Are You New to Caring for Poinsettias or Frustrated with Poinsettia Care? If you’re new to taking care of Poinsettias, or just plain frustrated with them, you’re not alone. Poinsettias can be incredibly fragile and too much water, not enough water, too much heat, or not enough heat can all lead to Poinsettias failing to thrive. To start out on the right foot caring for your Poinsettia, here’s what you need to know about watering them. The Origins of Poinsettias Poinsettias are an indoor plant for us in North America because they originate from the tropics of southern Mexico and northern Guatemala, where they grow up to 3m (9′) as a winter flowering plant. Poinsettias receive their signal to bud and flower from day length. When the hours of daylight dip below 12 hours, the flowering process begins. Poinsettias are from the Euphorbiaceae family, also known as Spurge. Euphorbias share many common features, but one of the most notable is their white sap, known as latex, which can be a skin irritant to some people. Poinsettia flowers were used as a dye, and they also had a few medicinal applications used by the Aztecs. In the 17th century, Franciscan priests used them for nativity celebrations. Following that, Joel Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico and also a talented botanist, discovered Poinsettias for the western world in Taxco, Mexico, in 1825. He carried some back home, learned to propagate them, and shared them with friends and botanical gardens. As they became