After you bring a poinsettia home, keep it in a bright spot around 65 to 70°F, water when the top inch of mix feels dry, and empty the saucer so roots never sit in water. Leaf drop in the first week is usually cold drafts, a hot vent, or a waterlogged sleeve - not a plant that was doomed at the register. For when to buy and how to pick a healthy plant at the store, see poinsettia advance buy timing.
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are tender shrubs from Mexico. The colored "flowers" are bracts; the true flowers are the small yellow centers. Care after purchase is about steady light, even moisture, and avoiding temperature swings.
Unpack and place it
- Remove the foil or plastic sleeve as soon as you get home so water can drain and air can move around the stems.
- Set the pot on a saucer, not in a decorative cover that holds water.
- Give it bright, indirect light - an east window or a few feet back from a south or west window. Harsh midday sun through glass can bleach bracts.
- Keep it away from drafts - cold entry doors, open windows, and heating vents that blast dry air.
Daytime temperatures of about 65 to 70°F and nights above 55°F hold color longest. Rooms warmer than the mid-70s shorten the display and dry the mix faster.
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Find My Plants →Watering and light
- Feel the mix. Water when the top inch is dry and the pot feels lighter. Most homes need water every 5 to 7 days; warm, dry rooms need it sooner.
- Water thoroughly until liquid runs from the drainage holes, then empty the saucer after 15 minutes.
- Never leave the pot standing in water. Root rot looks like sudden wilt with wet soil.
- Skip ice cubes. Cold water and uneven melting stress roots. Use room-temperature water.
A soil moisture meter helps if you tend to overwater. Grouping plants or using a humidity tray cuts crispy leaf edges in dry indoor heat. See humidity trays and grouping for winter houseplants.
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A humidity tray, an indoor thermometer and hygrometer, and saucers so water never sits on roots. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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Why leaves drop
- Cold shock from a trip home in an unheated car or a drafty doorway.
- Heat and dry air from radiators, fireplaces, or forced-air vents.
- Soggy roots after the plant sat in a water-filled sleeve at the store.
- Sudden dark corners after bright greenhouse or store lights.
Move the plant, fix watering, and wait a few days before fertilizing. Yellow leaves at the base after a long bloom are normal aging; mass drop on new growth is a care problem.
Feeding while it shows color
Feed lightly with a liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength every 2 to 4 weeks only while the plant is actively holding fresh bracts and new leaves. Stop if growth stalls or the mix stays wet. Gloves help if the milky sap irritates your skin - wash sap off skin and keep it out of eyes.
After the holidays: rebloom basics
Most people compost a spent poinsettia, and that is fine. To keep it:
- In late winter, cut stems back to about 4 to 6 inches when bracts fade.
- Water less while it rests in bright light; resume regular watering when new shoots appear in spring.
- Move outdoors after frost danger if nights stay above about 55°F, in bright shade at first.
- Pinch new tips through midsummer for a bushier plant.
- From early October, give about 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night (a closet or cardboard box works) and bright light by day for roughly 8 to 10 weeks so bracts color again.
Pet and people notes
Poinsettia is listed as toxic to dogs and cats by the ASPCA, usually as a mild irritant. Chewing can cause drooling, vomiting, or drooling from the milky sap; serious reactions are uncommon but possible. Keep plants out of reach of pets and small children. If a pet chews one, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. See what to do if a cat eats a plant and what to do if a dog eats a plant.
Shop watering and feeding supplies on Amazon
A soil moisture meter, gentle liquid plant food, and nitrile gloves if sap irritates your skin. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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Bottom line
Bright light, 65 to 70°F, water when the top inch dries, and a dry saucer keep a poinsettia colorful for weeks. Fix drafts and standing water first when leaves drop, then decide whether to compost it or try the long-night rebloom routine.
Related reading
- Poinsettia advance buy timing
- Indoor cyclamen care
- Christmas cactus bloom care
- Peace lily care in dry indoor heat
- Gift plant acclimation after purchase
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