Show Off Your Poinsettias

Poinsettias are great cut flowers. Stacking two pedestal bowls adds height to the display. The narrow bracts (colorful blooms) of ‘Freedom Fireworks’ poinsettia work well with the needles of Virginia pine boughs.

Try poinsettias in glass trifles and stands. This elevates the flowers for guests and creates a beautiful centerpiece for a table.

This casual trio of ‘Lemon Drop’ poinsettias in green bottles looks right at home on the kitchen windowsill.

These tall glass vases are great for displaying the sturdy ‘Winter Rose Red’ poinsettias. Clear, opaque, and red glass ornaments repeat the colors of the vases and flowers.

A few stems of an evergreen, such as red cedar, combine well with a ‘Strawberries ‘N Cream’ poinsettia bloom in a silver sugar bowl.

The secret to using poinsettias in arrangements is to sear the cut stems with a candle flame, which will help keep your flowers fresh. Poinsettias excrete a milky sap when the leaves or stems are broken, and you need to stop the flow of that sap to prevent drooping flowers. The sap isn’t poisonous, but it can irritate your skin, so you might want to wear gloves while making your arrangement.

Sear stems with a pillar candle to keep your hands free, and have a paper napkin handy to blot the sap until you’re ready to use the flower. Once you cut a stem, sear it quickly to avoid letting too much sap drip out. The sap will boil or bubble under the candle flame. If you’re working with a selection that has large leaves, such as ‘Winter Rose,’ you’ll also need to sear the points where the leaves were attached.

You’ll know within an hour if you’ve seared it correctly because the blossom will remain upright. If it starts to droop, the easiest remedy is to cut a fresh one and try again. Place seared stems in tepid water treated with a floral preservative to condition and extend the life of the blooms. The stems are hollow and will absorb water after they’re seared. Once they’re cut, poinsettias get thirsty, so check their water level often, and add more floral preservative each time you change the water.