When and why do you do it?

Reasons to cut poinsettias

• Remove rotten, dry and diseased shoots
• Cut back the plant before the summer break
• Keep poinsettia in shape
• stimulate the formation of new shoots
• Cut the stems for the vase

Cut the poinsettia into shape

At an inconvenient Locationthat is too dark, the shoots of the poinsettia tend to bare. They become long and thin, what the gardener calls horny. You can cut off these shoots so that the houseplant retains a compact shape.

By cutting back, you encourage the poinsettia to develop new shoots. The plant then looks bushier and often has more shoots with colored bracts.

Cut back the poinsettia after flowering

Do you want that Poinsettia perennial care, you should cut it back after flowering, before putting it outside over the summer. Be sure to remove any old flowers.

To do this, shorten all the stems by half. You can also cut out branches that are growing transversely.

When pruning, you can cut lignified parts of the plant.

Cut dry or rotten stems

If the poinsettia is watered too much or too little, the shoots can wither or rot.

You should immerse dried poinsettias in a water bath for a short time. Most of time recovered the plant then again. If the stems remain dry, cut them off.

This also applies to rotten stems caused by waterlogging or too frequent watering. Let the potting compost dry out for a few days to allow the poinsettia to recuperate.

Cut the poinsettia for the vase

Poinsettias are not only great as a pot plant for Christmas. The bracts can also be cut as a cut flower for the vase. In order for the stems to last longer, they are held over a lit candle or lighter for a short time after they have been cut. This closes the interface and the sap cannot leak any further.

Poinsettias look particularly beautiful in the vase together with branches of the corkscrew hazelnut or a fir tree.

Only cut poinsettia with gloves

The milky sap of the poinsettia is poisonous. On the skin it can cause skin irritation. Therefore, always cut poinsettias with gloves.

If juice accidentally gets on your skin, wash it off under cold water immediately.