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Now that I’ve flipped my calendar to November, I’m counting down to Christmas and planning how I’ll decorate my home.

However, I don’t stick to the usual festive tree and decorative lights; I always rely on seasonal houseplants to bring vibrant life into the mix. Apart from my Christmas cactus , a poinsettia is a must-have — it’s basically Christmas in a pot.

Step into any garden center in mid-November, and you can’t miss a sea of crimson. Poinsettias have officially arrived and are the bright spark of color that signals the holiday season is near. But picking up a pot before Santa slides down the chimney comes with a risk. Choose the wrong plant now, and you could be left with a wilted stem by Christmas morning.

So how do you choose the perfect poinsettia so it still looks good when Santa arrives in December?…