How Does Poinsettia Overwinter? A Full Breakdown of Winter Care Tips

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is native to Central America and was later introduced to China. It is now fairly widely grown in the country, so how does poinsettia overwinter? Let's take a look together!

1. How Does Poinsettia Overwinter

When winter temperatures drop below 15°C, poinsettia should be moved indoors immediately. At night, a layer of protective film can be added, keeping the temperature at 15-25°C. It should not be moved indoors too early, and after being moved indoors it needs regular ventilation and supplemental light, and indoor humidity should not be too high. After winter begins, do not prune, even if the branches and leaves are too dense, pruning must not be done; a slight mistake can cut off the flower buds and affect flowering.

2. Introduction to Poinsettia Layering Methods

1. Layering propagation is a propagation method in which branches of a plant close to the ground are bent down into the soil, while higher branches have the cut (or slit) site wrapped with moist material such as moss, and after they root, they are separated from the mother plant and planted to form new plants. Air layering is generally used.

2. First select a woody branch, generally a healthy and well-developed branch from the previous year's growth, and make a ring-shaped peel at a smooth site; the width of the ring peel is about the same as the thickness of the branch at the ring-peeled site, generally 3-4 cm is suitable; remove the phloem of the branch at the ring-peeled site, keep the upper cut smooth, then lightly scrape the cambium with a sharp knife. After finishing, wrap the cut site with wet sphagnum moss or other loose, breathable material. Generally a piece of polyethylene film 20-25 cm square is used, which has good carbon dioxide and oxygen permeability, low water vapor transmission, and can withstand longer periods of climate change. Tie the upper and lower ends tightly with tying rope, etc. (especially the lower end); if tied loosely, the medium tends to dry out, thereby affecting rooting at the cut.

3. After poinsettia layering, roots generally grow in about two months, at which point it can be cut off and planted in a pot, forming a new plant. The best time for poinsettia layering is from April to July.