Where to place a poinsettia, according to Feng Shui

(Image credit: Getty Images / Isabel Alcalá)

With Christmas right around the corner, poinsettias are everywhere right now. If you want your plant to welcome guests with festive spirit, it’s worth knowing where to place a poinsettia according to Feng Shui principles.

If you look after your poinsettia properly, its red bracts can make a beautiful Christmas centrepiece. One of the most important care tips, though, is choosing the right spot for a poinsettia – and besides giving your plant the best chance of surviving the festive season, there’s one room that experts recommend in particular for positive Feng Shui.

Feng Shui is all about arranging furniture, plants and other parts of the home in a way that promotes positive energy, harmony and improvements in other areas of life, too. Just as you can position your Christmas cactus according to Feng Shui, there are recommendations for poinsettia placements, too.

Besides being classic symbols of Christmas, poinsettias represent good cheer. That’s exactly the energy we want at this time of the year – so finding the right spot is key.

I spoke to Feng Shui expert Dr Michael Oon, who singled out one room in the home as the perfect place for poinsettias according to Feng Shui – and contrary to popular belief, it isn’t the living room.

‘It’s very simple – place it just by the entrance hall,’ Dr Oon said. ‘It’s red, so it’s welcoming and striking.

‘If you put it in the living room, it gets cluttered. I mean, you’ve got Christmas decorations, and it doesn’t stand out. If it’s there as you come into the home, it’s a welcoming gesture to guests.’

So, if you’ve got room in the hallway for your poinsettia plant, that’s the spot to go for. You’ll need to make sure you’ve ticked off other locational boxes first, though, because the priority should always be your plant's health.

‘In Feng Shui, healthy plants are key, so placing a poinsettia somewhere bright but not in harsh sun is generally prioritised over strict directional rules,’ says Jo Lambell, founder of houseplant retailer Beards & Daisies.

It’s also best to avoid placing your poinsettia near draughty areas and radiators (central heating can affect Christmas cacti, too). Poinsettia mistakes like these can cause a host of problems.

Jo says social spaces like the living room can work, because poinsettias are associated with warmth and positivity – but make sure the space isn’t too cluttered, as Dr Oon suggested earlier on.

‘Be cautious in bedrooms, too,’ warns Jo. ‘Strong reds are often thought of as visually energising, so many people prefer to avoid them in bedrooms if they want the space to feel calm and settled. Lighter varieties tend to feel more appropriate here.’

You can buy a poinsettia for just £3.97 from Gardening Express, and it’ll arrive before Christmas if you place your order by 21st December.

So, the perfect place for a poinsettia according to Feng Shui is the hallway. Other rooms are fine if they aren't cluttered – but placing your plant in an entrance hall welcomes guests with plenty of festive spirit.

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Sophie joined the Ideal Home team as Gardens Editor in June 2024. After studying English at Royal Holloway, University of London, she began writing for Grow Your Own, which spurred on her love of gardening. She's tried growing almost every vegetable under the sun, and has a soft spot for roses and dinnerplate dahlias.

As Gardens Editor, Sophie's always on the lookout for the latest garden trend. She loves sharing growing hacks for every space, from herbaceous borders to balconies.