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Poinsettia and Christmas Tree Care

The Holiday Season is upon us and a very popular house plant seen in homes and offices is the Poinsettia. The Poinsettia is a native plant of Mexico which was introduced to the United States in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett. These colorful plants are the most popular Christmas plant. Over 220 million dollars worth of Poinsettias are grown and sold each Holiday Season.

When purchasing Poinsettias there are a few things you should take into consideration. The first thing to look for is dark green foliage. You want the dark foliage to carry all the way down to the base. The red leaves on the plant are actually bracts or modified leaves not flowers. You want to select plants which have bracts that are completely colored. The plant should be well balanced and not wilted or drooping. If the Poinsettias have been crowded for long periods of time it can cause premature bract loss. The last selection tip is to look at the true flower. These flowers are located at the base of the colored bracts. They should be green or red-tipped. If they have yellow pollen on them they are a more mature plant and may not last as long.

After you have purchased the poinsettia of your choice, do not expose it to chilling winds while transporting it home. Place the plant in indirect sunlight and remove the foil wrapping or punch holes in the bottom so water can drain. This will keep root rot from setting in and killing your Poinsettia. The Poinsettias need to be provided temperatures between 68-72 degrees F. Try to keep the plant away from drafty areas or excessive heat. Water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch and do not use any fertilizer until after the blooming season.

Christmas Tree Care If your family still uses a traditional live tree as opposed to a plastic tree, here are a few valuable tips to help you keep your tree looking good.

When a Christmas tree is cut, more than half its weight is water. With proper care, you can maintain the quality of your tree. Here are a few good hints for caring for your fresh cut tree from the National Christmas Tree Association.

Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss problems.

To display the trees indoors, use a stand with an adequate water holding capacity for the tree. As a rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. Devices are available that help maintain a constant water level in the stand.

Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed.

Make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don’t cut the trunk at an angle, or into a V-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.

Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does NOT improve water uptake.

Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don’t bruise the cut surface or get it dirty. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.

The temperature of the water used to fill the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.

Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree. With many stands, there can still be water in the stand even though the base of the tree is no longer submerged in water.

Keep trees away from major sources of heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight). Lowering the room temperature will slow the drying process, resulting in less water consumption each day.

Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying of the tree. If you are like me and really like the big old timey colored bulbs, they now make them in LED which burn much cooler.