On Mallorca, too, the Christmas star is as much a part of Christmas as chocolate.
You can find out how to plant and care for it properly in our expert tip from Can Juanito Vivers:
As Christmas approaches, the desire to decorate the house with Christmas decorations and colors begins. One of the most popular decorations in the world of decorative botany is the famous poinsettia, scientifically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima. A special plant because of its color and its social image associated with times of celebration and worship. It is a plant from the Euphorbia family, whose common characteristic is the milky milky sap it gives off when part of the stem is cut off, which can be a little irritating on contact with the skin. This characteristic distinguishes it from other succulent or cactus species.
Plants from the Euphorbiaceae family can be found in the wild in the forests of the Serra de Tramuntana in Mallorca, including the endangered endemic species Euphorbia fontqueriana Greuter. The pulcherrima and milli species are most commonly used as Christmas decorations as they have a wide range of colors from bright red to pink or white. A curiosity is that the red leaves are not the actual flowers, as many people believe, but leaves that turn from green to red, as the flowers are actually very small and yellow. Here are a few tips on basic care to ensure that they survive the festive season in full splendor.
Watering must be moderate and direct to the ground, making sure that the leaves do not get wet so that they do not rot. There must be good drainage so that the substrate does not become waterlogged and the roots rot. What can affect the plant's condition the most is the intense heat from the heater. Therefore, try to keep it away from possible sources of heat and avoid placing it in draughts, which can weaken its branches due to its fragility.
Normally, poinsettias are propagated by cuttings. As far as fertilization is concerned, we recommend fertilizing at least once a month with a liquid fertilizer as long as the plant is indoors. At the end of the festive season, we can take the plant outside or even plant it in the ground. You will notice that it will lose some leaves when transplanted because it has to adapt to the climate of the new location, but with patience and a little care it will sprout again and grow like a small shrub.
If we want to keep it in the garden all year round, we recommend placing it in a shady place during the day so that it does not suffer from the strong summer sun. At Can Juanito, we are launching the poinsettia campaign with a wide range of sizes and colors and will be happy to advise you on growing and caring for poinsettias.
Visit the large exhibition area with a variety of plants and trees.
Son Ferriol, Palma
Open daily
