How Cold Hardy Are Poinsettia Plants?

Poinsettias, Euphorbia pulcherrima, are gorgeous plants to have around during the holidays. And to keep them healthy, happy, and colorful for as long as possible, it’s important to prevent them from getting too cold.

There are a few reasons you may want to learn about this plant’s cold tolerance.

Maybe, like me, you live in a drafty old house, and you want to make sure you’ll be able to find a location to keep your Christmas flower from getting chilled.

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Perhaps you’re considering whether you might save your plant after the holidays and keep it as a houseplant or plant it in your outdoor landscape, climate permitting.

Or maybe you’re wondering if you can put one of these gorgeous winter bloomers beside your front door during the winter months as part of your festive holiday decor.

Before you situate your Christmas star whether that is indoors or part of your outdoor decor, it’s a good idea to make certain your winter conditions are a good match for this plant’s needs.

Ready to learn more? Here’s what I’ll cover:

Originating in the tropical forests of Mexico and Guatemala, poinsettias are happiest when temperatures are mild, in a nice comfortable range of between 65-70°F.

In their native Latin American habitat, they don’t experience freezing temperatures.

But even cold weather above freezing can harm Christmas flowers – they will begin to drop their leaves when temperatures fall to 50°F.

While a plant that has dropped its leaves after limited exposure to such cold temperatures may recover, extended exposure to temperatures below 50°F can kill poinsettias outright, leaving