How to make a poinsettia wreath for front doors and porches

If you love getting creative with Christmas decor, learning how to make a poinsettia wreath will give you a welcoming addition to your decorations. This classic design is so easy to do yet looks super-professional when finished. It's so quick to put together too, only taking around an hour to make. 

Red poinsettias are a Christmas classic but if you want to add a more modern edge to your wreath the good news is that poinsettias are available in shades of pink, lemon and cream too, as well as pretty variegated ones with speckled patterns. So you don't have to stick with a traditional color scheme if you prefer something with more of a Scandi vibe for your Christmas wreath. 

Whether you love the idea of a traditional design, want to try the latest trend with succulents or like a 'foraged in the woods' theme, the joy of this particular DIY poinsettia wreath is that it manages to combine elements of them all. 

How to make a poinsettia wreath in 5 simple steps

This design of wreath is simple to construct. It's built up around a basic frame, then easily accessorised with a range of natural-looking decorations as well as a scattering of poinsettia flowers. It's a good idea to find out how to care for a poinsettia too so you get the most out of your beautiful Christmas decoration.

'Spruce foliage, fir cones, echeveria succulent plants, rosehips, pine twigs and cut poinsettias decorate this lush Christmas wreath in an on-trend nature-inspired style that will give your Christmas porch decor real standout factor,' says Dr Susanne Lux from the poinsettia experts Stars for Europe, who created this stunning design that gets the Gardeningetc team's vote. 

You will need:

• 5 poinsettia flowers, cut from a plant. 
• A simple straw frame
• Moss to cover the frame (available from florists, optional)
• Florist's wire
• Selection of spruce branches to layer up the base
• Selection of small succulent plants such as echeveria
• Fir cones, rosehips and pine twigs, to decorate

1. Cut your poinsettia flowers

'To create this wreath you will need to cut poinsettias from a plant,' explains Suzanne. 'Immediately after cutting, dip the poinsettia stems briefly in hot water approx 140˚F (60˚C), then in cold water. Place them in water-filled test tubes like these ones from Amazon. This will keep the star-shaped bracts beautifully fresh for up to two weeks.'

Put the cut flowers to one side until the final step of assembling your poinsettia wreath. The rest of the poinsettia plant can, of course, be kept and added to your display of Christmas plants.

Remember to look for the best quality plants when buying poinsettias. Fresh, healthy plants will have dense, undamaged foliage and small, fresh yellow-green flower buds between the bracts. If a plant is already losing leaves, don't settle for second best but instead look elsewhere.

2. Assemble the frame for your wreath

There are different ways to build the base of a wreath, although the easiest one is to buy a simple straw frame like this one from Amazon. If you want to cover the outside of the wreath with moss, be sure to secure it properly with florist's wire.

You can also try weaving long springy twigs over the frame as an additional decorative layer if you're going for a woodland theme and love the look of natural twig decorations. 

Alternative wreath bases include metal floral frames used in combination with cut foam blocks (both available from Amazon) as well as wire and plastic styles.

3. Create a base layer of spruce

Condition the spruce foliage by snipping the stems and letting them have a good drink of water from a bucket for a couple of hours until you're ready to start assembling your poinsettia wreath.

Cut the spruce into smaller sections to work with. Layer around the wreath in a clockwise fashion, angling as necessary, until the frame is completely covered. To keep the spruce foliage secure wind round florist's wire as you go.

For a great money-saving idea, find out more about how to make a Christmas wreath using garden foliage that embraces this year's trend for woodland-themed Christmas decorations.

4. Add your echeveria plants

The succulents in this wreath design give it a cool modern edge. There's a range of succulents to choose from that are ideal for wreaths and other natural Christmas decorations but we particularly love echeveria.

Either use small echeveria plants whole or gently pull florets and sections of echeveria from larger plants, keeping the roots intact. 

Cut the floristry wire into lengths of about 4in (10cm) and bend them in half to form a 'U' shape. 

Dig a small hole in the moss with your finger and lay the plant in it, securing it in place by pushing a bent wire around the base of it. You may feel the need to add an additional wire for larger plants.

If you want to take this idea up a level, you could make an entire succulent wreath, with multiple varieties. Or for an alternative modern look, how about finding out how to make a pampas grass wreath with a mix of dried florals, pampas and preserved foliage?

5. Build up your design

Work around the wreath, adding fir cones, sprays of rose hips and pine twigs. Try varying the shapes and colors to form an attractive arrangement. Make sure everything is held securely in place with florist's wire. 

Finally add your poinsettia flowers in their individual water filled tubes. Insert them into the moss and secure with florist's wire, making sure the tubes aren't visible. Arrange the flowers off center for a more contemporary look or space them evenly around the frame if you prefer things more uniform.

Add a wire loop or ribbon to the frame so you can hang up your poinsettia wreath. The best spot is a sheltered porch. Poinsettias are native to Mexico and don't like temperatures below 53˚F (12˚C), so if you live in a cold climate it might be best to hang up your poinsettia wreath inside your home instead. 

If you love the idea of introducing even more poinsettias to your Christmas decor, why not make a matching DIY poinsettia centerpiece for your Christmas table too?