As a greenhouse business, have you considered adding poinsettias to your crop lineup?
These stunning flowers may be synonymous with Christmas but there are many compelling reasons to embrace poinsettia cultivation in your greenhouse. Before you
think it’s just the colors, though, put yourself in the boots of a greenhouse grower—and think again!
If you are a grower, you might already know the benefits of growing greenhouse poinsettias and why they’re all the rage in the winter months up here in the Northern Hemisphere. Besides beauty, there’s great profits to be had— and beauty and profits are obviously connected! Poinsettias are a $250 million dollar industry after all.
Why bother with the extra effort of poinsettia greenhouse management? The real benefit is that you can produce poinsettias during the winter months in greenhouses— at a time when most other high-cash crops and plants will refuse to flourish. This can keep greenhouse income coming in and your employees busy.
There’s a good reason why you can get full poinsettia blooms (actually called “bracts,” or colorful modified leaves) right around December, and right in time for Christmas—and here’s why it’s not all about the holiday colors. We will explore the key benefits of poinsettias for your greenhouse business and dig into some poinsettia greenhouse growing tips.
Poinsettias: Blooming in the Dead of Winter
Most flowers bloom in spring, summer, and sometimes, fall. Poinsettias are birds of a completely different feather.
When poinsettias “bloom,” it’s actually the pigmentation of their modified leaves or “bracts” that creates the stunning display. This gorgeous discoloration only occurs when daylength drops to between 10 and 12 hours of sunlight per day, which only (naturally) happens in winter. This can bring out far more hues and shades even than the typical Christmas tones. The right Poinsettia cultivation techniques can coax out over 100 distinct colors and varieties beyond the typical white, red, or green.
The catch? This daylength is only possible while it’s cold, much too cold for poinsettias in most non-equatorial regions. Poinsettias won’t grow well below 50˚F and need protection and heated environments.
While many poinsettias are grown in and exported from tropical areas, greenhouses offer a solution for growers in colder climates. With the right heating elements and other fine-tuned equipment for greenhouse production, poinsettias can thrive just about anywhere, even in harsh winters, as long as they’re kept at the perfect temperature and conditions.
Boost Your Bottom Line with Winter Poinsettia Sales
With beautiful potted blooms ready and waiting for winter sales, you’ll maintain a steady income stream throughout the colder months. However, success hinges on a few key factors.
First: ensure that the chosen variety you are growing isn’t patented. Many poinsettia breeds are indeed patented, especially those that are Christmas “themed” and colored. If that’s the case, then you can’t sell poinsettias of this variety commercially (though you can grow it in your greenhouse for personal decoration and enjoyment—you just can’t sell it).
How do you know if the variety is patented? Check the label. If “PP” and a string of numbers is found somewhere near the variety name, then you know it is probably patented (along with the patent number). If you’re sent on growing this variety—whether from seeds, plugs, or young pre-blooming plants—you can contact the patent owner and for a license to sell them commercially.
Growing Poinsettias Year-Round with Light Deprivation
Want to extend your poinsettia business beyond winter? Light deprivation greenhouses make it possible.
Light deprivation greenhouses seal, protect, and block plants from light exposure for strictly scheduled periods of time every day. This simulates the shorter daylengths that poinsettias will need to develop their signature colors.
Light deprivation techniques make poinsettia production possible in the summer, potentially with far less overhead than during the winter (less heating and energy usage). This approach also allows for more advanced poinsettia cultivation closer to the equator, where natural daylength may never dip below 10-12 hours.
Pretty Profits: The Perennially Strong Poinsettia Market
What does the market look like for these yuletide blossoms? For this perennial, the market is perennially strong, and remains consistently robust year after year.
Despite occasional minor fluctuations in price and market conditions, growers can count on nurseries and garden centers eagerly lining up to pre-order and stock poinsettias well before the Christmas season.
Expanding Your Greenhouse Business with Poinsettia Production
If you’ve been focusing on summer greenhouse crops for a while, you might find it both satisfying (and financially rewarding) to branch out into poinsettia production. Those with strong nursery selections already can expand into poinsettias for wintertime income, as well as offer their flower-loving customers something a little different during the chilly months.
Since poinsettias are a light deprivation crop, you can alternate between growing them and other light-deprivation crops using the same greenhouse setup. Talk about maximizing your resources! Growers can also choose to forego growing poinsettias themselves—instead selling semi-mature plants for retail sale and “coloring” them up in their greenhouses on their own. This is widely considered the most profitable choice.
While poinsettias are exquisite blooms, they do require a fair bit of work and skill to cultivate. In most areas, they’ll require a greenhouse. But when you consider the benefits they provide to greenhouse businesses—not to mention their beauty and
holiday spirit—it’s easy to see why many growers are eager to give these unique seasonal flowers a try.
Cultivating Success: Protecting Your Poinsettia Greenhouse with GrowPro
At NIP Group, we recognize that your greenhouse is not merely a business venue—it’s a sanctuary where your horticultural dreams come to life. With over 35 years of experience in crafting exclusive solutions, we’re here to help you protect and nurture your poinsettia paradise.
Introducing GrowPro— an insurance product meticulously tailored for greenhouse businesses, focusing on comprehensive protection. Our team of experienced professionals works closely with you to craft a customized insurance plan that fits your specific needs. From crop failure and equipment breakdown to liability concerns and beyond, GrowPro has you covered.
We pride ourselves on providing not just insurance, but a partnership built on trust, transparency, and a shared commitment to your success. Take the first step towards protecting your greenhouse today.
Contact NIP Group to learn more about how GrowPro can help you cultivate a thriving poinsettia business, season after season.
