Poinsettia ‘Prestige Sunrise’

Poinsettia 'Prestige Sunrise' (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is the compact form of the plant most Australians only meet in a foil wrapped pot at Christmas. Grown properly it makes a rounded shrub of about 1m tall and 80cm wide, topped with broad pink and red bracts. Those coloured parts are modified leaves rather than petals, which is why they hold for months instead of weeks.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that lasts months. Because the bracts are leaves, once they turn they stay showy through the whole cool season.
• Compact by breeding. A pot cultivar selected to hold around 1m by 80cm, so it suits a container rather than sprawling like an old garden poinsettia.
• Comfortable indoors. A bright room out of direct hot sun suits it, which makes it one of the few genuinely showy indoor flowering plants.
• Heat and humidity are no trouble. It comes from Central America and takes tropical and subtropical summers in its stride.

Where it works best

Indoors in a bright room. Set it in plenty of indirect light, away from heating vents and cold draughts. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts with a plant this frost tender.

Pots and containers. A 300mm to 400mm pot with free draining mix is ideal. Never leave it standing in a full saucer, because wet roots kill more poinsettias than cold does.

Feature planting in frost free gardens. In tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens it goes straight into a bed, where left unpruned it can reach 2m or more.

Growing poinsettia in Australia

Position and climate. Bright light with shelter from harsh afternoon sun. Outdoors this is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens only, because it is frost tender.

Soil. Free draining, with compost through a garden bed or a good quality mix in a container. Heavy wet clay is the one thing it will not forgive.

Water and feed. Water once the top few centimetres of mix are dry, then let it drain fully. A liquid feed monthly from spring to autumn is enough. Overwatering shows first as yellow lower leaves that drop.

Pruning. Cut it back by a third to a half once the bracts fade in spring, then pinch the tips through summer to build a bushy frame. The milky sap is an irritant, so wear gloves. Bracts also colour in response to long uninterrupted nights, so a plant under a streetlight may never colour properly.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in a single size, as tube stock. That means a young single stemmed plant with green leaves and no bracts, not a finished coloured plant, and it needs a season of growing on. Pot it up to 200mm first, then into its final container.

Soft leafy plants like this can drop a leaf or two in transit, which is normal rather than a fault. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect steady new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse indoor flowering plants
• The full indoor plant collection
• Pots and planters that drain properly

Common questions

Why is mine not coloured at Christmas?

In Australia a garden poinsettia colours through the short days of winter, around June and July, not in December. Plants sold in full colour for Christmas have been grown under controlled day length to force that timing.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The milky sap of all euphorbias is an irritant, and a pet that chews the leaves or stems can drool, vomit or develop a sore mouth. It is rarely dangerous, but keep it out of reach of animals that chew foliage.

Can I grow it outdoors in Melbourne or Adelaide?

Not in the ground. It is frost tender and needs a warm winter outside, so in cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens keep it potted and bring it into a bright sheltered spot over the cold months.