POINSETTIAS AND CHRISTMAS

Poinsettias and Christmas seem almost inseparable. But in fact, the bright red plants are relative newcomers to the holiday scene-it wasn't until 1825 that Joel Roberts Poinsett, who helped found the Smithsonian Institution and was the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico and an amateur botanist, introduced this colorful Mexican plant to the U.S.
Thanks to modern plant breeding, today's poinsettias are easy to grow, have longer and fuller "flowers" (known as bracts) and retain them longer.
Beyond Red
Although most people think of brilliant scarlet when they picture poinsettias, they are now found in all shades of red, plus hues of pink, peach and cream. There are also types with speckles and splashes of white on red or pink on white. The growth pattern varies, too. There are large plants that look like tropical shrubs and "munchkin" plants only 6 inches tall. There are now even varieties that have bracts shaped like open rose flowers and those with leaves resembling holly.
So Beautiful, Yet So Easy!
Years ago, poinsettias had a reputation for dropping their leaves at the slightest provocation. Fortunately, those days are over. Modern hybrids are ironclad houseplants that require only minimal care. Here are a few tips to help keep your poinsettias in top condition:
Don't place the plant near a fireplace or heat vent. The high heat and low humidity are not good for poinsettias (or any houseplants).
Keep the soil damp, but not wet. Don't let water stand in the platter, as it will waterlog the plant and rot its roots.
Place the plant in a bright spot, but not in intense direct sunlight.
Poinsettias like the same room temperatures that you do-mid-60s to low 70s.
While the plant is in bloom, it is not necessary to fertilize it. Most people know poinsettias as stellar potted plants, but they are also perfect as cut flowers in holiday arrangements. Some florists sell cut stems of poinsettias, but if yours does not, merely purchase a few large potted poinsettias for cuttings.
When you cut the stems, they'll exude a milky white sap. To stop the flow of this sap, dip the stems in boiling water for several seconds or place them over an open flame for a few seconds.
As with all cut flowers, you can increase their longevity and freshness by keeping the water clean, removing leaves of the stems that will be submerged, using a floral preservative and keeping the arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from cold drafts or hot dry air.
Decorating Drama
It's difficult to go wrong when decorating with poinsettias-they make a strong and dramatic statement wherever they're displayed. Because they come in so many different sizes, they can be used any number of ways.
For example, there's nothing more powerful than a large handsome poinsettia.except for a cluster of them. You can place them at various heights by arranging them on inverted clay pots.
Smaller plants work well tucked into garlands of evergreens on the mantel, put in urns with greens and candles, placed on windowsills or lining the staircase. They make wonderful take-home table decorations for holiday guests. If you have tall ceilings, consider adding a few spectacular poinsettia hanging baskets.
There's no need to be shy about mixing other potted plants with poinsettias. Try pots of large red amaryllis combined with cream-colored poinsettias or white-colored paperwhites with red poinsettias.
Large or small, poinsettias make a compelling holiday decorating statement, helping you add drama and excitement to your Christmas experience. This year, take full advantage of this wonderful horticultural gift from Mexico.

DECORATE HOUSEPLANTS FOR CHRISTMAS

How to Decorate Your Houseplants for Christmas
Things You’ll Need:
Christmas Tree Ornaments
Houseplants
String Lights
Extension Cords
Step1
Assess your houseplant situation. How many do you have? How big are they? Are they placed effectively, or do you need to rearrange them for the season?
Step2
Get out all your lights and ornaments and divide them up. Every plant of reasonable size should get a string of lights, and the ornaments should be divided by size. (Put chunky ornaments on the rubber tree, which has strong branches and big, thick leaves; put the tiny, delicate ornaments on the asparagus fern.)
Step3
Put the lights on the plants first, making sure the bulbs don't touch the leaves (leaves can scorch from the heat). Remember, you'll need some excess so that the lights will plug in; rig extension cords if you need to.
Step4
Hang the decorations on the plants, being careful not to overstress the branches. (On delicate plants, you'll probably want to hang the ornaments close to the main stem.) If the ornaments seem too heavy for the plants, hang them on the light cord or along the rim of the pot.

DECORATIONG POTS FOR POINSETTIA AT CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

A symbol of the holidays, poinsettias seem to say “Christmas is here.” This is the most popular potted plant in America. Gardeners will find these holiday plants fit into any holiday decorating scheme.
Choosing a Color and Style of Poinsettia
Whatever color scheme you’ve selected for the holidays, suitably colored poinsettias are available. In addition to the traditional red, the color palette includes bicolors of all sorts, and various shades of yellow as well as cream, pink, and purple. Within the last few years nurseries have resorted to magic in a can—spray paints and dyes designed specifically for live plants. These are combined with glitter to create a winter wonderland of impressionistic, painted poinsettias. If you shop carefully, you’ll even find painted ones with striped leaves.
Depending on your needs, a single-stemmed plant or a large pot containing several branching plants may be most suitable. It depends on the amount of space you have available, the style of plant you prefer, and the amount of money you want to spend.
Displaying Poinsettias
For the best effect, treat these plants as you would any other decorating accessory. For example, display three or four pots of poinsettias en masse on a long table or mantle. As an accent, coordinate the color of the plant with that of your Christmas décor.
Don’t forget that the texture of a poinsettia can lend a rich touch to a room. For decorating purposes, choose varieties with crinkled bracts.
Choosing a Container for your Poinsettia
As with the color of the poinsettia, the pot or planter should be carefully coordinated with the room’s other holiday furnishings. Premium quality poinsettias are often sold in large, attractively decorated containers, mixed planters, or hanging baskets. Some greenhouses also have them in two-tiered, topiary-like planters.
Depending on your needs, the containers can be plain or decorative. An ordinary terra cotta pot can be stenciled with suitable holiday motifs.
Cache pots and colorful woven baskets are excellent choices for poinsettias. When using these, just leave the plants in their original plastic pot.
Finishing Touches for a Poinsettia Display
There are quick and easy ways to draw attention to your poinsettias. Add holiday ribbons and bows to the pots. Dress up plain plastic pots by wrapping them in Christmas fabric or gift wrap. Just remove this wrapping before you water the plant.
For large planters, place glass baubles, shiny Christmas ornaments, or painted, glittery pine cones around the base of the plants.
Display pots of poinsettias on a colorful, seasonal table topper or miniature quilt.

DECORATING POINSETTIAS AT CHRISTMAS

Poinsettias are a traditional sight at Christmas. The festive plant has been long associated with the Christmas season. Poinsettias generally come in plastic pots from the nursery and are then transferred into a more decorative pot by the purchaser (like terracotta, etc). Pots are generally plain and not decorated for Christmas. If you want to decorate your pot for your Poinsettia plant, this article will tell you five ways you can do just that.
How to Decorate Pots for Poinsettia's at Christmas
#1: PaintYou can use paint to jazz up a pot. If you're using a terracotta pot, you'll need water-based acrylic paint (very user friendly), small paintbrushes, water, newspaper and rags. Be careful not to wear good clothing when doing this because the acrylic paint will NOT wash out. If you're not sure how to paint on a terracotta pot, The Artistic Garden has a great how to guide right here. You could design one of your own Christmas designs for your pot, or you could get some ideas for looking at these painted Christmas pots here, here and here.
How to Decorate Pots for Poinsettia's at Christmas
#2: Silk FlowersSilk Poinsettia's are sold aplenty in craft departments at local stores or at Fabric stores. To use silk Poinsettia's on your pot, you'll need a hot glue gun, glue sticks and several silk Poinsettias'. Cut and glue only the Poinsettia part on your pot. Cover up the entire surface on the pot or place flowers sporadically for a beautiful holiday look. If you can't find silk Poinsettia's where you live, you can buy them online here. They sell silk Poinsettia's in white, red, burgundy, purple and gold.
How to Decorate Pots for Poinsettia's at Christmas
#3: FabricDepending on what type of pot you're using, you can hot glue fabric for a cute and quick Christmas look. You can hit the craft department at Wal-Mart or at your favorite Fabric store for a wide selection of Christmas fabrics. You'll need to measure your pot to make sure you get enough fabric. It is better to have a little more fabric then you need, then not enough. Besides your Christmas fabric, you'll need a hot glue gun, glue sticks and scissors.
How to Decorate Pots for Poinsettia's at Christmas
#4: Wrapping PaperIf you want a short term decorative look, use Christmas wrapping paper and ribbon. Cut off enough wrapping paper to cover your pot. Set your pot in the middle of the wrapping paper and then pull the paper up. At the base of the pot, tie a ribbon around and trim away excess wrapping paper with a pair of scissors.
How to Decorate Pots for Poinsettia's at Christmas
#5: BeadsBeads are a beautiful touch on a pot. You'll need several different beads in Christmas colors (red, green, white gold, silver, etc), a glue gun and glue sticks. You can either glue beads in no particular pattern or draw out a design you want to use before you start applying beads. Some suggestions are a green bead Christmas tree surrounded by red beats or gold/yellow beads in star shapes surrounded by green and red beads. The pattern possibilities are endless. Let your imagination take you away.