How To Plant Poinsettia Seeds

 

Among all gardening adventures growing poinsettia from seeds is not what most people consider. These plants are found around Christmas time as fully grown potted plants to be given as gifts. The plants are just like any other, and they can be easily grown from seed. Just continue reading to learn more about collecting the plant seed and growing them from seeds.

Poinsettia Seed Pods

Actually the bright red “flower” of the poinsettia plant is not really a flower at all, the flower is made up of special leaves called bracts that have evolved to look like flower petals. The real flower of the plant consists of the small yellow parts in the center of the bracts. This is where the pollen is actually produced and where the poinsettia seed pods will develop. The Poinsettias plants have both male and female parts and they can either self-pollinate or cross pollinate with other poinsettias. If your poinsettias plants are outside, they might be pollinated naturally by insects. Since the plant bloom in the winter, however, you will probably keep them as houseplants and you will have to pollinate them yourself. You can use a cotton swab, gently brush against every flower, make sure to pick up some pollen each time. After a while, you will start seeing poinsettia seed pods – big bulbous green things growing up on stalks out of the flowers. When the poinsettia plant starts to fade, you can pick the poinsettia seed pods and then store them in a paper bag in a dry place. After the poinsettia seed pods are brown and dry, collecting them should be as easy as popping the pods open inside the bag.  

How to Grow Poinsettia from Seeds

What does poinsettia seeds actually look like and when to plant the seeds? The poinsettia seeds you will find inside the pods are small and dark. For the seeds to germinate they need to spend about 3 months in a cool place like refrigerator, this is a process called cold stratification. You need to plant the poinsettia seeds under 1 ½ inches soil, however it will take a few weeks for them to sprout, make sure you keep the soil warm and moist until they do. You can care for the seedlings the same way you would for any other. Once they are mature you will have yourself a poinsettia plant for gift giving during the holidays.