Poinsettias delivered in Madrid

Look at the centre of the red leaves, which are bracts rather than petals: the tiny yellow flowers should be closed or just about to open. That tells you the plant is young and will last. Also look for green leaves all the way down, and soil that is neither soaked nor bone dry.

Poinsettias can't stand cold or draughts: a few minutes at low temperatures is enough for them to drop their leaves the next day. So we deliver them wrapped and by car, with no waiting outside. Choose a slot when someone will be home: a cold doorway doesn't do them any good.

Plenty of light but no direct sun, away from radiators and doors that open often. Water when the surface of the soil is dry and don't leave water in the saucer. It's happy between 15 and 22 °C.

As a gift for home or the office, it pairs well with houseplants that stay lovely long after January, such as an orchid or a kentia palm.

Many end up in the bin in January, but they can be kept. Keep watering sparingly until spring, cut the stems back to about ten centimetres and keep it somewhere bright in summer. To turn red again it needs, from October, around fourteen hours of total darkness a day for eight weeks. It's a lot of work, but it does the trick.

Red is the classic, but there are also white, pink and marbled ones, more discreet for an office or a home in light tones. Ask us which colours we have that week.