When do you have to cut a poinsettia?

Content

• When do you have to cut a poinsettia?
• Reasons to cut Christmas stars
• Cut Christmas star into shape
• Cut back the Christmas star after flowering
• Cut dried or rotten stems
• Cut Christmas star for the vase
• Cut Christmas star only with gloves
• Tips

Dried and rotten should be cut back

When do you have to cut a poinsettia?

If you only want to maintain your Poinsettia for one season anyway, you do not have to worry about pruning the houseplant. However, if you want to try to make the plant bloom again the following year, you need to reach for a pair of scissors to cut it. What you have to keep in mind when cutting back the Christmas star.

Early article pour poinsettia with instinct Next article Brighten up the poinsettia again

Reasons to cut Christmas stars

Cut Christmas star into shape

In an unfavorable location, which is too dark, the shoots of the poinsettia tend to be bleak. They become long and thin, the horticulturist calls it. You can cut these shoots quietly, so that the houseplant keeps a compact shape.

By cutting back, you stimulate the poinsettia to form new shoots. The plant then looks bushier and often gets more shoots with colored bracts.

Cut back the Christmas star after flowering

If you want to care for the poinsettia perennial, you should cut it back after flowering, before putting it outside for the summer. Be sure to remove all old flowers.

Shorten all stems by half. You can also cut out crosswise branches.

When cutting back, you can cut lignified parts of the plant.

Cut dried or rotten stems

If the poinsettia is poured too much or too little, the shoots may wither or rot.

Dried Christmas stars should be dipped in a water bath for a short time. Most of the time the plant will recover. If the stems dry up, cut them off.

This also applies to rotten stems caused by waterlogging or too frequent pouring. Allow the potting soil to dry out for a few days to allow the poinsettia to recover.

Cut Christmas star for the vase

Poinsettias are not only good as potted plants for Christmas. The bracts can also be cut as a cut flower for the vase. To keep the stems longer, they are held over a lit candle or lighter for a short time after the cut. This closes the interface and the sap can not continue to leak.

Poinsettias in the vase are especially pretty with branches of corkscrew hazel or a fir tree.

Cut Christmas star only with gloves

The latex of the poinsettia is poisonous. On the skin it can cause skin irritation. Always cut Christmas stars with gloves.

If juice has accidentally got on your skin, wash it off immediately under cold water.

Tips

After cutting, it takes some time for the re-emergence to become noticeable. After about two weeks, but the first new shoot tips should show.