Poinsettia is a highly decorative plant. In the people this plant was called the "Christmas star", this is due to the fact that it starts to bloom in December, on the eve of Christmas.
The first connoisseurs of poinsettia were the Aztecs and called it cuetlaxochitl. White juice of poinsettia Aztecs used in the fight against fever. And the red bracts went like a natural dye for fabrics and even for cosmetics.
In the United States, the finest milks were learned thanks to the diligence of JR Poinssett, who was a botanist and a doctor (1779-1851). Poinsett was in Mexico in 1828, and there he first saw poinsettia and immediately sent some samples to South Carolina to his greenhouses, where he began to replicate samples upon arrival and sent to botanical gardens. In commercial production, the plant fell into 1830 and after a while it became a popular plant called poinsettia (poinsettia). In America, there was a tradition to buy Poinsettia for Christmas, from there this tradition was transferred to Europe.
Features of care.
Indoor plants: poinsettia grows well in brightly scattered light, without direct sun rays. For the summer, it is better to take the plant out to open fresh air (to the garden, to the balcony), but care must be taken to protect the plant from drafts, precipitation, sun rays. If there is no possibility to take out poinsettia for fresh air, the room should be regularly ventilated. Since the end of September, we need to take care of the lighting regime and then Poinsettia will blossom by the New Year. As soon as it starts to darken, the plant needs to be covered with dark polyethylene (light must not get through it), but only in the morning. Thus, the "dark" period should be at least 12 hours a day, but not more than 14 hours. This regime should be observed for about 8 weeks, after which you can return to normal care. Long-lasting lighting inhibits the formation of buds, but accelerates the growth of leaves. Approximately three weeks after such a "dark" period, the flower buds are formed on the plant. If poinsettia and continue to contain in this mode, then begin to bloom bright bracts.
Flowering occurs during the winter, at which time the temperature should be about 14-16 degrees. But in the period of rest poinsettia should be in a room with a temperature of 14 degrees. In the rest of the period, the optimal temperature is 18-25 degrees.
Watering should be abundant, as the topsoil of the soil dries up. In winter, watering is moderate, the soil must always be slightly moist, so do not overdry and over-moisten.
The period of rest in poinsettia is pronounced. Once bracts have fallen, the plant plunges into a short-term rest, which lasts about 2 months. During this period, watering should be reduced, while not allowing the final drying of the substrate. The plant during this period is better to contain at 12-14 degrees and at high enough humidity of air. When these houseplants bloom, it is necessary to regularly spray the leaves, slightly warm water (soft dormant).
In order to start blooming after a period of rest, the poinsettia starts to blossom, it is necessary to take care of regular feeding, namely, to feed mineral fertilizer in the spring-autumn period every two weeks.
Replant Poinsettia plants can be spring every year. In March, the stems should be cut to 1/3 and put in a warm place on the window with a lot of sunlight. After trimming, three to five strongest kidneys should remain on the stem. Water at this time you need a little warmed water. After the leaves appear, the plant should be transplanted into a pot, which in size should be larger than before. The earth must be slightly acidic (pH = 6). You can take the following earthen composition: clay-turf earth (3 parts), sheet (2 parts), sand (1 part) and peat (1 part). Good drainage should be required. After diving, the plant is put in a warm place, after which it begins to be abundantly sprayed and watered. After a while, new shoots will start to form, of which only 5-6 strong shoots should be left, others must be removed. Cropped shoots can be used as cuttings for reproduction.
To make the bush look neat and compact, you need to watch and do not allow the stems to grow naked and long. If, after all, this happens, then the shoots need to be shortened once more.
Poinsettia - plants that reproduce by apical cuttings in the spring. The prepared stem must have at least 5 internodes. When you cut the stem, latex appears - milky juice, it must be removed with a blotting paper, then the cut is poured with crushed charcoal. With abundant release of latex, the stalk is placed in cold water for a short time, and only then it is covered with charcoal. This will prevent cuttings from decay, because latex seals the vessels, thereby preventing the healing of the "wound", besides it can cause various infections. Cuttings take root in a loose wet substratum (peat and sand, taken in the same parts) or in water. To cuttings are better rooted, you can use growth stimulants. During this period, the temperature should be about 24-28 degrees, the container with cuttings should be constantly ventilated and sprayed. After a month, roots appear and then young shoots can be transplanted into small pots. If the plant has grown from a cut, then it must be cut for better branching.
Probable difficulties.
- Excessive waterlogging, as well as a lack of moisture, as well as a lack of light, leads to withering of the leaves, and perhaps even to their falling off.
- A low temperature or draft leads to the loss of leaves, with no signs of wilting observed.
- Hot, dry air causes the inflorescences to fall off, and the edges of the leaves turn yellow or brown.
- It is damaged: thrips, mealybug, spider mite.