Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Herbaceous PerennialHouseplants

Euphorbia pulcherrima

poinsettia

A semi-evergreen shrub with large, bluntly toothed, ovate leaves and tiny yellow flowers with leaf-like bright red bracts, opening in winter

Other common names

bird-of-paradise flower
Christmas flower
see moreChristmas star
fire on the mountain
lobster flower
Mexican Easter flower
Mexican flameleaf
painted leaf
pride of Barbados
fire plant

Synonyms

Euphorbia pulcherrima mixed

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1B

Botanical details

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Euphorbia can be annuals, perennials, shrubs or succulents, with milky sap and small flowers held within cupped, often colourful bracts
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow indoors in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added bark and leaf mould in full light during winter, avoiding any draughts. Minimum temperature of 13-15°C ( 55-59°F) during the flowering season. Water sparingly during growth and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every 10-14 days. See Euphorbia for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by stem cuttings in early summer. Use a hormone rooting compound

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants

Pruning

Prune back the plants hard in April, to about 10cm (4in). Repot them, growing them in a light, cool place over summer. A temperature of 15-18°C (60-65°F) is ideal. Flowering and bract colouring is initiated by short winter day-length, occurring naturally in December and January. So from November onwards, plants should be put in a dark room after twelve hours of daylight and protected from artificial light sources Plants need a constant temperature of around 18°C (55°F) to colour up well, so make sure they do not get too cold

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, glasshouse whitefly and mealybugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.