Grow High-Quality ‘Lyra’ and ‘Mirage’ Poinsettias

Poinsettia 'Lyra Red' (Syngenta Flowers)

Poinsettia ‘Lyra Red’ (Syngenta Flowers)

Greenhouse Grower editors talked with Syngenta Flowers’ Technical Services Manager Karl Trellinger to get some production recommendations for growing ‘Lyra’ and ‘Mirage’ poinsettias:

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Propagation

During propagation of Lyra, use a spray of 1000 ppm Cycocel at around 10 days and if needed 17 days after sticking, or under consistently hot conditions when plants are growing vigorously a spray of 1000 ppm Cycocel followed by a combination spray of 1000 ppm Cycocel plus 1500 ppm B-Nine, if needed. For Mirage, one spray of Cycocel at 750 ppm, or under consistently hot conditions, a combination spray of 750 ppm Cycocel plus 1000 ppm B-Nine around two weeks after sticking might be neccesary, if the plants are growing vigorously.

Plant Growth Regulators

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For ‘Lyra,’ as with any other medium to vigorous poinsettia variety, growth regulation sprays (PGRs) five days before and five days after the pinch are important to develop a strong base and uniform branching. Syngenta recommends either Florel at 500 ppm, or Cycocel sprays at 1000 ppm under normal conditions, or combination sprays of 1000 ppm Cycocel plus 1500 ppm B-Nine under consistently hot conditions, when plants are growing vigorously. PGR sprays one and two weeks later should be done as needed, depending on temperatures and growth rate.

For ‘Mirage,’ just one Florel spray at 500 ppm or one spray of Cycocel at 1000 ppm under normally warm conditions, or a combination spray of 1000 ppm Cycocel plus 1500 ppm B-Nine under consistently hot conditions when plants are growing vigorously, around 5 days after pinch are sufficient. After that, PGR sprays should be done as needed.

Fertilizer

There are no special fertilization requirements for ‘Mirage’ and ‘Lyra.’ In general, start feeding plants after planting, once the roots reach the bottom of the pot, with 350 ppm nitrogen (N) of 20-10-20 for about three weeks to develop strong, thick stems. After that, fertilization should be reduced to 250 ppm N of a 15-5-15, 14-4-14, 13-2-13, or similar Calcium/Magnesium fertilizers. The EC should be between 1.8 and 2.2 until three weeks before finishing, the pH between 6.0 and 6.2. Bi-weekly media testing is highly recommended. Apply extra Magnesium Sulfate, Molybdenum, and micronutrients as indicated by the test results.

Starting three weeks before finishing, the feed can be reduced to 150 ppm and dropped to 80 to 100 ppm N for the last two weeks.

Propagation

Both varieties are easy to propagate and root uniformly with no special requirements.

Poinsettia 'Mirage Red'

Poinsettia ‘Mirage Red’ (Syngenta Flowers)

Lighting

The response time for ‘Mirage’ is eight weeks and for ‘Lyra’ 8 ½ weeks.

Pinching

Like any other poinsettia variety, pinch ‘Lyra’ and ‘Mirage’ early, about two weeks after planting or four to five weeks after direct sticking, once the roots have reached the bottom of the pot. Make sure to use a soft pinch (removal of ½ inch cutting tip), to get the most uniform branching and to also save production time.

Scheduling/Planting

Both varieties can be planted at the same time as other poinsettia varieties with similar vigor for the required pot sizes. For a larger 6-inch pot of ‘Mirage,’ plant one week earlier than for regular 6-inch production. For a more compact 6 inch ‘Lyra,’ plant one week later.

Pests/Diseases

Both varieties have a strong root system. Treat similar to other poinsettia varieties.

Visit SyngentaFlowers-us.com for detailed culture information tips on Syngenta poinsettias. Once you’re there, click on Technical Information, then on the crop category bar to the left, and then on poinsettias.

See more production recommendations from Herb J. Vander Ende, Director at Burnaby Lake Greenhouses in Surrey, B.C., who trialed a large quantity of ‘Lyra’ and ‘Mirage’ poinsettias from Syngenta Flowers in a production setting during the 2017 poinsettia season.

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