6 New and Festive Ways With Poinsettias

Place dampened florist foam in a shallow bowl. Clip a few "Ice Punch" and "Winter Rose Dark Red" poinsettia stems, and sear the ends to lengthen their life spans. Insert stems into foam, and fill empty spots with red roses, holly berries, and naked seeded eucalyptus. Add red tulips and jasmine, letting them spill over one side of bowl; place a pomegranate on the other side.

Old meets new in this monochromatic setup that marries the classic white poinsettia with a recent selection—"Princettia Max White." To re-create this look, place both poinsettia plants side by side in a larger container with good drainage holes. Fill in any empty spaces with dainty greenery such as jasmine and frosty fern (also called spikemoss). Bonus: This pretty potted arrangement will last all season long.

Start by choosing a shallow container that will show off the colorful blooms, and fill it with fresh water. Clip a few flowers off different poinsettia plants, and trim and sear their stems. Include sprigs of greenery (which you can steal from your Christmas tree) to add rustic detail. This display looks especially stunning from above, so we suggest setting it out on a coffee table.

Don't shy away from the different colors available. "Red is classic," explains Senior Photo Stylist Buffy Hargett Miller, "but other hues can help carry your floral display beyond just Christmas." Choose "Gold Rush," which is a beautiful deep shade of mustard. Dress it up in a seasonal arrangement with classic embellishments like holly and pine. Couple it with a potted "Winter Rose White" poinsettia for a match made in heaven.

"I love the smaller selections," Buffy says. "Instead of buying one big plant, I suggest getting several tiny ones. You can do much more with them that way." Here, she used mini potted poinsettias as stand-in place cards for a holiday affair. Simply tie on each name card with pretty ribbon, and let the guests leave with an extra-festive favor. You can find smaller poinsettias where you would buy their full-size counterparts. Group several miniature poinsettias together to double as decor, or give them away to visiting guests as party favors.

When potted poinsettia plants start looking a little "leggy" after a few weeks, don't just toss them out. Instead, snip off a few longer clippings of your favorite selections to create a cut arrangement. Before inserting them into the vase, trim the leaves off from the lower part of the stems and sear the cut ends with a flame to preserve them. Then place the blooms in a vase filled with fresh water, and polish off the look with simple holiday greenery.