Is it suitable to keep poinsettia indoors? Detailed explanation of the precautions for poinsettia home cultivation
Is poinsettia suitable for indoor cultivation?If you want to know whether poinsettia is suitable for indoor cultivation and detailed introductions to the green plant cultivation precautions, the relevant content is as follows:Poinsettia has a dainty shape with the plant about 40 cm tall, making the potted plant very graceful. The bottom leaves are emerald green, and the flowers on top have a particularly bright color, with a bright red that is favored by Chinese people as a potted plant.Is poinsettia poisonous? How poisonous is it?Poinsettia belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, which also includes plants like dragon bone, tiger thorn, and star cactus, among others. These plants, to varying degrees, have a bit of poison in their sap. Those who have cared for dragon bone or tiger thorn should have experienced this: when pruning, the cut stems will exude thick, milky white sap, which contains various toxic alkaloids. Contact with human skin can cause redness, swelling, and itchy allergic reactions, and if ingested, it can lead to food poisoning.Therefore, it's fine to keep poinsettia as a potted plant for indoor decoration, but never let children play with it. Wear gloves when pruning, and immediately rinse your hands or arms that have come into contact with the sap with soap and water afterward.Can poinsettia, being poisonous, still be cultivated indoors?As mentioned above, the sap of poinsettia contains alkaloids, which cannot be volatilized and do not散发 through the leaves or flowers. So, keeping it indoors as an ornamental item poses no problem.Of course, if there are disobedient children or curious toddlers in the house, it's best to avoid cultivating poinsettia, as caution is always the priority.Precautions for indoor cultivation of poinsettia:1. Poinsettia requires loose, well-draining soil. It is robust and can tolerate slightly salty and alkaline soil. When cultivating poinsettia, there's no need to use expensive soil; if you don't want to buy soil, you can dig loose humus sandy loam under trees. Alternatively, you can buy a cheaper, all-purpose soil.2. Fertilizing poinsettia: It should be mainly compound fertilizer to maintain a long blooming period and make the flowers more vibrant. Phosphate fertilizers, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate or "Flower More 2," should be used more.3. Watering poinsettia: As long as the first step is done right and the soil has good drainage, watering can be more relaxed. The best watering principle is "wet through and through."4. Light requirements for poinsettia: It is best to keep poinsettia in a well-lit indoor area, such as a windowsill or a balcony with direct sunlight, so that it can bloom continuously and the flowers will be brighter and more beautiful.5. Temperature requirements for poinsettia: Poinsettia is a typical flower from warm and tropical regions, preferring warmth and fearing cold. If the temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off, and below 10 degrees, it can easily freeze to death. Therefore, to keep it safe during winter, it's best to keep it indoors with a temperature of 15 degrees or higher.Can the branches of poinsettia be propagated by cutting?The main method of propagation for poinsettia is through stem cuttings, so it can indeed be propagated by stem cuttings. The difficulty of propagating poinsettia is similar to that of roses and hydrangeas.Those who have successfully propagated roses or hydrangeas will find propagating poinsettia no problem. The only thing to note is that poinsettia is less cold and low-temperature tolerant compared to roses or hydrangeas, so it's best to propagate in spring, summer, or autumn when the temperature is appropriate.The above introduction to whether poinsettia is suitable for indoor cultivation and detailed precautions for home cultivation is provided for everyone's learning and understanding.