Summer Poinsettias Add Color To Gardens

Summer Poinsettias Add Color To Gardens You’ll have to forgive this festive plant for its confusing name. Summer poinsettias aren’t poinsettias at all; rather, they’re an especially vibrant variety of Amaranthus. Many know it as Joseph’s Coat, thanks to a profusion of red, yellow and orange leaves that grow around the upper third of the plant near the crown. Its small, bristly flower clusters have a somewhat weedy appearance, which seems to keep amaranths out of formal gardens. Still, the plants are standouts in the right setting. Summer poinsettias are one of roughly 70 types of amaranths found worldwide. Some varieties were a popular food source for Native Americans, who used the leaves like spinach and cooked the seed heads into porridge. This colorful variety hails from South America. Amaranth seeds are tiny, so most gardeners start them indoors. Otherwise, you risk them rolling away. Sow the seeds indoors eight weeks before the last frost, and expect sprouts within 10 days. Amaranth can’t handle cold and shouldn’t go outside until the risk of frost has passed. After that, you can transplant them into a sheltered spot with partial to full sun, and water them well until they’re established. The small seeds need light for germination, which has led to another nickname for amaranth—pigweed. Amaranth often came up in pig yards because the rooting animals brought the seeds to the surface. But despite this family legacy, summer poinsettias themselves aren’t good at reseeding. These vibrant plants thrive best when grouped together, often serving as a back border for flower beds. Maintain their impressive growth habit by spacing each plant at least 2 ft. apart. Although summer poinsettias can tolerate high temperatures, they require consistently moist soil, particularly in the initial stages. Mature plants are more capable of enduring droughts. The plants top out at 4 ft. tall. Their stalks are weak and may require staking on the tallest plants. The leaves are green at the start of summer, but they’ll turn vibrant shades of red, yellow and orange in the weeks that follow. Resist pruning, as you’ll lose the colorful tops for the season. As it’s a fast-growing annual, you’ll need to replace summer poinsettias yearly. That makes it a good option for the centerpiece of outdoor pots and containers. Just note that insects love their leaves, so you’re likely to find lots of holes. But with the proper care, you’ll enjoy their vibrant colors until frost.

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