How to Make a Holiday Floral Bouquet with Poinsettias
Published April 25, 2025
Poinsettias, the favorite flowers of the Christmas season, make your holiday table glow with brilliant shades of red, creamy white and pink. The traditional poinsettia plants are more versatile than you imagined when you use the stems in cut arrangements.
In this project, learn how to seal poinsettia stems and use the blooms in a holiday bouquet that's further enhanced with festive fresh cranberries floating in the vase.
Read on to learn how to make a holiday floral bouquet with poinsettias.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Duration:
Under 2 hours
Table of Contents
Assemble Materials
Trim Poinsettia from Plant
Seal Poinsettia Stem
Add Stems to Vase
Finish Arrangement
Assemble Materials
Materials needed for bouquet project:
- Clear glass vase
- Fresh cranberries
- Poinsettia plant
- Floral sprigs like winter berries
Tools needed for bouquet project:
- Sharp scissors or pruning shears
- Gloves
- Matches or a utility lighterBefore you begin, protect your work surface with kraft paper and keep towels handy in case of spills. Partially fill glass vase with water.
Take a few handfuls of fresh cranberries and float them in the water in the vase.
Tip: After use in this project, consider the cranberries to be unsafe to eat.
Trim Poinsettia from Plant
Next, use the scissors to cut poinsettia blooms, one at a time, from the plant. You want about six inches or more of stem for your arrangement.
If you're allergic to latex or have sensitive skin, wear gloves. Poinsettias are euphorbias and the sap can irritate your skin or cause an allergic reaction.
Seal Poinsettia Stem
Hold the cut stem over the lit match or lighter for a few seconds. This will seal the sap in the stem and preserve the bloom. Place the sealed stem in the vase with water.
Add Stems to Vase
Continue sealing stems and placing blooms in the vase to complete your arrangement. Sealed poinsettia stems will keep in water at room temperature for several days.
Finish Arrangement
When you've finished with the stems, it's time to enjoy your holiday bouquet. The arrangement can be a centerpiece on a festive Christmas or New Year's table, or perhaps on a welcome table in a foyer, or on a coffee table in living room with a Christmas tree.
Keep in mind that once cranberries are used in an arrangement like this, they should not be consumed. The poinsettia blooms will keep for several days in water.
Whether you need the right planters, flowers or potting soil, The Home Depot delivers online orders when and where you need them.
