The Plant That Wouldn't Die

Okay, so I've had this poinsettia for a while. Over five years by my count, I even successfully moved it here from South Dakota. And it has bloomed for me at least twice in that time. The problem is, it wasn't happy here. I couldn't find a suitable place for it and I think it got too much light, or too little light inside the house. It was shedding leaves right and left and I eventually gave up on it. I set the pitiful poinsettia outside sometime last spring, first on the deck just outside the patio door. Eventually it ended up over by the garden shed where it was mostly in the shade the last couple of months. On Saturday I was outside watering the garden and pulling my contingent of weeds and making an effort to neaten things up. I picked up the poinsettia in its blue pot thinking I should dump the contents in the compost. Upon closer examination, i could see it was growing leaves!

Sprouting from the ends of the previously thought dead branches we have new growth!

This is one plucky plant. When you consider my brownish thumb, I figured it was done for when I set it out in the chilly spring air.

The previously pitiful, now plucky plant has a spot in the shade where it gets some afternoon sun. Depending on further improvement, it may get to come back in the house. In the meantime, we'll see what water and sunshine accomplish.