Right after Christmas, I cut mine back as it was beginning to get straggly and it just burst out with new leaves. I set in front of the patio windows early spring and I had a nice bunch of leaves turn the most gorgeous shade of red. But as the days got longer, the red bracts of the poinsettia began to turn black. Apparently it does not like direct light. I have just moved it to another room so we shall see what happens!!