Plantpeddler’s Poinsettia Playbook: From Trials to Timely Delivery

The poinsettia season may unfold in the final months of the year, yet it’s often a year-round planning process for growers of any size. 

At Plantpeddler in Cresco, Iowa, the work begins long before the holiday rush. 

In fact, the team invests months in varietal trials, capacity mapping, and perfecting greenhouse routines to ship a reliable, eye-catching crop on time. Some of the most important lessons learned during poinsettia production can improve workflow across the greenhouse, all year long.

Plan Ahead with the Market in Mind

Poinsettias are unique among seasonal crops because they can occupy greenhouse space for up to six or seven months, much longer than, say, geraniums. 

According to Plantpeddler’s general manager Jason Sbiral, poinsettia rooting begins with pretty good numbers in May. Continuing through June and July, he and his team oversee production of the poinsettia liners. All told, Plantpeddler will root several million poinsettias for shipment to greenhouses across the US. Plantpeddler also grows out over 136,000 poinsettias for wholesale sales as pre-finished and finished, to growers and retailers, for holiday sales. 

This long lead-up means Plantpeddler needs to forecast capacity and labor demands well before the busy fourth quarter.

One way that Plantpeddler navigated the question of capacity in 2024 was to develop a system on their Metazet FormFlex equipment to produce some eight-inch poinsettias in the air. This added another few thousand plants on top of typical production numbers across both greenhouse locations. 

“Most of us have basket capacity overhead, but only produce with it during the spring cycle, though we use ours for some fall production, as well,” John Gooder, COO, says. “So, we’re looking at ways to create an income stream off of that infrastructure that’s already in place.” 

Variety Selection and the Influence of Trials

Plantpeddler hosts a comprehensive Poinsettia Trial each year, evaluating more than 200 varieties from around the world. (The company’s 2025 Poinsettia Variety Day will take place Dec. 4, so mark your calendar now.)

This is a major event, international in scope, that draws breeders and growers from around the world to Iowa at the height of poinsettia season. The benefit for the Gooders and their team is that they get a front-row seat to the finest genetics emerging in the marketplace.

This trial environment allows the team to identify high-performing varieties for greenhouse performance, retail shelf life, and post-harvest longevity. Selections prioritize branching, bract color, Cyathia, and ease of production; important factors for a fragile crop that sees heavy handling during shipping.

Painted and Specialty Poinsettias

Perhaps Plantpeddler’s most notable differentiator is that 60% of its poinsettias are upgraded with paint and other “bling.” “That’s paint, glitter, shimmers, specialty treatments. All hand-painted,” Mike Gooder, president, says. 

Painting introduces a host of considerations regarding bract shape and color, and thus the team seeks varieties that can withstand those meticulous hand-crafted touches during production. 

“A variety might be terrific in the standard sales,” Sbiral says, “but as soon as you paint it, maybe it has some complications. We’re actually not just choosing for a great looking plant, we’re choosing for a plant that looks good, but also accepts paint.”

Those production dynamics are at play along each step of the variety selection process. 

The commodity poinsettia market, largely driven by retailers’ expectations for traditional colors (primarily red, with some white and pink), remains strong. So, a high-quality, multi-bract plant is essential. In the grocery and traditional retail sector, a “premium” poinsettia typically means at least five good-sized bracts on a 6.5-inch pot. The industry standard provides a benchmark: If a variety produces many small bracts, it sacrifices bloom size; conversely, fewer bracts may yield larger individual blooms.

Balancing branch count and bract size is critical to meeting retailer expectations without compromising overall plant quality.

However, Plantpeddler and its retail base increasingly see strong potential in specialty poinsettias—new varieties, painted options, and unique forms—that can create market differentiation and wider consumer appeal. By offering both standard colors and innovative novelty programs, growers can increase retail interest and educate consumers on the broader possibilities of poinsettias. 

Growers have an opportunity to move beyond commodity red poinsettias and explore distinctive varieties and treatments that ultimately expand the marketplace–and that work begins in proper variety selection. 

By developing a clear process—and choosing genetics that can handle the extra work—Plantpeddler expands retail demand beyond classic red, white, and pink poinsettias.

Greenhouse Management: From Start to Finish

Uniformity is a key concept repeated by the team. 

In fact, in poinsettias, uniformity is the guiding principle. 

“If you have unevenness in your young plant going into poinsettia production, your chances of coming out on the backside with a quality crop are really low,” John says. “It’s those first two weeks of poinsettia establishment that really make or break the crop.”

To push early growth without overextending plants, Sbiral pulls multiple levers in his control: “You feed and give ample amounts of nutrition and water but also manipulate the plants with temperature–like a growth regulator situation”. 

Plantpeddler has also shifted toward biorational tools for both pest management and root health. 

“We’ve gone a lot more toward biorationals, even bio-pesticide,” Sbiral says. “We’re not 100% bio for pest control, but many of our customers are. So I am conscientious about products that will be compatible. With their bio programs.”

Lessons Learned and Adaptability

Because poinsettias are so tightly tied to holiday sales, on-time delivery is essential. With modern genetics and good production practices, during the season, there is minimal cherry-picking and downgrades.  

“You can tell if you’re in good poinsettia season because the team is pulling poinsettias by the bench,” Mike says. 

Even with careful planning, the grower must adapt to weather swings and cultural nuances. 

“We had a really great poinsettia year in 2024,” Sbiral says. “But next year, I could do everything the same as I did this year and have a completely different outcome. The key is to observe the plants and be fluid. Make changes on the fly.” 

His point underscores the reality of horticulture: Fine-tuned methods must still bend to unforeseen conditions.

Conclusion

Whether producing thousands of painted poinsettias or sticking to the commodity side of the market, poinsettias demand skilled planning and execution. 

By conducting detailed variety trials, refining greenhouse protocols, and tapping into unique value-added offerings, Plantpeddler demonstrates how specialization can pay off in the busy holiday season. 

As Mike says, “Poinsettias are like a one-shot crop. Without a strong  beginning, it’s very difficult to finish well.” 

A strong foundation and the willingness to innovate are at the heart of Plantpeddler’s approach—keys any greenhouse or nursery grower might keep in mind, poinsettia season or not.



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