'Crappy half-dead' poinsettia from grocery store just won't stop growing

It's been a huge return on a small investment: Mike Doehl turned a $5 poinsettia bought at a Montrealgrocery store three years ago into a looming giant.

His wife, Joanne Hill, describes the festive red and green plant she brought home as "a little,crappy half-dead plant from Maxi."

ButDoehlused the magic of his green thumb to help it growintoabehemoth that now takes up a good part of a room in the basement of their home inMont Saint-Hilaire, a Montreal suburb.

"When things are really beautiful, I want to keep them and cherish them," Doehl said about the poinsettia.

"I just love this thing. The colours make me happy, especially during this COVID time."

Besides constant watering and a bit of liquid fertilizer, Doehl saidhe doesn't do much else to coax the growth. With the help of his nephew, he's transferred the plant outside during the warm months and then back in over winter.

"Put some lights on it and we won't need a Christmas tree," Hill laughs.

"I'm just worried, will it get bigger?!"