How to Propagate Poinsettia Cuttings by Anastasia Leon, Demand Media Poinsettia propagate quickly and easily from cuttings. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) add a splash of color to late fall gardens with their showy, scarlet red flower bracts and brilliant green leaves. They grow best within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, althou they will also growin cooler microclimates if brought indoors during frosty weat] Poinsettias propagate readily from stem cuttings, which will root in just a few wee kept under warm, bright conditions. The cuttings require little care to successfull put down roots, although you must use a sterile medium to prevent fungal and bacterial infections in the stem. Propagate poinsettia cuttings in summer after the plant begins to produce new shoots at the base. Wait until the shoots reach 3 to 5 inches long before using them as cuttings to ensure they are mature enough to pu down roots. 4 | Fillaclean, dry 4-inch plastic pot with sterile medium, such as a coarse san amixture of half sand and half perlite. Moisten the growing medium. 2 | Sever a21/2-to 4-inch-long stem from the base of the poinsettia using thoroughly cleaned, sharpened pruning shears. Choose a cutting with a plic stem and several small leaves at the tip. Avoid stems with signs of damage, infecti or mineral deficiencies, such as malformed leaves or black spots. Wear gloves wh cutting poinsettias. No Matches Found, Please try your search again. 3 | Strip off the lowest leaf to expose the growth node. Dust the end of the cutt with 0.2-percent IBA rooting hormone. 4 | Insert the severed end of the poinsettia cutting into the moistened growing medium, Press it in until the bottom one-third is buried. Gently press the medium against the stem. 5 | Cover the pot with a propagation dome or a large, clear plastic bag held upan east-facing window. Warm the pot with a propagation mat set to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, if daytime temperatures stay below 60 F. 6 | Mist the poinsettia cutting every day to keep the leaves hydrated and cool. Check the moisture content of the growing medium cach time you mist the cutting, Water to a 3-inch depth if the growing medium feels barely damp in the t inch. 7 | Check for roots in two to three weeks by gently tugging on the base of the cutting. Feel if itis "stuck" to the growing medium by roots. Remove the propagation dome and propagation mat once the cutting roots. g | Transplant the poinsettia cutting into a 6-inch pot filled with standard pott soil two weeks after it roots. Grow the poinsettia under extremely bright, moderately humid conditions indoors or out. Provide 1 inch of water each week. 9g | Plant the poinsettia outdoors in fall, if you live in a frost-free climate. Choc lightly shaded bed and moist, fast-draining soil rich in organic matter. Avo deeply shaded beds because the flower bracts will lack vigor and color. Things You Will Need = 4-inch plastic pot = Coarse sand = Gloves = Pruning shears = 0.2-percent IBA (indolebutyric acid) rooting hormone = Propagation dome = Cold frame = Propagation mat = Spray bottle = 6-inch pot = Potting soil Tip Poinsettia cuttings will root without pretreatment, although rooting hormone wil hasten the process and produce more roots. I Warning Poinsettias exude a thin latex-like sap that provokes an allergie reaction in some people, so wear gloves when handling the plants.