New Ways with Poinsettias: Creative Combos & Year-Round Care

Poinsettias shine solo, but they're even more striking paired with bromeliads, caladiums, or ivy in simple containers—skip the foil wrap. New varieties in red, salmon, pink, and yellow appear at nurseries each season (like those from Molbak's in Woodinville, WA), but unnamed classics work just as well.

Holiday Care

• Light: Bright, indirect; avoid drafts, heat vents, fireplaces.
• Water: When top ½ inch of soil dries.
• Fertilize: Half-strength liquid every two weeks.

After the Holidays

Leaves drop in late winter. Reblooming requires 14 hours of total darkness nightly plus 10 hours of light daily for 10 weeks starting in October—a strict regimen. Instead, treat them as foliage plants: cut back to two buds, reduce water, store cool indoors until frost passes, then move to patio pots for summer.