Sorry Izzy wish I had an answer... I just treat the 'very' few I buy as annuals... try to keep them going and looking good as long as I can and otherwise give up!

yes, i agree wtih Mg I'm afraid.... I once had to buy a large number of poinsettias from a nursery and had to go and check out hte quality at the nursery where they were being grown. I;ll never forget the glasshouse - it was unbelievably humid and hot to get them into tip top condition. grown like that, its hardy surprising that when they are taken out of that environment and out into teh real world that it's a huge shock to them and that's why they drop their leaves. Bit like lying on the beach in your bikini and suddenly being dropped in the snow!! lol Merry Xmas :-)

My brother until recently used to grow thousands of them.
I dont remember his glass house been really humid but eveyone has their own ideas, I wonder if the onse you went to see were in Holland as the dutch grow eveything quickly.
I agree the sight of thousands upon thousands of red poinsettias is a sight to behold :) I had to choose 10 each year for myself (from 25000) it was hard work lol.
The main problem is that if you dont buy british chances are it has got cold
They hate to be in a draught and thats where most supermarkets and garden centers seem to put them!!!:(
They also dont like plastic sleeves as the gasses they produce are toxic to them selves and so when in a plastic sleeve they basically cant breath.
Always buy in paper sleeves and try not to buy from super markets because even when they are in a sheltered spot in the shop I bet they were waiting on a trolly outside in a holding bay getting cold.
Customers who bought from us found they lived well and didnt drop if they didnt leave in car for too long, dont put in a draught, dont shut them between the cutains and the window at night either lift into the room, dont put by radiator, and dont over water .. neglect is better. Fred Yates my brother grew his poinsettias usually as cool as they can without them getting too cold or frosted. This is for two reasons, the first being they dont shock so much and they are cheaper to produce than with lots of heat.
British growers get no subsidies like the dutch so if it costs too much no will help to bail you out.
The tricky bit then is getting them red for christmas next year!
for this you need to give them night and day even when our nights are drawning in...hence lots of lights on at night.
In this country without the use of lights it is imposible to get them red for christmas.
It is very tricky that one

Interesting facts there Vicky.

(A lot of garden centre plants have foreign labels on so presumably they're the dutch ones.
This is my pet hate subject, those labels never, ever give proper information in the english language so you have to guess what's what. Grrrrr)

How fascinating, Vicky! I knew they were a very temperamental species but never realised how controlled the growing environment had to be.

Mine are dropping their leaves very quickly. They must have been in those draughty conditions prior to purchase, I suspect. I've kept them underwatered rather than the reverse...but to no avail! Unfortunately this year I DID purchase the largest one from a supermarket...Eeeeegh! Never again!

Thank you for that...I've printed it off!

Pleased you found it useful
It may re-shoot but it is very unlikely
They always look so very red and lush in the super markets its sometimes hard to resist
The red that is just a little deeper and has a flat leaf is the variety we used to grow. (alot in super markets have a slightly twisted or crinklier leaf and they are very very bright red )
Hope it helps you all choose good poinsettias
I always feel sorry for them in the super markets and the people purchasing them as most will not make it to new year.
Of course there is always the odd exception. :)

Hello Izzy.....like yours my pink Poinsettia began playing up the day after I brought it home. I had it on a west facing window sill and thought it would be fine with the double glazing, but the lower leaves started to shrivel and drop. I moved it away from the window but still in a light place and found it it a very thirsty plant, and I water it every day!...Now it has settled down and looks really happy, the golden flowers in the centre of the bracts are just beginning to open....:o)

Vicky thank you so much for the really useful info. I definitely wont be buying my Poinsettia's from a supermarket in future. In fact I only bought one this year as part of a basket arrangement to give to an elderly friend - then with us both coughing so badly decided we couldn't visit her and risk giving her the bug; so the basket is in the dining room - looks okay but not great.

Hi Izzy like many used to treat them as annuals then got chatting to Delonix who lives in the tropics where they grow outside as shrubs.

Like Vicky said they better to dry out then water than water regularly.Delonix suggested we give it 15 hours darkness in a cupboard - giving it a little light each day for 2 months prior to Christmas.

They get leggy as obviously stems grow on from previous season but we now have a tall red poinsettia from last year ..dont know how many years we can keep doing this for as not really got room for a 6 ft shrub in the living room but nice to know they can be saved if you can be bothered lol

Well done bonkers bob
that is exactly how to do it
unfortunatley they are large plants natuarally.
Well done :)

Hi Vicky - in fact it was a British nursery, but I'm aware that most come from Holland. Welcome to GoY BTW :-)

Thank you for your welcome Bob
Yes they do mainly come from holland but british is definatley best.
Sadly my brother doesnt grow them any more but for years he was one of the leading growers in uk of them and did lectures to growers in uk and holland on growing them.
He doesnt want all the stress of someone leaving an outside light on for too long at the wrong time now..
he just does his plant breeding and is a leading begonia specialist.

Bob? ;-)