leafy plants, and they can be made to color again (see below).

• January to March: keep it in bright light and water when the top inch is dry. The bracts slowly fade or turn green; that’s normal.
• Late winter: reduce watering a little and let the plant rest, but don’t let the stems shrivel.
• Spring: cut the stems back to 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm), repot into a slightly bigger pot with fresh potting mix and start feeding as new growth appears.

See our pruning guide and repotting guide for help.

How to make a poinsettia rebloom

Poinsettias are short-day plants: they only color up when nights are long. To make the bracts turn red again for the holidays, you have to give the plant long, completely dark nights in autumn.

1. Summer: keep the plant growing in bright light (or outdoors in a sheltered, partly shaded spot once nights stay above 55°F). Pinch or trim the tips every month or so, leaving about four leaves on each shoot, to make it bushy.
2. Stop pruning by early September, or you’ll delay the color.
3. From about October 1: give the plant 14 hours of complete darkness every night, for example from 5 pm to 7 am. Put it in a closet or cover it with a large box.
4. Daytime: bring it back into bright light for the other 10 hours and keep watering and feeding as usual.
5. Be strict for 7 to 10 weeks. Even a lamp or a streetlight during the dark period can stop it coloring.
6. Late November: once the bracts start to show color, stop the dark treatment and care for it like a new poinsettia.

Year-round poinsettia calendar

When	What to do
December to January	Enjoy the color; bright light, water when the top inch is dry, no feeding
February to March	Bracts fade; water a little less and let the plant rest
April to May	Cut back to 6 to 8 inches, repot and start feeding every 3 to 4 weeks
June to August	Grow in bright light or outdoors in partial shade; pinch tips monthly
Early September	Last pinch; bring it indoors before nights drop below 55°F
October 1 to late November	14 hours of total darkness every night, bright light by day
Late November to December	Color shows; stop the dark treatment and enjoy

Common poinsettia problems and fixes

What you see	Most likely cause	What to do
Leaves suddenly dropping	Cold draft, cold car trip or hot vent	Move to a steady 65 to 72°F spot away from drafts
Yellow lower leaves, wet soil	Overwatering or water trapped in foil	Let the top inch dry; remove or puncture the foil
Wilting, soil bone dry	Underwatering	Water thoroughly; check small pots more often
Bracts fading or dropping early	Low light, heat or old plant	Move to brighter light; keep nights cooler
Tiny white insects flying up	Whiteflies	Use yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap
Bracts stay green in autumn	Light during the dark period	Give 14 hours of total darkness from October 1

More help in our guides to yellow leaves, root rot and houseplant pests.

Are poinsettias poisonous to pets?

Poinsettias are far less dangerous than their reputation. The ASPCA lists them as toxic to cats and dogs, but only mildly: the milky sap irritates the mouth and stomach, which can cause drooling, licking and sometimes vomiting. Serious poisoning is very unlikely. It’s still best to keep the plant out of reach of curious pets and young children, and to wash your hands after pruning, because the sap can irritate skin and eyes. If your pet eats a lot of it or seems unwell, call your vet. Looking for alternatives? See our list of pet-friendly houseplants.

Quick action checklist

Save this for later: pin the cheat sheet below to your Pinterest plant board.

Poinsettia care FAQ

Sources and further reading

Want to go deeper? These university extension and expert resources cover the same topic:

• Mississippi State University Extension: Selecting and maintaining poinsettias
• NC State Extension: How to make a poinsettia rebloom
• South Dakota State University Extension: Keeping your poinsettia alive and getting it to rebloom
• ASPCA: Toxic and non-toxic plants list