Choosing & Caring for your Poinsettia
Around Christmas everyone says to keep it local and to buy local. Well in Tirlán CountryLife we do just that with our Christmas plants. In terms of our Poinsettias they are as fresh and local as we could get. We get our poinsettias from two different nurseries, Littlebridge nurseries in Cork and O’Connor nurseries in Wexford. O’Connor’s nurseries grow their poinsettias without the use of chemical spray and they use biological pest control.
Iconic Christmas flower
Poinsettias have become synonymous with Christmas and are really one of the most iconic plants for around the festive season. From visiting family and friends over the holidays and based on the numbers of them that we are selling to customers at the moment I think it is safe to say that there is one in every house in the country. In Irish climates however it is really safe to say they are strictly a foliage indoor plant.
Poinsettias vary in colour
Poinsettias are celebrated for their vivid festive red and green foliage however you are not just limited to these colours. In more recent years growers have introduced white varieties and a great dusky pink variety too. These different colours are proving more and more popular for people who are looking for something different in their house or even to give as a gift.
What to remember when buying poinsettias
When you are buying your poinsettias and taking them home it is important to remember that they are really a tropical plant. I always say never buy one that has been left outside in the cold.
If you buy one that has been stored outside you will find once you bring it home that the leaves will fall off because they just can’t tolerate the cold at all. It is really best to buy ones which have been stored indoors in a warm area and this will ensure they last at home.
How to look after your poinsettia
Once you do get them home it is important to keep them in a warm spot that gets lots of natural light right throughout the day. It is also important to keep them moist and never let them dry out. I also like to give them a liquid feed every two to three weeks to keep them luscious and leafy.
If you do care and look after your poinsettias it is easy to keep the plant going for not only during the festive season but also well into the following year. I have even known some gardeners to still have the same poinsettia for the following Christmas.
We’re here to help
If you need any help with choosing Poinsettas talk to any of our horticulturists in store or contact us on social media. We’d love to help.
