Hi, I'm Tom Butzler, an Extension Educator at Penn State.

And on this episode of Year Round Gardening, I'll give you some tips on how to care for poinsettias.

I'll show you how to prevent your poinsettias from drying out, the best place to keep them, and more.

Let's take a look.

[music playing] Winter holidays are upon us, and I'm sure many of you are decorating your home with beautiful holiday plants.

Among the most popular ones are red poinsettias.

This plant was discovered in present-day Taxco, Mexico, and the valleys around Cuernavaca.

The Aztecs considered this plant to be a symbol of purity and often used it to make a reddish-purple dye for textiles and cosmetics.

They also used it for medical purposes, such as by crushing it and applying it to skin infections.

However, there is no scientific evidence that shows poinsettias are medically effective.

Today, poinsettias are chiefly an ornamental plant.

[music playing] Poinsettias often come in smaller pots.

And because the pots are smaller and because most homes have low humidity during winter, poinsettias can dry out quickly.

Therefore, it is important to check how moist the potting media is daily.

Simply touch the potting medium.

If it still feels moist, there's no need to water the plant.

However, if the media feels dry, you should apply water.

To water properly, you should first remove any foil that comes with the pot.

Then check to make sure the pot has drain holes.

If there are no drain holes, you can make them yourself with a screwdriver or other sharp object.

It's also a good idea to put your poinsettia pot on a saucer, plastic lid, or other similar container that can collect excess water.

Water the plant until some drains from the bottom of the pot.

Any excess water should be discarded.

Further, it's a good idea to mist the leaves frequently.

[music playing] Proper lighting is essential for any houseplant.

Many plants end up dying because they don't get the proper amount of light that they need.

For poinsettias, place them where they get high amounts of indirect light.

If you want to place your poinsettia in a location that doesn't get much light, you should consider adding supplemental lights, such as extra lamps, to ensure they get the light they need.

[music playing] Most homes have the proper temperature ideal for poinsettias-- about a minimum of 60 degrees and a maximum of 75 degrees.

But if your house temperature rises above 75 degrees, this will be detrimental to the plant.

The same holds true if the temperature falls below 60 degrees.

Also, you should maintain a consistent temperature for your plant.

Avoid locations near heating vents or that have drafts.

Rapid changes in temperature are unhealthy for poinsettias.

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