Yes, poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, can be put outside during the warm months. But it is a tender tropical plant, so wait until the temperature is consistently above 50°F at night before placing it outside.

You will need to acclimate it by taking it out gradually, not all at once. When the days start to warm up into the 50s and 60s you can put it out during the day and take it inside at night. Gradually you can leave it outside for longer periods of time. After a couple of weeks you can leave it out all night, provided the nights don't get too cold.

Continue to fertilize it and be sure to pinch back the growing tips to induce bushiness. Bring it back indoors before frost and subject it to 14 hours of total darkness each night until the bracts begin to show color. Then it can be brought into the light and treated as a houseplant. The darkness must be uninterrupted each night or the buds will fail to form. To ensure success, keep the night temperatures low and don't forget to expose the plant to light each day after the 14 hours of darkness.

You can find instructions on encouraging re-flowering, which includes a period of dormancy, in our Guide to Poinsettia.

- Courtesy of NYBG Plant Information Service