Are poinsettias poisonous to pets?

They are mildly toxic to cats and dogs, causing drooling or vomiting.

How do I get my poinsettia to bloom again?

Provide 14 hours of total darkness daily starting in early autumn.

Plant guide

Poinsettia.

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Pronounced yoo-FOR-bee-uh pul-KER-ih-muh

Also known as Christmas-flower, Christmas-star, Mexican flameleaf, Poinsettia, lobsterplant, paintedleaf

Euphorbia pulcherrima — Photo by bernhard_hiller (CC BY) via gbif

Poinsettias are iconic holiday plants known for their vibrant, colorful bracts that look like petals. They bring a festive touch to any room during the winter months. With the right care, you can keep them looking great well past the holidays.

Another photo of Poinsettia — Photo by Gianni Del Bufalo bygdb (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Moderate
Plant type: Shrub
Light: Bright indirect light
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet indoors, up to 10 feet outdoors in frost free climates
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 9 to 11
Bloom time: Late autumn to winter

Care

Keep your plant in a spot with steady temperatures away from cold drafts or heating vents. Allow the soil surface to dry out slightly before watering again. If the leaves start dropping, it is usually a sign of too much water or a sudden change in temperature.

Watering: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
Feeding: Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Trim back stems in spring to encourage a bushier shape.
Repotting: Repot in the spring if the plant becomes root bound.
Soil: Well draining potting mix
Soil pH: 5.8 to 6.2
Temperature: 15 to 24°C
Humidity: 40 to 60%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, often treated as a seasonal houseplant.
Deer and rabbits: High

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes
Water running straight through the pot
Stunted growth during the active season

Safety

People: The milky white sap is mildly toxic and can cause skin irritation, or mild stomach upset, nausea and vomiting if ingested.
Pets: This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested, often causing drooling or vomiting.
Children: Keep this plant out of reach of children as the sap is irritating and the foliage is harmful if chewed or swallowed.
Contact allergens: The milky latex sap can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: There is no significant evidence that this plant causes respiratory allergies.
Edibility: The plant is not edible and ingestion can cause significant gastrointestinal distress.

How to identify it

Bright red, pink, or white bracts
Dark green, ovate shaped leaves
Milky white sap inside stems
Small yellow flowers in center

Height: 0.6 to 3m
Spread: 0.3 to 1.5m
Leaves: dark green, deciduous
Flowers: yellow, red, 2 to 5cm

Problems to watch for

Leaf DropCommon
Root RotCommon
WhiteflyCommon
Botrytis BlightUncommon
Fungus GnatsUncommon
MealybugsUncommon
Spider MitesUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your poinsettia from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: cuttings
When to plant: spring
Overwintering: Keep the plant in a bright, warm location away from cold drafts. Reduce watering slightly during the winter dormancy period.
In containers: They grow well in containers, provided the pot has excellent drainage and is at least 15 cm wide.

Stem Cuttings

1. Take a 10 cm cutting from a healthy stem.
2. Allow the cut end to dry for an hour to stop the sap flow.
3. Dip the end in rooting hormone.
4. Plant in moist, well draining potting mix.
5. Keep in a warm spot with bright, indirect light until rooted.

Group plants with similar water needs to prevent the poinsettia from sitting in soggy soil.

Grows well with

Ferns · They enjoy similar humidity and indirect light conditions.
Cyclamen · They provide a nice color contrast during the winter months.

Similar species

Crown of Thorns · It is a related succulent species with similar sap characteristics.

Science

Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Order: Malpighiales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Tropical regions of Mexico and Central America.
Conservation: This species is not currently listed as endangered in its native range.

It grows as a woody shrub in tropical deciduous forests where it thrives in seasonal dry periods.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: indoor decor, holiday display, container plant

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 8/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Are poinsettias poisonous to pets?: They are mildly toxic to cats and dogs, causing drooling or vomiting.
How do I get my poinsettia to bloom again?: Provide 14 hours of total darkness daily starting in early autumn.

Where the name comes from

The genus name honors Euphorbus, a Greek physician, while the specific epithet means most beautiful.

Good to know

Poinsettias are native to Mexico.
The plant was named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. Minister to Mexico.
December 12th is National Poinsettia Day in the United States.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

Keep your poinsettia growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

Get the app

This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.