Poinsettia ‘Ferrara’

Poinsettia 'Ferrara' (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is the classic deep red poinsettia, and given a warm spot it grows into a proper shrub rather than a throwaway gift pot. It reaches about 80cm tall and 60cm wide. The red is not flower but bract, modified leaves that hold colour for months, and in an Australian garden those bracts colour naturally through winter.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that lasts months. Bracts rather than petals, so the deep red display holds far longer than any flowering pot plant.
• It grows into a real shrub. Kept warm and pruned each spring it makes an 80cm by 60cm plant, not a one season purchase.
• Heat and humidity are no problem. Central American by origin, so a northern Australian summer suits it.
• Indoors or out. A bright indoor position, a sheltered courtyard or a warm garden bed all work.

Where it works best

Indoors. A bright spot with plenty of indirect light, away from air conditioning vents and draughts. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which is the practical answer for most of the country given how frost tender it is.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A 300mm to 400mm pot suits a single plant, and lets you move it into shelter when the weather turns.

Feature planting in warm gardens. In tropical, subtropical and frost free warm temperate gardens it can go straight into the ground, in a sheltered spot with morning sun.

Growing Poinsettia in Australia

Position and climate. Warmth, shelter and bright light. Outdoors it is limited to tropical, subtropical and frost free warm temperate gardens: Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, the northern rivers and warm coastal Sydney. Anywhere that frosts, grow it in a pot under cover through winter. Bract colour depends on long uninterrupted nights, so a plant under a street light may never colour.

Soil. Free draining and moderately rich. A quality potting mix in containers, or garden soil improved with compost. Waterlogged roots are how most of these are lost.

Water and feed. Water once the top few centimetres of mix are dry, then drain fully and empty the saucer. Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser through spring and summer.

Pruning. Cut back hard in early spring once the bracts have finished, taking the stems back by about half. That keeps the plant bushy rather than a set of bare sticks. Wear gloves: the milky sap irritates skin and eyes and is toxic if eaten, so keep it away from children and pets.

What to expect when it arrives

'Ferrara' is grown in tube stock, and it is currently listed on backorder, so check the product page for the next availability date. Tubes arrive as small green plants without bracts, which surprises people who have only ever seen a coloured Christmas pot.

That is normal, and rather the point: a tube grows into a shrub that colours on its own cycle instead of the grower's. Expect a season of green growth before the first display. Pot it up promptly, keep it warm and bright, and pinch the tips through spring. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive.
• Indoor flowering plants for more colour under a roof.
• Tropical plants if you are gardening in a warm climate.
• Choosing the right size pot.

Common questions

Is poinsettia poisonous to pets?

The milky sap irritates skin, eyes and mouth, and it causes drooling or an upset stomach in cats and dogs that chew it. Serious poisoning is rare, but do not leave it within reach of an animal that chews foliage.

Why did my poinsettia not turn red?

Bract colour needs a run of long, dark nights. Indoor lighting or a lamp on late keeps it green, so move it somewhere genuinely dark overnight from about eight weeks out.

Can I plant it in the garden?

Only in a frost free climate. In tropical, subtropical and warm coastal gardens it makes a good shrub. Everywhere else, keep it potted and shelter it for winter.