Euphorbia pulcherrima

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Plant
ID 155 Euphorbia pulcherrima
Botanic Name Euphorbia pulcherrima
Common Name Poinsettia
Family Name Euphorbiaceae
Cultivars 'Annette Hegg', 'Henriette Ecke'
Origin South America, Mexico, Zone 9-11
Growth Type Shrub
Bark Type Soft wooded
Foliage Type Deciduous Water Use Medium
No. of Species 2,000
Growth Habit Bun-shape Growth Rate Fast
Height 3 - 4 m (10 - 13 ft) Spread 4 m (13 ft)
Plant Overview
This shrub has a short trunk with slender spreading branches that form a open rounded crown. It has dark green oblong smooth textured leaves and the small yellow flowers are accompanied with scarlet red bracts and appear in late autumn.
Leaf
Type Simple Additional Information
Shape Broad ovate
The 150mm (6in) long dark green leaves are broad-lanceolate to broad ovate with an entire margin that may be dentate to having large triangular lobes. The petiole is reddish and the apex is acuminate.
Arrangement Alternate
Margin Entire
Colour Green
Size 120 - 150 mm ( 4.7 - 5.9 in )
Flower
Perfume Odorless Additional Information
Shape Urceolate
The tiny urceolate flowers are arranged with a female flower with a single pistil and several male flowers each with a single stamen. Both are enclosed in an involucre (cyathium) surrounded by large showy bracts that are red, pink, yellow, cream.
Inflorescence Cyme
Colour Yellow - green
Size 6 - 8 mm ( 0.2 - 0.3 in )
Flowering in
(Southern Hemisphere)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Fruit
Type Capsule Additional Information
Colour Brown
The 3-valve capsule is an explosive schizocarp and contains numerous seeds that are viable but the plant is commonly reproduced vegetatively to maintain true to type.
Edible No
Bird Attractive No
Size 0 - 0 mm ( 0.0 - 0.0 in )
Fruiting in
(Southern Hemisphere)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Environment & Cultivation
Natural Soil Well drained, sandy loam, added compost, acid pH 5.5-7.0, reliable moisture
Container Pots, tubs, planter boxes, under glass in cool climates in a bright position
Climate Warm to sub-tropical
Aspect Full sun, semi shade, protected position slightly drought tolerant, frost tender
Pest & Diseases Leaf burn in dry position, whiteflies, bacterial canker, crown gall, grey mould
Fertiliser Complete fertiliser during spring, additional organic material to the soil
Pruning May be cut back hard after flowering or trimmed to maintain a rounded bushy habit
Cultural Uses Propagation
Poinsettia is grown for its flowers and rounded habit. It is planted along garden borders for screening or used as a specimen plant in a tropical setting. It may also be used as a small shade tree establishing in 2 to 3 years.
Take soft tip cuttings during early autumn or hardwood cuttings in late winter. Place them in a well-drained media and keep warm.
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