The fact that a poinsettia drops its leaves after flowering is a normal process that does not need to worry you. However, if it sheds its leaves beforehand, it is usually due to a poor location or incorrect care. What you can do to prevent premature leaf fall.
Why is my poinsettia losing its leaves?
A poinsettia loses leaves prematurely due to poor location, insufficient soil moisture, cold or drafts. To prevent falling off, provide sufficient light, warm temperatures, protect the plant from drafts and water it properly.
Poinsettia drops leaves
The poinsettia is a little more demanding to care for than many other houseplants. There are some things that he doesn't like at all and that cause him to drop his leaves:
- dark, too dry location
- Location too cool
- Draft
- too much or too little soil moisture
If you ensure an optimal location and care for the poinsettia properly, it will normally not lose any leaves.
Wrong location
During the flowering period, the poinsettia likes it bright and warm. Make sure you have a location where there is enough light for long periods of time.
Cold and drafts cause leaves to fall off
The poinsettia cannot tolerate cold and drafts at all. During the flowering period in winter, temperatures should not fall below 15 degrees. After the flowering period, they can be 10 degrees for a short time. However, it shouldn't get any colder.
Drafts are also harmful. Find a place where the plant is protected from drafts.
During transport, you should make sure that the poinsettia is not exposed to excessive temperature fluctuations or drafts. Make sure you wrap the plant well and don't transport it in the cold for too long.
Incorrect watering of the poinsettia
Poinsettia leaves most often fall because the houseplant was watered incorrectly. It may not dry out completely, but waterlogging causes the poinsettia not only to drop its leaves, but even to die completely.
Don't water too much! Only when the upper layers of the plant substrate have dried is it time to water.
If water runs into the saucer, pour the water out immediately so that the roots of the poinsettia do not reach directly into the water. When caring for the balcony in summer, you should not use a saucer at all so that rain and irrigation water can drain away.
Save Poinsettia
If the poinsettia has lost a lot of leaves, you may still be able to save it.
If the plant is too wet, let the substrate dry for a few days. Only then water again, but not too much water at once.
If the poinsettia has lost its leaves due to drought, dip it briefly in a water bath.
Tip
If you want to enjoy your poinsettia for a long time, you should spend a little more money and buy the plant from a nursery. The specimens offered in the supermarket are usually kept too wet and shrink quickly.