How often should I water a poinsettia?

When the top inch of soil is dry, usually about once a week in a warm room. Water until it drains from the bottom, let it drain completely, and never leave it standing in the foil sleeve or a full saucer.

Why is my poinsettia dropping its leaves?

Usually soggy soil, a cold draft, or being moved around. Check that the pot drains, keep it above about 50°F and away from vents and doors, and leave it in one bright spot.

How do I keep a poinsettia after Christmas?

Keep it in a bright window, water only when the top inch is dry, and keep it warm. The colored bracts fade over several weeks, and the plant itself can stay green for the rest of the year.

Poinsettia Care and Pet Safety: Past the Holidays

A poinsettia is the one houseplant most people bring home in December and lose by February, usually from too much water or a cold drafty doorway. It can last for months with a bright window and a careful hand, and the ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats and dogs.

How often to water a poinsettia

Water a poinsettia when the top inch of the soil is dry, then water until it drains from the bottom and let it drain completely. The most common way to lose one is a pot that sits in water, and the most common cause of that is the decorative foil sleeve it came in. Punch a hole in the foil or take the plant out of it to water.

A poinsettia wilts when it is too dry and also when its roots are drowning, so check the soil before you add water. If the plant is drooping and the soil is wet, more water is the wrong answer.

Light and humidity

Give it bright, indirect light for at least six hours a day, such as a south or west window with a sheer curtain, and keep the leaves from touching cold glass. Keep it away from heat vents, radiators and cold drafts. Anything much below 50°F or a blast from an opening door can make it drop its leaves.

Comfortable room temperatures, roughly 60–70°F, keep the colored bracts looking good for the longest time. The bracts are modified leaves, and they fade slowly whatever you do.

Humidity: Average household humidity is fine.

Why is my poinsettia dying?

Dropping leaves usually come from one of three things: soggy soil, a cold draft, or a sudden move from the store. Check the soil first, then check where the plant is standing, and hold it steady in one good spot.

Yellowing lower leaves on a plant that has been well cared for are often just age. If the whole plant yellows and the stems are soft at the base, the roots have rotted and the plant is unlikely to recover.

A sticky white sap from a broken stem is normal for the Euphorbia family. It is a skin and mouth irritant, so keep it away from your face and out of reach of pets.

How to propagate a poinsettia

Poinsettias can be rooted from stem cuttings about four to six inches long, taken in late spring or early summer from a plant that has been grown on. Let the milky sap stop flowing, dip the cut end in rooting hormone, and keep the cutting warm and humid. Wear gloves, because the sap irritates skin.

Getting a plant to color up again is a different job. It needs about 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness every night for several weeks in autumn, and most people find that harder than propagating. Treat a second-year color-up as a bonus rather than the goal.

Is a poinsettia safe for pets and children?

cats: Toxic. Source: ASPCA, Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima).
dogs: Toxic. Source: ASPCA, Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima).
People, including children: Not covered by our source. The ASPCA assesses animals only, so this page makes no claim about people. If a child eats part of any houseplant, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US).

Its reputation is far worse than the reality — the milky sap irritates the mouth and stomach, causing drooling and mild vomiting, but it is rarely serious. Keep it out of reach, but don’t panic over a stray nibble.

The poinsettia pet-safety page, with the ASPCA listing

Keeping it alive when you share a home

A poinsettia usually arrives as a gift for the whole house, so name one person who waters it, because a plant everyone waters is how the pot ends up soggy.

It is also one to decide about where the pets are, since the ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats and dogs. Put it on a shelf or table the animals do not use, and tell guests who bring one over that it is not a plant to leave at nose height.

If you use Family Greenhouse for this, sharing plants with a household explains who sees what and who gets reminded.

The honest bit

My take: treat a poinsettia as a lovely seasonal plant that happens to live through the winter if you are careful, and do not feel bad if it does not survive to next Christmas. Most of the disappointment comes from a pot that sat wet in its foil.

On pets, the poinsettia’s reputation is worse than the listing suggests. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats and dogs, with the milky sap irritating the mouth and stomach, and it is rarely serious. Still keep it out of reach, and if a pet has eaten some and seems unwell, call your vet or a poison hotline. The pet-safety page for poinsettia shows the listing, and the free pet-safe checker covers your other plants.

Poinsettia FAQ

How often should I water a poinsettia?: When the top inch of soil is dry, usually about once a week in a warm room. Water until it drains from the bottom, let it drain completely, and never leave it standing in the foil sleeve or a full saucer.
Why is my poinsettia dropping its leaves?: Usually soggy soil, a cold draft, or being moved around. Check that the pot drains, keep it above about 50°F and away from vents and doors, and leave it in one bright spot.
How do I keep a poinsettia after Christmas?: Keep it in a bright window, water only when the top inch is dry, and keep it warm. The colored bracts fade over several weeks, and the plant itself can stay green for the rest of the year.
Is a poinsettia toxic to cats and dogs?: Yes. The ASPCA lists Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) as toxic to cats and dogs. Its reputation is far worse than the reality — the milky sap irritates the mouth and stomach, causing drooling and mild vomiting, but it is rarely serious. Keep it out of reach, but don’t panic over a stray nibble.

Poinsettia care