What is the name of the New Year's flower with red leaves - a familiar stranger poinsettia

Tell me what is the name of the New Year's flower with red leaves? I have a birthday just for Christmas and I want to order my husband a gift. I have long dreamed of this plant, but I just don't know how to explain to him what is needed. I only remember that it blooms either before the New Year, or after it, and the leaves are painted in two colors: the lower ones are green, the upper ones are red.

All flowers are beautiful and each is good in its own way, in its beauty. But nature has such specimens, which can be recognized from afar, already in appearance. For example, to understand the name of a New Year's flower with red leaves, you just need to look at it. The lush bush is crowned with a gorgeous bright red hat of dense foliage. Not only is its color remarkable, but the structure of the leaf plates is practically artificial. Until you touch them, you will be sure that this is a lifeless plant. In addition, against the background of "paper" scarlet leaves, the lower tier of green leaves looks especially touching and contrasting. What kind of miracle is this and why was it awarded the title of "New Year's flower"?

What is the name of the New Year's flower with red leaves

An original plant with an unusual color and winter flowering, which is extremely rare for indoor flowers, belongs to the Euphorbia family. For the fact that the flowering period falls on the winter holidays, it is called the Christmas star. In the scientific literature, the culture is named poinsettia or the most beautiful euphorbia. This is indeed one of the most beautiful indoor flowers, albeit with a somewhat moody character.

Actually, the red leaves are actually not leaves at all. These are bracts, a dense rosette gathered around nondescript small yellowish flowers. And they are not always red. It's just one of the most common poinsettia varieties. She has many more varieties, among which there are yellow or pink bracts. There are even two-tone petals, with a fancy speckled or striped pattern.

Features of growing poinsettia

By its nature, the Christmas star is a true Tropicana, in need of warmth and a pronounced rest period... If these conditions are provided to her, it will bloom annually, and for a very long time, up to 4 months.

A colorful sissy requires special attention to herself, because she:

1. Loves warmth, lowering heat below 12 ° is destructive for her. At the same time, it does not tolerate summer heat above 25 ° C.
2. Demanding on air humidity, especially in winter, when the batteries significantly reduce it. During this period, the bush should be regularly sprayed.
3. Needs good lighting, but does not tolerate direct rays. Daylight hours should be no more than 12 hours, and the flower rests the same amount of time.
4. Prefers moist soil, so watering should be regular. However, the water should not be allowed to stagnate, otherwise the bush will rot.
5. After the end of flowering, around the middle of spring, it needs a dormant period of at least 1.5 months. It should take place in a cool and shaded area with minimal watering. In addition, before this, the bush must be cut short.
6. Closer to summer, a rested plant begins to vigorously grow young shoots and prepare for a new flowering. At this time, it needs a transplant, warmth and good lighting.
7. During the summer, when the poinsettia is building up a young crown, a shaping haircut is recommended. It will help give the bush a curvy shape.

However, one of the main conditions for re-flowering is not only the presence of a dormant period. Flower buds are laid only if the plant is resting under short daylight conditions. Therefore, during all 1.5 - 2 months, it should be artificially reduced, and then the Christmas star will bloom again in December.

How to care for poinsettia - video