Valley Pacific Floral Blog

'Tis the season for all things Christmas!  Shopping, baking cookies, picking out and cutting your tree, decorating your home, wrapping gifts, the list goes on and on. Think of Valley Pacific Floral in Woodburn, OR.  One of our favorite Christmas staples here at the shop is the ever so beautiful Poinsettia plant.  Nothing says Christmas like this large red and green plant.  And what better way to decorate your home with something that will last well beyond December 25th.  Looking to stretch your holiday budget?  Give the gift of a poinsettia, and with just a little extra love and care, they can get it to re-bloom next year!

Our Poinsettia Cart!

One common misconception about these flowers, or what we THINK are the flowers, are that they are technically not flowers at all.  They are called bracts, which are modified leaves which call attention to the small and insignificant real flowers that are the little yellow nubs in the center.  If your poinsettia is well cared for, these red bracts will stay red until springtime.  You can see the yellow flower 'nubs' in this picture below.

The yellow flower 'nubs' in the center of the red bracts

Poinsettia Care:
They like 4-6 hours of bright light, but not direct sunlight.  They like to be warm like us in the winter, about 68 degrees Fahrenheit ;)  No drafts or chilly windows either.  Water them once the top inch of soil is dry, but don't let them sit in water, for they don't like wet feet.  And if you really love your plant, you can fertilize it every two weeks to make them extra happy!

Re-blooming Poinsettias:
If you've managed to keep your plant watered throughout spring and summer, you're doing great!  The key to getting them to re-bloom is to remember that they are so-called "short day" plants.  The bloom cycle of the plant will only start once the night time period of darkness is at least 14 hours long.  So if you want flowers by Christmas, you'll want to place the plant in a closet, under a box, or in a very dark corner of your basement from late afternoon until morning, starting late September through early November.  During this time, even the slightest light from a light bulb at night can interrupt the bloom cycle.  During the day, keep the plants in their normal warm bright location.  And if all goes well, you'll notice the green bracts start to turn red!!!

Poinsettias come in many colors, although the most traditional are red and white.  And with a little love, this plant will last all year long!  Come stop by our store and pick one out for yourself or give one as a gift!  Merry Christmas from all the gals at Valley Pacific Floral! :D