# Poinsettia flower tips browning

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poinsettia-flower-tips-browning/712408>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 11, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poinsettia-flower-tips-browning/712408 "2015-02-11T19:32:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Msattitude1185](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Msattitude1185](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Msattitude1185)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poinsettia-flower-tips-browning/712408/1 "2015-02-11T19:32:07Z")

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I got a poinsettia in late November 2014. I have been watering weekly, giving light when needed. Now the tips are starting to turn brown. I know that these plants “hibernate”. I was thinking about repotting it, should I wait or go ahead?

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**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poinsettia-flower-tips-browning/712408/2 "2015-02-11T22:00:58Z")

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It’s hard to say because that’s a fairly generic symptom.  
The most common reason for browning leaf tips in a poinsettia is low humidity (dry air). You can mist it and see if that helps, or put it in a room with more humidity.  
Repotting can help: The acids and other output of the plant’s metabolism can accumulate in the soil. If it’s been in the same pot for more than a year, repotting will fix this. You should not repot while it is blooming.

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poinsettia-flower-tips-browning/712408/3 "2015-02-11T22:10:03Z")

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> [@Msattitude1185](#):
>
> I got a poinsettia in late November 2014. I have been watering weekly, giving light when needed. Now the tips are starting to turn brown. I know that these plants “hibernate”. I was thinking about repotting it, should I wait or go ahead?

I’d think strongly about dumping it in the trash, as it takes considerable work and attention to get one to rebloom, and even then it will probably be gawky and not very attractive.

Consider growing one of [these](http://www.rareflora.com/euphorbiapun.html) instead.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poinsettia-flower-tips-browning/712408/4 "2015-02-11T23:13:39Z")

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All you need to know [here](http://urbanext.illinois.edu/poinsettia/facts.cfm)

> [@](#):
>
> The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think of as the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves).