Poinsettia

The main feature of this plant is its unusual elegance in the New Year holidays, it is not for nothing that the poinsettia is often called a Christmas star. The homeland of this evergreen shrub is Central America, and the peak of flowering is in the winter months. The flower poinsettia belongs to the family of euphorbia, the juice is poisonous, so growing a plant requires certain safety rules.

How to care for poinsettia?

Houseplant Poinsettia requires certain conditions of detention, but, first of all, it is desirable that the flower is in a place inaccessible to children. This shrub loves diffuse bright light, direct sunlight is undesirable. Poinsettia, care for which is correct, blooms in winter for two months, then her bracts pale and soon fall off.

The plant needs regular watering, air temperature of at least 16 ° C and moist air. In warmer months, you can feed the plant twice a month with a regular share of mineral fertilizer. Pruning is carried out in March, when it completely fades. Usually the next two months after flowering are characterized for poinsettia as a resting state, at this time it is necessary to reduce the watering to the necessary moistening, and the air temperature should be moderately cool, about 12-14 ° C. For the summer, the bush can be carried to the open air, limiting the direct rays of the sun and avoiding drafts.

In order to "Christmas stars" blossom on your bush by the New Year, it is necessary to observe the "short day" condition. Beginning with the end of September, observe the mode of lighting the bush. With the onset of twilight, cover the plant with a dark package of polyethylene, which does not let light through. It is necessary to remove the package in the morning, after the poinsettia stayed in the dark for 12-14 hours. In order to avoid fuss with the package it is enough to rearrange the pot with the plant in a dark place. Such a day regimen for a bush should be observed for two months, then the result will be the correct formation of flower buds and the subsequent dissolution of bright bracts. Continuous lighting will enhance the growth of the leaves, but does not contribute to the appearance of buds, so if your poinsettia does not bloom, the cause may be covered in the wrong lighting mode.

Transplantation and reproduction of poinsettia

Poinsettia Christmas requires a regular transplant, which is carried out under certain conditions. Every year at the beginning of spring, the bush is cut by 1/3 so that no more than five strong buds remain on the stem, and place the pot with the plant in a warm room on the sun-sill. For watering use warm water, and after the leaves appear, proceed to a transplant, choosing a pot is more spacious. At the bottom of the pot must be placed drainage, and the substrate is preferred with a weakly acidic medium.

The transplanted flower is placed in a warm place and watering is increased, the leaves are regularly sprinkled. After the emergence of new shoots leave 5-7 powerful, and the others are removed. By the way, cropped shoots of poinsettia can be used for its propagation, like cuttings. Shortening shoots allows you to form a bush, making it more lush and compact.

To multiply the plant, apical cuttings with five or more internodes are used. Juice, which is released when cuttings are cut, are soaked with special paper, and the place of the cut is sprinkled with charcoal. To stop the secretion of juice, you can temporarily put the cuttings in cold water, and then sprinkle. For rooting the cuttings, choose a loose wet substrate or put the cuttings in the water until the roots appear.