Is the poinsettia toxic? A detailed look at the toxicity of the poinsettia

The poinsettia is native to the Taxco region of Mexico in Central America. In 1825 it was introduced to the United States by Joel·Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico. It is now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, and is grown in the vast majority of provinces, regions and municipalities in China, commonly seen in parks, botanical gardens and greenhouses. Let us take a look below at whether the poinsettia is toxic!

Is the poinsettia toxic?

On the question of whether the poinsettia is toxic, there are currently two scientific views: one holds that the poinsettia is toxic, and the other holds that the poinsettia is not toxic. Some people believe it is toxic, because it may cause reddening and swelling of the skin and trigger allergic reactions, and if the stems and leaves are eaten by mistake, it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and even the risk of death from poisoning. But other experts believe that the claim that the poinsettia is toxic has no scientific basis. They have conducted special studies on the toxicity of the poinsettia and found that after white mice ate an extremely large dose of poinsettia leaves, their diet and daily behavior showed absolutely no abnormality, and there were no symptoms such as death or poisoning. Other research has shown that a child weighing 50 jin who ingests 500-600 poinsettia leaves will not experience poisoning at all.

The uses of the poinsettia

1. Ornamental value: The poinsettia has graceful branches and leaves, bright flower colors and a long flowering period. It blooms right at Christmas, New Year's Day and the Spring Festival, and its brilliant red color adds a festive atmosphere. Arranging poinsettias in patterns for viewing during the holidays produces a very good effect.

2. Home decoration: In addition to arranging beautiful furniture and some furnishings in the home, if potted flowers, bonsai and cut flowers can be used as indoor decoration, it will have even more unique flavor. It can not only bring a rich sense of life to the room, but also delight the eye and lift the mood. The poinsettia's unique and delicate red bracts are eye-catching and alluring; when decorating a windowsill, balcony or study, they spread red and display green, charming and moving.

How to grow the poinsettia?

1. Propagation: Poinsettia propagation is mainly by cuttings, and layering can also be used, generally the air layering method. Both old branches and young branches can be used for cuttings, but branches that are too tender are difficult to root. Generally, in February to March, select robust one-year-old branches and cut them into 8-12 cm sections as cuttings. When layering the poinsettia, care should be taken not to damage the original tree shape; the layered part can quickly take shape, and there should not be defects such as a lopsided crown or relatively high branching points.

2. Soil mixing: For poinsettia cultivation, loose, fertile, well-drained sandy soil is best, and for potting soil, a mixture of culture soil, leaf mold and sand is best. Generally, for poinsettia cultivation, use 3 parts garden soil, 3 parts humus soil, 3 parts leaf mold and 1 part decomposed cake fertilizer, adding a small amount of cinder and mixing them together.

3. Temperature: The poinsettia likes warmth and is not cold-tolerant. Its optimal growth temperature is 18-25°C, with 18-24°C from April to September and 13-16°C from September to April of the following year. In mid-to-late September each year, the poinsettia should be brought indoors for care, and ventilation should be strengthened so that the plant gradually adapts to the indoor environment. In winter, the room temperature should be kept at 15-20°C. If the winter temperature is too low, it easily causes poor development of the poinsettia's flowers and leaves.

4. Light: The poinsettia is a short-day plant and likes sufficient light. It is strongly phototropic, and there should be sufficient light throughout the year, especially during the stem and leaf growth period, so that it can grow rapidly and luxuriantly. If light is insufficient, the branches tend to grow leggy and become diseased; if placed in a dark place for a long time, it will not bloom, and in winter it will drop its leaves. If you want to make it bloom earlier or later, you can control the light; giving it 8 hours of light per day will make it bloom in 40 days.

5. Fertilization: The poinsettia likes fertile sandy soil. When potting or repotting, add organic fertilizer and horse hoof slices as base fertilizer. During the growth and flowering period, apply a liquid fertilizer of fully decomposed sesame paste residue diluted 5 times once every 10-15 days. After autumn begins, a 0.3% compound chemical fertilizer can also be applied once a week for 3 to 4 consecutive times to promote bract color change and flower bud differentiation in the poinsettia.

6. Watering: The poinsettia is neither drought-tolerant nor moisture-tolerant, and water control is directly related to the growth and development of the poinsettia. Watering the poinsettia should be flexibly managed according to the weather, the potting soil and the plant's growth condition. Generally, watering should keep the potting soil moist without water accumulation. Alternating dry and wet conditions easily causes its leaves to yellow and drop, and watering should be reduced after the poinsettia blooms.

7. Shaping: The poinsettia goes dormant around the Qingming Festival, and at this time it should be repotted, with old roots and diseased or weak branches cut off to make it sprout new shoots. During growth, pinching should be done twice, the first in late June and the second in mid-August. When the poinsettia branches grow to 20-30 cm, begin shaping and bending so that the plant is short, the flower heads are neat and evenly distributed, thereby improving its ornamental value. During cultivation, plant growth regulators need to be used to dwarf the plant height so as to meet the requirement that commercial flowers have a consistent height.

8. Pests and diseases: During greenhouse cultivation, the poinsettia is very susceptible to pests and diseases such as gray mold, root rot, stem rot and leaf spot. In daily care, attention should be paid to more ventilation, frequent loosening of the soil and control of fertilizer and water to prevent pests and diseases. If pests and diseases have already occurred, corresponding measures should be taken to control them, such as spraying the corresponding agents to eliminate them.

Summary: Facts have proven that the poinsettia is not as toxic as some media claim. Moreover, like other flowers, the poinsettia is for people to admire rather than for people to eat. Therefore, when buying or caring for a poinsettia, you can completely eliminate your worries and fully enjoy the festivity and joy that the poinsettia brings.