Christmas star - facts and advice on care

Scientific name (Latin): Euphorbia pulcherrimaFamily: Euphorbia family (Euphorbiaceae)

ClimateChristmas stars are extremely sensitive to cold, if it gets below 15 degrees the leaves will fall off.PlacementThe Christmas star should be placed in a bright and sunny location.WaterThe soil should ideally be slightly moist at all times during flowering.NutrientsIf you want to enjoy your Christmas star for longer, you can add some nutrients every now and then.,We may be used to seeing the Christmas star in a pot on the kitchen table or in windows in our homes during the Christmas season, but this succulent plant can actually grow into a bush several meters high in its wild state. It is thanks to years of breeding that the shorter variety in a pot that is part of our Christmas traditions has been developed.

The poinsettia does not want to suffer from either drought or overwatering. If it dries out too much, its leaves will start to yellow and fall off, but unlike if it is overwatered, it can recover from dehydration. However, if it has been standing in too much water for too long, the roots will rot, which is much more difficult for the plant to recover from. Therefore, make sure it always has a moisture level that is considered just right, and that it is placed in a bright spot without being in direct sunlight. During its flowering period, it does not need any extra nutrients, but after the blooming is over, you can add some liquid fertilizer when watering - something you can do about once a month. Most people throw away their poinsettias when the season is over and the plant has finished blooming, which is understandable because it is difficult to get it to bloom again, especially for beginners. However, as it is a perennial plant, it is theoretically possible to get the flower to develop its colorful and beautiful leaves again, if one just has the time, patience, and willingness to learn how to do it.

The scientific name of the poinsettia is pulcherrima, which means "very beautiful" or "most beautiful". The red leaves that are so characteristic of the poinsettia are not petals but bracts. The flowers of the poinsettia are small and yellow and are located inside the bracts. Not all poinsettias are red, as there are also white, pink, apricot-colored, and variegated varieties. Cultivators have also developed varieties with bracts that have a different shape than the traditional poinsettia. The sizes vary from mini, single stem to large multi-branch and standard.,In some parts of the country, white poinsettias are called advent stars and are used as decorations during Advent, to be replaced with the regular red ones towards Christmas. Regardless of what you call it, it's perfect to place one or more poinsettias in a window, on a table, or in another place where you want to create the right feeling for a true Christmas!

Yes, the poinsettia is toxic and can in some cases cause nausea and vomiting if consumed in large quantities, but it is not deadly. So make sure to keep it out of reach of children and pets. It is also not recommended for those with allergies.

This plant, as mentioned earlier, can grow several meters high when grown in the wild. However, if you want to grow poinsettia at home, you may have to settle for a height of between 25-100 cm, and even then, it will require quite a bit of work that demands care, knowledge, and patience. In the Nordic region, with the climate we have, it is not an ideal place to grow this cold-sensitive plant - so for those who still want to try, every step during cultivation must be done in the right order and at the right time. It is a plant that requires nutrients, light, and plenty of space - and of course, a good amount of finesse and green fingers.The technique used is the same as the one used by larger growers, and in order to have a chance of success, you will need a greenhouse or a place that can meet the plant's requirements for temperature control, air circulation, and humidity. You also need to be able to control the light supply in detail.

Since poinsettias reproduce by taking cuttings from mother plants, that's where you need to start. Before transporting these cuttings, it is crucial that they are properly wrapped and insulated all the way from the store or grower to your home. Once home, slowly unwrap the cuttings, starting from the top, so the plant has time to acclimate to the temperature change gradually. Then, place your cuttings in jiffy pots to allow them to root.After about four weeks, the cuttings should have developed roots and it's time to repot them into larger pots.Now is when it starts to become challenging to succeed in growing your poinsettia. During the first three weeks, in order to succeed, you need to provide your plants with high humidity and a temperature of 24°C. After that, the temperature can be lowered to around 19°C, at least at night.Monitoring the temperature so closely has to do with how you want to control the plant's growth. Lower temperature results in slower growth.Throughout the growth period, make sure the plant has good air circulation by regularly thinning out the leaves.If you want your poinsettia to bloom, it will need 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness along with bright days for at least 6-7 weeks.You can tell if your poinsettia is finished growing or not by the yellow buds at the center of the flower starting to bloom.

That this plant is named poinsettia certainly makes one's mind wander to its beautiful blood-red leaves in combination with a snow-covered landscape, the scent of gingerbread in the home, and the feeling of that first chill creeping in over us in December. But the fact is that the poinsettia is not particularly fond of our Swedish winters, and in its natural form, it thrives best in tropical gardens. With its Mexican origin, anything below 15°C is too cold for this goddess, as if exposed to this it will start to lose its leaves and slowly but surely die, unless a change in temperature occurs soon. The poinsettia's scientific name, pulcherrima, can be translated as "very beautiful" or even "most beautiful" - something that we surely agree is very fitting for this magnificent and divinely beautiful plant. But the poinsettia is not only divine in its appearance, there are traces of divinity even in its mythical history. Among the Aztecs, it is said that the poinsettia got its beautiful red color from a goddess whose heart broke, and where the blood then dripped down and colored its leaves.

Also sometimes erroneously called Christmas rose.The flowers are small and yellow, and sit within the leaves.There are also variants in the colors white, pink, apricot, and marbled.The white poinsettias are also called advent stars in some parts of the country.Can make you nauseous and make you vomit if eaten in larger quantities, but it is not lethal.The flower is difficult to get to bloom again, which is why most people purchase the poinsettia for Christmas and then dispose of it.