Technical Information Bulletin

SUBJECT: Poinsettia Care and Handling

As a poinsettia grower, you've just spent the past several months producing an outstanding Christmas crop. You take great pride in sending your product off to market. Will you be proud of your plants after they've endured the stresses of marketing and distribution? What can you do to ensure that your "bench quality" carries through to the ultimate consumer? The following tips will help to ensure quality poinsettias each the retail shelf.

Poinsettias are sensitive plants that must be protected by using boxes and individual sleeves during transit. The proper care during transit will prevent bruising and mechanical damage to the leaves and bracts. These sleeves should extend 2 to 3 inches above the tips of the bracts to provide complete protection. The first step in preserving quality is to unbox and unsleeve poinsettias immediately upon arrival. The ideal situation is not to leave poinsettias in their sleeves for more than 24 hours.

Prolonged storage of poinsettias in any type of sleeve (paper, plastic or mesh) may result in epinasty. Epinasty is a condition characterized by the droopy appearance of the plant. The upward bending of leaf and bract petioles during sleeving causes the plant to produce ethylene. The exposure to the ethylene gas may result in droopy bracts and leaves after the removal of the sleeves. The length of time the plants are sleeved affects the severity of the epinasty. Poisettias should never be displayed in their sleeves.

Warmer temperatures during transport generally cause more severe epinasty. The best temperature range for transporting poinsettias from the greenhouse to the store is 50-55°F (10-13°C). Avoid shipping temperatures below 50°F (10°C), since poinsettias are very susceptible to damage by chilling. Indicators of chilling injury include bluing or whitening of bracts on red plants. Chilling damage is usually not apparent immediately, but appears one to two days after exposure.

Since there is a link between epinasty and ethylene production, don't store or ship poinsettias with bananas or other ethylene-producing fruits. Warn supermarket retailers to keep the plants away from the banana-ripening room and coolers.

Reduce the risk of epinasty further by carefully selecting those poinsettia cultivars with built-in resistance to the condition. The Annette Hegg family of poinsettias is susceptible to epinasty. The newer cultivars tend to be much more resistant to this condition. Generally, recovery from moderate epinasty is possible after 48 hours of proper care in a well-lighted environment (minimum 100 foot-candles) with temperatures of 65-75°F (18-24°C). However, plants may be slow to recover or may not recover at all if they have been sleeved for an extended length of time.

The suggested way to remove the sleeve is to tear it gently along the seam, carefully avoiding any rubbing or abrasion to the bracts and leaves. Poinsettia bracts are fragile, and black or white bruises will develop on the bracts, as a result of rough handling.

Instruct retailers to give plants the right amount of water. Over-watering poinsettias on display can be just as detrimental as under-watering the plants. Poinsettias do best with a moist soil condition - not too wet and not too dry. Check the plants daily and water only when the soil feels dry to the touch.

When watering the plants, allow excess water to drain through the holes in the bottom of the pot. It is important to discard the excess water, as poinsettias left sitting in water may suffer from permanent root-rot damage. This can be a concern especially when the pots are foil-wrapped or placed in pre-formed covers. If this is the case, discard the trapped water inside the pot covers.

Once a customer has purchased a poinsettia, protection from cold, snow and frost is very important. Exposure to just a few seconds of freezing temperatures or chilling winds may destroy a beautiful plant. Placing the poinsettia in a sleeve or large, roomy shopping bag to keep the cold air off the bracts will usually give it the protection needed.

©1999 Paul Ecke Ranch All Rights Reserved	.
We hope the information provided will be helpful. It is based upon data and knowledge ( including information provided by the recipient) considered to be true and accurate, but without independent investigation and is offered for the recipient's consideration, investigation and verification, but we do not warrant the results to be obtained. Please read all statement, recommendations, or suggestions in conjunction with any conditions of sale or use which apply to any products, or systems recommended by us. No statement, recommendation, or suggestion is intended for any use which would infringe any patent/copyright.