Plant idenfication

Guys,
I bought this for my wife from Morrisons on Christmas Eve. It is still going strong sat on my south-ish facing front window sill.
I'd like to know:
1) Its name. Flower/plant???
2) Can it be planted outside and re-flower each year.
3) How hardy it is and will it survive a UK winter.

Thanks in advance

Michael.

 

Hi Michael it's a poinsettia. If you Google that you'll probably find what a hassle they can be if you want to try to keep them going! They need a lot of careful light control at some point in the year I think ... even complete darkness for a specific time. Not the easiest to keep for sure ... unless you're willing to put the work in to meet their exacting requirements !

 

Poinsettia, great thanks for that.
I will do some digging online, see what I can find.

Michael

 

Most right thinking people dump them after the Christmas period.
Only complete plant fanatics bother to try getting them to flower again next year.

 

Poinsettia originally from Central America, won't like English weather too cold and too wet so really an indoor plant.
I've seen them growing wild in Nepal and flowering in October. A friend of mine had some in big pots that got too about 4-5ft tall only ever green leaves, but balcony after the frosts had gone and then winter inside at the top of the stairs probably not less than 10°C. They live in North Rhine Westphalia near Hannover.
This picture was from a trip to Nepal about 8 years ago.

 

Thanks for all info. The plant is still on my south facing front window sill and still going strong. Not a single leaf has come off it so far.
There's no way I'm going to bin it if it doing well. It would end up in divorce!

I'm now wondering what would be the consequences of planting outside under my front window sill. Would it live or would the leaves turn green and stay green?
I have read that they need to be in total darkeness from September thru November. That's not a problem, as I could simply put a bin liner over it.
I used to have red Geraniums there but I took them up because of their ghastly smell.

If it is going to be too much hassle I will just keep it where it is now and leave it alone.

Rgds

Michael.

 

The red bracts can stay on the plant until summer but most people, as mentioned, dispose of them by then. It may survive outside from May onwards, unless there is a late frost but would probably not survive beyond October. It is specifically a house/conservatory plant here.

 

They are commercially, a christmas gimmick. Like potted chrysanths. Basically they are rooted (hopefully) cuttings. The eye catching flowers, are in the case of the poinsettia, not flowers at all. The actual flowers are small clusters of yellow, looking like buds just opening. The bright red exhibits are simply the terminal bracts.

 

Thanks for all info guys.
Just an update for April. My Poinsettia is still going strong, and even showing signs of new growth. All the while it has been sat on my south facing window sill and watered regularly just to keep the soil moist.
The first thing I did when I got it was to re pot it in a slightly larger pot.
Sometimes, I will put it outside in the sun is out for a few hours, but never overnight.

Ok, so what do I do now?
Do I: just leave it where it is and water
Do I: wait until late summer and cover it with a bin liner for a couple of months.

This has been an interesting plant for me and am determined to keep it going, rather than bin it.

Thanks in advance

Michael.

 

Well done Michael, the plant looks healthy! Quite obviously you have done everything right light- and watering wise so I wouldn't suggest changing anything.

I grew one as a houseplant a while ago and it grew into a nice small tree. I did consider the well orchestrated regime of excluding light for 12 hours, then bright light for 12 etc but it was just too much of a hassle. My plant got all the bugs in the world, starting with red spider mites so in the end had to go.

If memory serves right, Poinsettia responds well to pruning so that might be a good idea further down in the spring.

Poinsettia is very poisonous so is best kept away from pets, kids and curious foraging adults.

 

We have a ponseta from about 3 Christmas 's ago. It's just a nice green plant now - no longer red but yes it makes a nice green houseplant. I've not been tempted to do the 12 hours day and night cycle to get it to flower. You see them growing out doors in the canary Islands but here it would die. It's a beautiful plant even when green if grown in a sunny room. We can't bring ourselves to chuck it so have never bought another!

 

Hi,
Please see attached images.
My Poinsettia plant just refuses to die. You can clearly see signs of new leaf growth.
It has been kept indoors all year, but last week I decided to to plant it outside.
I'm concerned that it will die in Autumn/Winter if not covered with a plastic bag.

I'd like some menbers' advise before I either leave it where it is or re-pot it and bring it inside.

Thanks in advance

Michael.

 

It's a tropical plant so I don't think it will survive a Manchester winter outside even if covered.