Poinsettias: Who's Up For a Splash of Color?

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

I really enjoy having a poinsettia around the house during the Christmas season.  It provides a splash of color that I enjoy.  Despite poinsettias being a prominent plant this time of year there are some myths out there that continue to say that it is a poisonous plant.  However, through several research-based university fact sheets I have gleaned the following information.

Photo courtesy of Clemson University

According to a University of Illinois Extension fact sheet poinsettia are not poisonous.  Furthermore, an Ohio State University study showed that a 50-lb. child would have to eat more than 500 leaves to have any harmful effect.  That’s a lot of leaves from a lot of plants when you stop and think about it.  Additionally, the leaves of the poinsettia reportedly have an awful taste so the ability to eat 500 of the leaves might prove difficult.  Even if the plant isn’t poisonous you probably still want to keep your pets away from the plant.  Eating the leaves can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

On a more pleasant note regarding care of poinsettias, there is a M.S.U. Extension fact sheet that is free to the public.  I will just touch on a few tips from this fact sheet for the remainder of my article. First, poinsettias thrive in a bright location with at least six hours of daylight.  To maintain those bright red leaves, keep the room temperature between 67-70°F during the day and 60-62°F at night.  The plants do require a moderately moist soil, not letting it get too wet or dry.  This might be a delicate balance for many of us to keep as houseplants tend to actually get loved to death often.  Water it only until you start seeing moisture come out the bottom of the drain holes in the pot.  You would have to remove the cellophane that the plants come in to see this.  Beyond water and temperature there isn’t much to maintaining your poinsettia during the Christmas season.  They don’t need fertilizer while they are in bloom.  If you intend on keeping your poinsettia after the season you would want to provide a complete fertilizer after it completes its bloom period (usually 6-8 weeks).  This promotes new growth and ensures a dark green foliage. 

After the plant has bloomed you can enjoy them as a house plant.  Around May the leaves will turn a muddy green color, at which point you can cut the plant back to create a rounded appearance, leaving three to four leaves on the remaining stem.  By the end of May, you can expect to see new green growth coming.  To encourage a plant that has been kept during the year to re-flower continue the six to eight hours of sunlight each day but more importantly see that the plant gets at least 14 hours of complete darkness each day beginning October 1st.  Continue this until color appears in the leaves, approximately eight to ten weeks later.

Poinsettias- Poisonous or Not?

Jesse Fulbright, MSU Liberty County Extension

I enjoy bright colors and there are plenty of bright colors at this time of year with Christmas decorations abounding.  One of the bright colors I especially like is the poinsettia, so this week sit back and enjoy the facts I have for your regarding this seasonal plant.  I have shared this with you before but feel it was worth repeating.

I grew up hearing different and negative things about this Christmas plant, especially regarding its toxicity.  I hope to provide you with some fact based information from Extension sources, as well as a bit about the history of the plant in the U.S.

Poinsettias were introduced into the United States by Joel Poinsett.  Joel Roberts Poinsett was the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, being appointed by President John Quincy Adams in the 1820's.  Because of his interest in botany he introduced the American elm into Mexico.  During his stay in Mexico he wandered the countryside looking for new plant species.  In 1828 he found a beautiful shrub with large red flowers growing next to a road.  He took cuttings from the plant and brought them back to his greenhouse in South Carolina.  Even though Poinsett had an outstanding career as a United States Congressman and as an ambassador he will always be remembered for introducing the poinsettia into the U.S.

According to the Poison Control Information Center, the average person would have to eat 500 to 700 poinsettia leaves before he would have a serious problem.  Of course, some people are more sensitive than others.  So, one leaf may cause some digestive problems for a very sensitive person.  Poinsettias are a member of the Euphorbia family and the white, milky latex sap may cause eye and skin irritations in people sensitive to the sap.  These plants are best classified as "possibly toxic" and not poisonous.  From a study at the Ohio State University it was shown that a 50 pound child who ate 500 bracts might have a slight tummy ache.  So, while you may not want to make a habit of eating the leaves of the plant, it isn’t the deadly plant that it is sometimes made out to be.

Enjoy this beautiful flower during the Christmas season, as I do.