What to Do When Poinsettia Drops Its Leaves? 6 Causes and 6 Solutions

In summer, poinsettias must never be exposed to direct strong light. If the sunlight is too intense and ventilation is poor, the high temperature and dryness can easily cause the poinsettia to drop its leaves.

In summer, potted poinsettias should be placed in a well-ventilated spot, protected from direct sun exposure, and given some shade. It is best to keep a distance of 50 cm between pots, and the ground should be sprayed with water frequently to increase air humidity.

Poinsettias prefer a warm, humid and cool climate and are not cold-tolerant. The suitable growing temperature is 15—20°C; in winter, keep nighttime temperatures above 15°C and never below 5°C, otherwise the poinsettia's leaves will fall off. Opening a window for even one blast of cold air in winter can also cause the poinsettia to drop a large number of leaves.

In winter, the temperature for poinsettias should be raised starting in mid-October each year, and the plant should be kept in a relatively stable indoor environment. By mid-October, place it in a warm spot facing south that gets sun, making sure it is not hit by cold drafts that cause leaf drop.

Poinsettias fear both drought and waterlogging. If the potting soil is too wet, the poinsettia cannot carry out photosynthesis properly, resulting in poor nutrition and leaf drop.

If recent overwatering has caused leaf drop, place the poinsettia in a cool, ventilated spot and give it plenty of light during the day to dry out the excess moisture in the soil, then resume normal watering. In addition, drain the water after heavy rain, or move the poinsettia indoors before the rain.

Poinsettias like humidity. If the potting soil is too dry, the poinsettia will suffer physiological water shortage, causing its leaves to curl and drop in large numbers.

Get the frequency and amount of watering right. Generally, water poinsettias once every 2 days in spring. In summer, when the branches and leaves are lush and growth is fast, water more generously and provide plenty of moisture. In winter, watering should be controlled, and watering should also be reduced after flowering.

Poinsettias like fertilizer and need a good amount of nitrogen during the growing season. A shortage of nitrogen will cause the lower leaves of the poinsettia to fall off.

Besides the base fertilizer applied when potting, within one month after pinching, apply diluted fermented cake fertilizer water about once every 7 days, and do not apply too much. Do not fertilize during the flowering period, otherwise the leaf bracts will scorch. Before bringing the plant indoors in winter, apply a small amount of compound fertilizer to help it through the winter. Be careful not to over-fertilize when feeding, to avoid burning the roots.

Poinsettias are quite sensitive to moisture. If growers water the poinsettia so that it is soaking wet one moment and then forget to water it the next, leaving the potting soil excessively dry, it will very easily cause the poinsettia's leaves to drop in large numbers.

Poinsettias tolerate neither drought nor waterlogging. Watering should be adjusted flexibly according to the weather, the potting soil and the plant's growth. Generally, it is best to water so as to keep the potting soil moist without water accumulating.

What to Do When Poinsettia Drops Its Leaves - What to Do When the Poinsettia's Flowers Are Not Red

The poinsettia is both a flowering plant and a foliage plant. Today, the editor will explain below what to do when a poinsettia drops its leaves and what to do when the poinsettia's flowers are not red.

What to Do When Poinsettia Drops Its Leaves

Cause 1: Too Much Light

If a poinsettia is exposed to the scorching sun for a long time, its leaves may dry out and fall off. This is most common in summer.

Solution: During the season of intense sunlight, place the poinsettia indoors and water it more according to the room temperature, or increase the indoor air humidity, so the leaves will not fall off easily.

Cause 2: Too Low a Temperature

Poinsettias are not cold-tolerant and should not be grown in an environment where the room temperature is too low. If the room temperature drops below 5°C, the leaves will easily fall off.

Solution: In the cold winter, it is best to grow the poinsettia in a warmer place. If you cannot find such a place, it is recommended to turn on the heating to adjust the indoor temperature.

Cause 3: Overwatering

Poinsettias fear waterlogging. If watered too much and the potting soil is too wet, photosynthesis works poorly, and the leaves easily fall off due to lack of nutrients.

Solution: Water poinsettias appropriately, try not to water too much, and drain properly on rainy days.

Cause 4: Too Little Watering

When a poinsettia lacks water, its leaves will curl and may even drop in large numbers. If you notice this, pay attention to the amount of water you give.

Solution: Water poinsettias once every 2 days in spring. In summer, when the branches and leaves are lush and growth is fast, water more generously and provide plenty of moisture.

Cause 5: Improper Fertilizing

Poinsettias like fertilizer and need a good amount of nitrogen during the growing season. A shortage of nitrogen will cause the plant's lower leaves to fall off.

Solution: Do not fertilize too much, especially during the flowering period, otherwise the leaves will scorch from excessive nutrition. In addition, in winter, it is recommended to apply fermented human manure and urine.

What to Do When the Poinsettia's Flowers Are Not Red

Here are several possible causes and solutions for you:

1. Long-Term Lack of Light

Solution: With insufficient light, the poinsettia not only grows poorly but is also prone to disease. So not seeing red bracts is a minor problem; you are lucky if there are no symptoms like yellow leaves or root rot. Quickly move your poinsettia to a spot with plenty of sunlight, and those red bracts will, I believe, appear very soon.

2. The Flowering Period Has Not Arrived

Solution: The poinsettia's flowering period can last from December to February of the following year. If its flowering period has not yet arrived, that is, it is still in the growing period, green leaves may be sprouting continuously, so naturally the red bracts that growers see will be fewer.

3. Insufficient Fertilizing

Solution: Insufficient fertilizing is fatal to a poinsettia's growth. A poinsettia short on fertilizer tends to be short and weak - am I right? Quickly give it some special plant nutrient fertilizer; this is a great source of nutrition for it to sprout and grow those red bracts.

Causes of Yellowing Poinsettia Leaves, What to Do When Poinsettia Leaves Turn Yellow

As the name suggests, of course the poinsettia's ornamental value lies in its fiery red color. But sometimes growers may not know much about the poinsettia's growth habits, and improper care causes its leaves to turn yellow. So what are the causes of yellowing poinsettia leaves? Below, let me explain what to do when poinsettia leaves turn yellow.

Causes of Yellowing Poinsettia Leaves

After autumn begins, the basal leaves of the poinsettia easily turn yellow. The main reasons:

1. Potting Soil Too Dry

Because the weather after autumn is relatively dry and the sunlight is still strong, the potting soil easily dries out. Therefore, a poinsettia placed on a balcony or in a sunny spot should be watered thoroughly in the morning and given one additional watering in the evening.

2. The Pot Is Too Small

If the pot was small when first planted, then after growing through spring and summer the plant has become larger with more branches and leaves, and the potting soil lacks nutrients, causing the leaves to turn yellow. Therefore, repot promptly after autumn begins. Poinsettias like warmth and fear cold; leaves also easily turn yellow when exposed to cold in winter, so caring well for a poinsettia in winter means paying attention to cold protection. For a poinsettia bought from a flower market, wrap it well with newspaper etc. on the way home to avoid cold drafts; for a home-grown poinsettia, move it into a greenhouse promptly in winter and keep the indoor temperature at 10°C-18°C, and remember to water promptly. This will reduce yellowing and leaf drop.

What to Do When Poinsettia Leaves Turn Yellow

Poinsettias need plenty of light to grow well, with only slight shading during the hot summer period simply to lower the temperature of the micro-environment.

Water by the principle of letting the soil dry before watering again; do not water while the surface soil is still dry.

When infested by whiteflies, the leaves develop small yellow spots, after which the whole leaf withers, turns yellow and falls off. Spray insecticides such as imidacloprid and pymetrozine promptly for control.

If the indoor temperature in winter can be kept above 15°C, then while controlling pests and diseases you can also cut back or pinch the plant, and you may still see beautiful bracts and inflorescences around Christmas.