I looked on google some more and... are these slugs???

Yes, slugs.

If you are at all interested in producing colorful brachts again, there's tons of information on the internet. It will never provide anything like the original display, but a great many people enjoy the challenge.

"It will never provide anything like the original display."

It will if you keep it long enough...;-)

My 15 year old this year.

{{gwi:69360}}

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: Point Pointers

I used to make poinsettia standards or trees and of course that means one starts with a plant and keeps it for a few years. They were magnificent in bloom. Nobody said it was necessarily easy, but if pinched and put in the right circumstances and light exposures they can remain very nice for years. In fact, they enjoy being outside in warm seasons and often thrive with little or no care. I don't know where you are in California, but you could probably keep yours outside year round or nearly.

Thank you all for encouraging my pointsettia plant! :)

But does anyone have any recommendations for what to do about the slugs in the soil?? Are they bad for the plant?

They will eat the leaves. You should repot yours and put it in a much coarser soil than the peaty stuff it came in but it should summer outdoors (after acclimating it to full sun) and so the slugs will be back. A bit of a safe slug bait like Sluggo should put an end to them.

tj

google slug eradication.. or some such thing ...

pick them out.. and get the pot off the ground ...

are you using soil in the pot.. or potting media ...

perhaps its time to repot the plant ...

the hosta forum peeps have lots of slug remedies ...

ken