Poinsettias as Cut Flowers
Once a poinsettia leaves the pot, it’s free to spread its wings in new places. For example, you can place several cuttings of various colors in a vase to make a colorful addition to a mantel. Or tuck the stems into floral picks, those water-filled tubes that cut flowers come in, and nestle them into holiday wreaths or Christmas trees. Get our helpful tips for creating a poinsettia flower arrangement that will last up to two weeks. A visit to a well-stocked florist or garden center will turn up poinsettias that are:
Red (of course), ranging from plain old fire-engine to bracts that look like red velvetWhite or, more accurately, creamPink, from pale to coralPurplish red (look for the variety ‘Plum Pudding’)Marbled, speckled, and splashed (usually in shades of red, pink, and cream)Variegated, where the leaves are a mixture of green and cream
In addition to new colors, you’ll also find poinsettias with bracts that curve inward, creating a “flower” that resembles a rose (look for ‘Winter Rose’ in several shades of red, pink, and cream) and miniature poinsettias with smaller than usual bracts.
Poinsettia Shopping Tips
Price doesn’t make the plant. Poinsettias are the same, whether purchased at a grocery store or at an upscale florist. At either venue, be sure to choose one that looks healthy, not droopy or wilted. Start with a healthy plant, and the beautiful bracts you snip off for your arrangements will last longer. Green is good. Plants that have green leaves all the way to the soil line are happy. If lower leaves are missing, the plant is likely stressed. Find the flowers. The true flowers (the tiny buds at the base of the colored bracts) should be green- or red-tipped, which means the plant is less developed. Avoid plants with yellow pollen on the flowers, they are fully developed and won’t last long. They’re fickle. Like Goldilocks, poinsettias don’t like to be too hot (near a fireplace) or too cold (at a drafty window).
