Poinsettia care: how to keep it alive past Christmas

By Sophie Sparkes · October 2026 · 6 min read

The poinsettia is the UK's favourite Christmas plant, and also the one most likely to be dropping leaves on the carpet by Boxing Day. Almost every early death comes down to a single thing: cold. Get the first few days right and a poinsettia will easily stay bright until February or beyond.

Short answer: keep a poinsettia in a bright spot out of direct sun at a steady 15-20°C, away from draughts, cold windows and radiators. Water only when the surface of the compost feels dry, let it drain, and never leave it sitting in water or a foil sleeve full of it. Protect it from the cold on the way home, because even a few minutes below about 10°C can make the leaves drop days later.

Buying a healthy poinsettia

Poinsettias come from Mexico and are very sensitive to cold, so the damage is often done before you get home. A few things to check:

• Avoid plants displayed outside, near shop doors or in cold, draughty spots.
• Look at the centre. The coloured "petals" are really bracts, a kind of leaf. The true flowers are the small yellow-green buds in the middle. If these are still tight and fresh, the plant will last longer.
• Check for dropped or yellow leaves, and avoid plants that are wilting in their sleeve.
• Wrap it for the journey and get it home quickly. Do not leave it in a cold car.

Where to put it

Bright, indirect light, such as near but not on a sunny window, suits it best. The warmth needs to be steady: 15-20°C is ideal. Keep it away from front doors and draughty windows, off cold windowsills at night (especially behind curtains, where it gets very cold), and away from radiators and open fires, which dry it out.

Watering

Overwatering kills more poinsettias than anything except cold. Water when the surface of the compost feels dry to the touch, using room-temperature water, then let it drain completely. If it came in a decorative foil sleeve, either take it off or tip the water out after every watering; a sleeve full of water rots the roots in days. A wilting plant with dry compost needs water. A wilting plant with wet compost has too much.

Why is my poinsettia losing leaves?

• Cold, often from the journey home or a draughty spot. The leaves can drop several days after the chill.
• Draughts or sudden temperature changes, such as a door opening onto a cold hallway, or a radiator switching on next to it.
• Overwatering or the pot standing in water: lower leaves yellow, then drop.
• Underwatering: the whole plant wilts, then leaves fall.
• Too little light in a dark corner.

Move it somewhere bright, warm and steady, check the watering, and it will often stop dropping leaves within a week or so.

Keeping a poinsettia after Christmas

With good care the bracts stay colourful until February or March. After that, most people let it go, but you can keep it as a green houseplant. In April, cut the stems back to about 10cm and water sparingly until new growth appears. Repot in May, grow it on in a bright, warm spot over summer and feed every few weeks.

How to make a poinsettia turn red again

Poinsettias colour up in response to long nights. To get red bracts again for Christmas, it needs about 14 hours of complete darkness every night for around eight weeks, starting in late September or early October. Put it in a dark cupboard or cover it with a box from early evening to morning, then give it bright light during the day, and keep it at 15-20°C. Any light at night, even from a lamp or a street light, can interrupt it. It takes discipline, so many people treat it as a fun experiment rather than a sure thing.

Poinsettia questions

How do you keep a poinsettia alive?

Keep it bright, warm and steady: 15-20°C, out of draughts and away from radiators. Water only when the surface of the compost feels dry, let it drain, and never let it stand in water. Protect it from cold on the way home from the shop.

How often should I water a poinsettia?

Only when the surface of the compost feels dry, which in a warm room is often every five to seven days, and less in a cooler room. Check with your finger rather than watering on a schedule.

Is a poinsettia an indoor or outdoor plant?

In the UK it is an indoor plant. It cannot survive frost, and anything below about 10°C damages it. It can go outside in a warm, sheltered spot in summer if you are keeping it for next year, but bring it in before nights turn cool in September.

Are poinsettias poisonous to cats and dogs?

Poinsettias are only mildly toxic, and their deadly reputation is a myth. Chewing the leaves can cause drooling, vomiting or a mild upset stomach in cats and dogs, and the milky sap can irritate skin. Keep it out of reach of pets that chew, and call your vet if your pet seems unwell.

When should I put my poinsettia in the dark?

From late September or early October, for about eight weeks, if you want it to colour up again for Christmas. It needs around 14 hours of unbroken darkness each night and bright light during the day.

Why are the leaves on my poinsettia curling?

Curling or wilting leaves usually mean it is too dry, too cold, or sitting in a draught. Check the compost, move it away from doors and cold glass, and keep it at a steady temperature.