Well last night it got down to 37 where I am in Dutchess County. 50 shouldn't hurt your poinsettia. Let it dry out a little and wait. No direct sun for now.

Tom

newyorker
Would you object if i put this to the Ecke Ranch poinsettia peaple?????

Ninecrow - that would be lovely. Yes. Thank you.

This is the reply I got from Ecke Ranch....

Poinsettia plants can get chilling injury from temperatures below 55F. The wilt is probably permanant so at this point your best chance for saving the plant would be to cut back the stems, allow the soil to dry out a little, and wait and see if new shoots form. Good Luck!

Thank you for using Ecke Ranch Tech Help on-line!

How's your Plant doing now?
Thanks

It could not be saved. I had to cut it down. The leaves completely wilted and looked lifeless. I wish I had a pix to show you - it was just beautiful. It grew 5x its size in 3 years.

PLEASE urge everyone to bring their sensitive plants inside earlier. I cannot begin to tell you how incredibly hearty this plant looked and the next day it was limp. I have also read that mid Sept you should start bringing your plants inside. I've never heard of chilling injury before. I learned the hard way.

I spent this weekend bringing my hibscusis, corn plant and ficus inside. The temps are just too cold for them.

I had the same thing happen to me last year. I cut the plant back about 2/3 of the way and within a month it started growing again and after 2 months it grew back red! When bringing in a plant that has been outside for the summer you have to harden it to the indoors just like hardening it to the outdoors in the spring. Next fall, bring it inside at night and put it outside during the day for about a week. Then, every other day for a week. Then, when it's left inside for the winter, it shouldn't drop it's leaves. (Remember to do the same in the spring for taking it back outdoors). You can even do the bloom forcing process. Mine is already starting to turn it's leaves red. Good luck!

I have a large pointsetta which has been growing and growing indoors in a southern window for 5 years. I went away for 3 weeks and let the neighbors water it this year and since I have come back, the leaves are turning yellow, and dropping off slowly, and parts have just dried up. I thought it had been watered too much so tried to remove it and only half the soil came out of the pot. I left it on newspaper to dry out some and repotted it with fresh soil. It's just getting worse. I have watered it once a week since the new soil to get the soils mixed. Leaves that are even green are drooping and curling up. I am also very sad about my plant. I hope it's not dying!

As happens quite often where the owners go away for a time without giving specific instructions to the person who will be taking care of it.
Not wishing to see the plant die the new caregiver immediately gives the plant water.
Three weeks, you go away. What should have been done was you water the plant the night before you go....and tell the person caring for it, to not water it.....at all.
Your plant would have survived quite well without giving it additional water. Three weeks, it would have done very well without further wetting it.
Mind you, it would maybe have needed water...maybe...when you got home....but only maybe.

Watering a plant on schedule is not a good way to treat any plant. In winter, or late winter, the plant is not using the water like it is when in growing stage, and so watering often causes water to sit unused under the plant....at its roots. Eventually, as more water is given, the roots begin to rot...they are unable to take up further moisture and the first sign of a problem is in the leaves, always the bottom leaves.

You unpotted, and evidently the bottom third was so wet it parted ways with the top portion.
You can unpot it, get rid of the soil, wash the roots clean, and re-pot with fresh potting soil or potting mix.
Since you've had the plant 5 years, one can assume you have watered correctly and only because you left it in the hands of your well-meaning, but unknowing neighbor who should have been told to do nothing....or at the very least, feel the soil and if damp to any extent, do not give it further water.

Hopefully, cleaning up the plant, cut off what you have to, scissor what you should, give it ample sun and water only when and if it needs it will bring it back to its former glory.

If you cut it back to any extent, you will have further reduced its needs for water. Do not try to feed it to health. That will only exasperate the problem.
With only water it needs and good sunlight, I'm sure it'll come back.