Euphorbia

The Euphorbia plant, or Euphorbia, is the largest genus of the Euphorbia family. It includes up to 2 thousand different species, sometimes significantly different from each other. Euphorbia lives all over the world, most often they can be found in the subtropics and deserts, sometimes in the tropics, as well as in temperate climates. Many species come from Africa as well as from areas of Central America.

Features of euphorbia

Euphorbia is great for growing as a home plant. Most often, succulents are chosen for this, capable of creating water reserves in parts of the bush. Such plantings attract with their unpretentiousness - they are not afraid of either low humidity or periods of drought. Some euphorbia look a lot like cacti, while others look like showy flowers. The famous poinsettia with beautiful bright foliage also belongs to milkweed.

The name of the milkweed refers to the juice that all representatives of this genus contain. It includes toxic substances, but the percentage of their content can vary from species to species. Such juice is quite caustic and can cause poisoning, burns or inflammation of the mucous membranes. To be sure not to encounter the negative effects of milky juice, you should manipulate such flowers carefully, and also keep them away from children or pets.

With proper care, unpretentious milkweed can decorate an apartment for a long time - many species do not lose their attractiveness over the years.

Brief rules for growing euphorbia

The table shows brief rules for caring for euphorbia at home.

Home care for euphorbia

Due to the undemanding nature of most species, caring for euphorbia at home is usually not difficult.Such plants grow well even in a sunny southern direction, calmly tolerate the periodic lack of watering, and are also almost not affected by pests.

Lighting

Euphorbia prefers bright lighting throughout the year. The plant can be grown on the south side of the house, and in the summer it can be taken outside or on the balcony. The lack of light in winter, combined with the high temperature in the room, can lead to stretching of the shoots and the loss of the attractiveness of the bush.

Temperature

In summer, euphorbia develops well at a temperature of 20-25 degrees, in winter it can be a little cooler in the room - about 16 degrees, but if this is not possible, during this period the flowers can be kept at room temperature.

The exception is poinsettia, which differs from most of its congeners. The mode of its maintenance during the rest period presupposes obligatory coolness.

Watering

The exact watering schedule depends on the type of euphorbia, but if a succulent species is grown at home, it will not need frequent watering. In winter, you can reduce the watering of such plants to once a month, but the soil lump in the pot should not dry out completely. The greatest amount of moisture is required for milkweed during the period of growth and flowering - it is especially important to monitor sufficient watering for species with pronounced foliage.

Humidity level

Most euphorbias tolerate low humidity levels, but dust can accumulate on plants. To remove it, the bushes are periodically sprayed or wiped using lukewarm water.

The soil

Euphorbia grow well in loose soil, including leafy soil, turf and peat with the addition of sand. You can also add brick debris or perlite to the substrate to loosen it. It is also permissible to use ready-made substrates for cactus plants.

Top dressing

Fertilizing euphorbia is required only during the period of development - in spring and summer. You can use for this purpose universal formulations for home flowers or fertilizer for cacti, if the grown species more closely resembles this type of plant.

Transfer

For the most part, euphorbia do not differ in rapid growth rates, so they often do not need to be transplanted. The exceptions are young specimens, which are transplanted every year, in the spring.

Small species of euphorbia will grow well in medium-sized pots, but tall bushes suggest larger and heavier containers that will not tip over under the weight of the shoots. When transplants, you should also not forget about the presence of drainage. For milkweed, you should choose pots with holes in the bottom, which will protect the plants from overflow: moisture stagnation often leads to the development of rot.

Reproduction of euphorbia

The easiest way to get new euphorbia is by cuttings. Before transplanting, the cut of the separated cutting is dried for about 2 days, having previously washed it to drain the juice and treated with crushed coal, and then planted in a suitable light soil or put in water. The main requirement for rooting is warmth (about 20 degrees). Roots usually appear fairly quickly.

Spherical euphorbia, similar to cacti, which do not shoot for cuttings, is propagated using seeds.

Pests and diseases

Most euphorbia are considered to be highly resistant to disease and insect pests. Problems with plants can begin only due to improper care: lack of light, underfilling or overflow, or inappropriate room temperature. Spider mites or other pests of indoor flowers can settle on weakened bushes. Insects should be fought with special means.

Types of euphorbia with photos and names

Euphorbia beautiful (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

This species is also known as poinsettia. Euphorbia pulcherrima is considered one of the symbols of Christmas - it is at this time that its spectacular flowering occurs. In winter, small flowers appear on the bushes, surrounded by bright bracts. Most often they are red, white or pink in color. Among the milkweed, this species is considered one of the most attractive, but at the same time - the most demanding.To preserve such a flower until next season, it is important to strictly follow all the rules for caring for it.

Euphorbia resinifera

This spurge is more like a cactus. Euphorbia resinifera has bluish-green 4-sided shoots. Their ribs are covered with wart protrusions, from which spines grow. In care, this species is very unpretentious.

Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbia hypericifolia)

The most popular is the Diamond Frost hybrid. Euphorbia hypericifolia attracts with graceful twigs with medium-sized green foliage, over which many small white flowers bloom. Due to the abundant flowering, these bushes look very impressive. These plants are considered to be easy to care for and can perfectly decorate hanging planters.

Mille spurge (Euphorbia milii)

Because of the gray thorny shoots, this plant is known as the "crown of thorns". Euphorbia milii forms large shrubs whose branches are dotted with oblong foliage. Young specimens look especially decorative. During the flowering period, umbrellas of small flowers with red or yellowish bracts appear on them, which stand out noticeably against the background of green leaves. Shoots of old bushes are drier and prickly. Best of all, such a plant develops on the southern windows, this allows it to bloom almost all year round.

Euphorbia obesa (Euphorbia obesa)

Or euphorbia is plump. This species resembles a spherical cactus. Euphorbia obesa has a spherical shape with shallow ribs. There are no thorns or foliage on its stems, and on the ribs there are traces of fallen inflorescences, more reminiscent of buds.

Large-horned spurge (Euphorbia grandicornis)

An unusual species with an interesting shape of fleshy stems. In Euphorbia grandicornis, they have three facets and are highly branched. There are large gray or beige spines along the edges of the edges. Foliage may appear on fresh shoots, but it falls off quickly enough.

Triangular spurge (Euphorbia trigona)

Tall view with trihedral stems. Euphorbia trigona forms oblong leaves on young shoots. As they develop, they fall off.

Euphorbia tirucalli (Euphorbia tirucalli)

Unpretentious succulent. The shoots of Euphorbia tirucalli resemble branched green sticks. On the stems of such a plant, there are also no foliage or thorns - it is the numerous shoots that give it decorativeness.

Euphorbia (Euphorbia leuconeura)

This species is one of the most common. Euphorbia leuconeura has a ribbed trunk, at the top of which there are large dark green leaves with light veins. As the leaves grow, they fall off, leaving peculiar notches on the trunk. Flowering is not very remarkable, so it is grown precisely for the sake of beautiful foliage. In order for the crown of such a bush to develop evenly, it should be periodically turned towards the light in different directions.