One of the great protagonists at Christmas is the poinsettia. And the intense red of its leaves brings that characteristic tone of the Christmas holidays to the home decoration. It is said that this plant, also known as pascuero or poinsettia, symbolizes fortune and prosperity and it is no coincidence that it is one of the most sold and given as gifts during this time. But all the attributes of happiness that are given to it can go to waste if we do not take care of it properly. We write down basic tips so that the poinsettia survives beyond Christmas.
The poinsettia has even inspired legends. One of them says that her characteristic tone is due to the lack of love of a goddess, which was so painful that her heart bled, dropping drops of blood on this plant, thus turning it into an intense red on Christmas Eve. The Aztecs already knew it very well, so much so that they used its pigments to dye textiles and its sap to reduce fever, explains Cyril Landes, owner of Herbs Barcelona, a company specialized in home delivery of flowers.
According to Landes, it was in 1828 that the botanist and United States ambassador to Mexico, Joël Poinsett, was fascinated by the scarlet color of the poinsettia and took it to his country and popularized it. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, the German Paul Encke began selling freshly cut bouquets at the end of the year celebrations, a trend that spread even throughout Europe. Currently, Easter floods florists, stores, supermarkets... In Spain, nine million poinsettias are grown a year, according to Stars for Europe. Without a doubt she is the queen of Christmas.
Are they going out again? The Poinsettia tends to turn red because it detects fewer hours of light per day and generally this coincides with the Christmas dates, Interflora explains. “If we want our plant to have its characteristic tone again next year, we only have to place it for a few hours a day in a darker space, although since nature is very wise, it will surely change to that tone on its own. the days before Christmas,” explains Antonio Martínez, a florist with more than 10 years of experience.
From Herbs Barcelona they point out the annual poinsettia calendar that can help you keep it healthy so that it shines again next year:
-Starting in January, the plant enters a period of vegetative rest, its "flowering" has ended for the year and watering must be reduced. It is best to wait until the soil is dry between two waterings. It must also be done with water at room temperature, so pay attention to tap water, which may be too cold. And, very important, you need to make sure that the pot is well drained to prevent the roots from bathing in water.
-At the end of April, the poinsettia should be pruned, that is, reduce its stems to a maximum of 10 cm in height and always transplant it with potting soil. Starting in August-September, it is necessary to resume more regular watering and add fertilizer to prepare it for the next "flowering".
-Starting in mid-September and for about two and a half months, because it is a so-called “short day” plant, it must be scrupulously immersed for 12 to 14 hours in total darkness. This way we will stimulate it to "bloom" and gradually it will turn bright red... That's when the magic of Christmas happens!
