How to take care of your poinsettias
Poinsettias are synonymous with Christmas. Their bold red, pink, and white bracts are reflective of a classic festive colour palette and add a much-needed splash of joyful colour to our homes in winter. In fact, poinsettias are one of the most popular Christmas houseplants! These beautiful plants are a winter staple – did you know that the vibrant colours on the plant aren’t petals but bracts, a type of leaf? The flowers are the small yellow buds in the middle called Cyathia! 
How to look after a poinsettia
Looking after your poinsettia doesn’t have to be hard, like any houseplant they just need a bit of TLC to keep them looking fresh and thriving.  
Keep a consistent temperature. Poinsettias aren’t big fans of drafts or being too cold, so keep them away from windowsills or near doors to ensure longevity. Whilst a poinsettia prefers to be warmer, you should keep them away from any direct heat sources like fires and radiators to avoid burning the leaves. Pop your plant somewhere where there’s a steady room temperature and plenty of indirect natural light.   
Your poinsettia will benefit from monthly feedings to keep it thriving long into the new year. We’d suggest using liquid plant food to fertilise your poinsettia.  
Keep an eye on your plant – inspect leaves and remove any that have curled and fallen from the stem. 
How often should you water a poinsettia? 
Typically we should be watering our plants less in the winter months – you should only need to water your poinsettia when the soil feels dry to the touch.  
How quickly the soil dries out depends on the temperature of your home and size of the pot, so your plant could require watering every few days, or once a week depending on its surroundings.  
Be sure to not waterlog the soil either, keeping your poinsettia sat in a pool of water can damage and rot the roots. 
Where should you get your poinsettia? 
At Dobbies, we ensure that you can choose high quality poinsettias that are sure to see you through the Christmas season and beyond. Our bigger pot sizes mean the plants are more robust, and they’re delivered on well-spaced trollies to avoid over-packing which can cause damage to the plants. 
We work closely with our suppliers to choose only the best quality varieties and have one grower in the north and one in the south of the UK to ensure limited transit time for these delicate plants. 
Our poinsettias benefit from planned phasing to make sure they’re fresher for longer, and our expert teams in-store keep the plants looking their best before being picked up and taken home by you. 
Christmas poinsettia plants at Dobbies 
Poinsettias make the perfect Christmas present – bring them as a gift for a family member hosting Christmas dinner or give to the green-thumbed gardener in your life. Of course, you can keep a poinsettia for yourself as a welcome addition to your festive décor, too! If you have any questions or would like to find out more about poinsettias, visit your local Dobbies where a member of our Green Team will be more than happy to help.