How to care for poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Euphorbia pulcherrima · Christmas star, Christmas flower

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) — shrub from Mexico and Guatemala sold in winter for its red, pink, white or marbled bracts, the coloured leaves around tiny yellow true flowers. As a pot plant it rarely grows taller than 60–90 cm. Poinsettia needs partial shade and 16–21 °C. Water it about every 5 days while it grows and about every 14 days in the winter rest.

Checked against sources: November 5, 2026

Watering and repotting poinsettia through the year

It lives indoors all year, so it has no sowing or planting dates: it grows from March to September and rests from October to February (the other way round in the southern hemisphere).

Repot it about every 12 months.

When to plant poinsettia?

Plant or repot poinsettia in spring, as it starts into growth; early to midsummer also works. It is a houseplant, so it has no outdoor planting date and no frost decides it: just avoid autumn and winter, when growth slows and fresh compost stays wet too long. After that, move it to a slightly larger pot about every year, or sooner once roots circle the pot or grow through the drainage holes.

Watering in the growing and resting halves of the year: Watering and repotting poinsettia through the year.

Sources: RHS: How to repot a plant · Penn State Extension: Repotting houseplants

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Latin name	Euphorbia pulcherrima
Family	Euphorbiaceae
Also called	Christmas star, Christmas flower
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Repotting	every 12 months
Grown in	At home

Where does poinsettia grow?

4,822 records of the plant in gardens, fields and the wild worldwide; most photos come from India, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, and Indonesia.

World map: where poinsettia has been recorded — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: Ispur Vijay, Sánchez, Barroso Crislene, 971241173, clarko13, deborah becot, Raúl A. Ruiz M. (CC BY / CC0).

Poinsettia, India — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: Ispur Vijay, Sánchez, Barroso Crislene, 971241173, clarko13, deborah becot, Raúl A. Ruiz M. (CC BY / CC0).

Poinsettia care by growth stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 5 days	16…21 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 35 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 56 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 77 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 98 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 119 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 140 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 161 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 14 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

At least six hours a day of bright, indirect light while it is in colour; direct sun can fade the bracts, so filter it with a sheer curtain, and keep the leaves off cold window panes. In summer it can stand outdoors in 6–8 hours of sun with some afternoon shade, after a week or two of getting used to it.

Soil

Well-drained potting mix with plenty of organic matter such as compost, leaf mould or peat moss. Repot each spring after cutting back, into a pot 5–10 cm larger. Take off the decorative foil when watering or punch holes in it; in waterlogged compost the roots and stems rot.

Care

Keep it at 16–21 °C, away from heaters, fires and draughts; below 10 °C it drops leaves, and a few minutes in freezing air on the way home blacken the bracts. Water thoroughly when the surface feels dry, never let it dry out completely, empty the saucer, and do not feed while it is in colour. Bought in colour it stays attractive for weeks to a couple of months. When about half the bracts and leaves have fallen, water less and rest it somewhere cool; in March cut the stems back to 10–15 cm, repot, and once new growth starts feed with a balanced fertiliser every 2–3 weeks. Outdoors in summer, pinch the shoot tips to keep it bushy, but not after the start of September, and bring it in when nights drop to 13–16 °C. To colour again for Christmas it needs 14 hours of complete darkness every night, in a cupboard or under a box, from early October for 8–10 weeks, with bright light by day and 16–21 °C; any stray light or nights above 21–24 °C delay colour and leave the bracts green. Watch for whitefly, mealybugs, soft scale and spider mites. The milky sap irritates skin and eyes and can affect people with a latex allergy; the ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats, dogs and horses, irritating the mouth and stomach and sometimes causing vomiting, but says its toxicity is generally overrated.

Pests and diseases of Poinsettia

3 problems are recorded for poinsettia; each has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Pests

Other plants of the Euphorbiaceae family

Poinsettia belongs to Euphorbiaceae; 2 other plants of this family have a guide here.

Plant lists it is in

Part of: Houseplants · Thirsty houseplants · Houseplants to repot every year

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.