Euphorbia - one of the favorite indoor plants. The Euphorbiaceae family has many species and varieties that can be grown on a personal plot and at home.
It can be shrubs, low trees or grass.
Homemade milk jugs are very diverse. Some of them are similar to cacti, others can be called false palm trees, and still others are deciduous shrubs. Most often, up to 10 varieties of milkweed, which are the most popular, are grown in indoor floriculture.
Varieties and types of milkweed for home cultivation (photo)
1. Euphorbia mile or brilliantth is a flowering plant that is a small thorny shrub. Coral-like flowers from early spring to late autumn densely cover the crown. It is appreciated for long and memorable flowering.
2. Tar Euphorbia - a tall shrub reaching a height of about 1 meter. Outwardly resembles a cactus, forms tetrahedral shoots of a bluish-green color, on the tops of which a lot of small bright yellow flowers appear.
3. Tirucalli - It is a deciduous graceful plant with juicy shoots. It is often confused with rapeseed and other cacti. A distinctive feature is the presence of milky juice and a pair of leaves at the ends of the shoots. Indoor grows up to 1 meter. Refers to fast-growing species. Due to the rapid growth, the plant is periodically pruned and a beautiful crown is formed.
Important! It is categorically not allowed to place Euphorbia Tirucalli in the nursery, it secretes poisonous juice, which leads to poisoning.
4. Euphorbia trihedral - used to decorate the interior of the house and office. Its shoots and leaves have a purple-pink hue. The plant reaches a height of up to 3 meters.
5. White-eared Euphorbia - one of the valuable species for home growing. It looks like a false palm. A single-stemmed plant reaches a height of up to 80 cm, the trunk thickens to the top. At the top of the trunk, oval leaves with characteristic white veins form. The plant blooms for a very long time and is beautiful.
6. Spherical Euphorbia - a low plant up to 10 cm. At the very base of the stem round and cylindrical shoots without spikes are formed. Often confused with "living" stones.
7. Poinsetia - The most popular type of homemade milkweed. A shrub is a deciduous plant, on the top of which leaves of a contrasting color are formed. Breeders bred varieties of poinsetia with white, cream, yellow and red leaves. Euphorbia is popularly called the "Christmas star" or "Christmas tree."
8. Euphorbia Foxtail Got an owl name for bright orange inflorescences that resemble the tail of an animal. The plant blooms for a long time, about 8 months. On one evergreen shrub, up to 30 such inflorescences are formed.
9. "The head of the jellyfish" - Indoor euphorbia, the shoots of which resemble tentacles. The stem of the plant is completely hidden underground, only leafless succulent branches appear on the surface. The plant blooms with very small yellow flowers that adorn the ends of the shoots. It tolerates shade and is suitable for growing in the back of the room.
10. Euphorbia abyssinian - a giant houseplant reaching a height of up to 10 meters. This is a growing leafless succulent, which is grown in botanical gardens and greenhouses.
How to grow euphorbia at home
Euphorbia refers to the unpretentious species of indoor plants that can be left unattended while on vacation. Growing milkweed does not cause trouble even for a beginner.
Many varieties do not require sunlight and grow well in the back of the room, which allows you to revive any corner of the house. Varieties with juicy green leaves feel great on the southern windows under heavy lighting. These unique plants are not at all afraid of direct sunlight, which allows you not to worry about their decorativeness.
However, for successful cultivation of milkweed at home, you need to take care of the influx of fresh air into the room and provide good ventilation of the room. When airing, make sure that the plant is not exposed to cold air. Euphorbia does not tolerate drafts, cold and too high humidity in the room.
Care for domestic milk
• So, absolutely all varieties of milk jugs need heat. For winter maintenance, the temperature should not fall below 15 degrees, but in summer the plant calmly tolerates high temperatures of up to 30 degrees.
• The plant does not need high humidity, which can lead to the development of putrefactive diseases of roots and shoots.
• An important step in caring for domestic milk is watering the plant. It is carried out only after complete drying of the soil. An excess of moisture is detrimental to succulents. The fact is that the shoots of milkweed contain enough moisture to feed in the dry period. Overmoistening leads to rotting of the shoots. It will be optimal to water once a week in the summer and once every two weeks in the winter.
• During the period of active growth, some types of milkweed need frequent spraying, which must be reduced in the winter.
• You need to take care of homemade milkweed with gloves, avoiding juice on hands and mucous membranes. The milky juice of most species leads to severe skin irritation.
Planting and replanting domestic milkweed (photo)
Milkweed should be planted in a nutritious and loose soil that passes water well to the roots. The landing tank should have openings for fluid drainage and good drainage. As it can be used expanded clay or pebbles.
To prepare a nutritious planting mixture you will need humus, sand, turf and leafy land, peat. All components are used in equal amounts. The prepared substrate must be loose.
If you cannot prepare the substrate, then the soil purchased at the store for succulent plants or cacti is suitable.
Planting young shoots and transplanting milkweed is planned for spring. The transplant container should be slightly larger than the previous one. Planting young seedlings is carried out in a small pot, where they will develop until next spring.
Exceptions! Euphorbia transplantation should be carried out at any time of the year if:
• the plant was bought in a shipping pot;
• the soil from the purchased flower contains too many growth stimulants, it does not have a loose appearance.
Planned plant transplants should take place at least once every two years. Milkweeds are characterized by their growth rate; some species require annual transplantation.
When transplanting plants, you need to be very careful about the roots, since some species have a very fragile root system. Damage to the roots injures the flower. It is better to use the method of transplanting the plant into a large container when transplanting, while maintaining an earthen lump.
How to breed euphorbia at home
Self-propagation of milkweed is carried out in several ways:
• tops of shoots;
• seeds.
Cuttings are cut from the tops of the shoots at a distance of 10 cm. Freshly cut shoots must be placed in a container with water so that milky juice ceases to stand out, after which the plant needs to be dried for two days. For rooting cuttings, you can use planting soil, some gardeners leave the plant in the water until the roots appear.
Seed propagation is not possible for all varieties of milkweed. Sowing seeds is carried out in shallow containers, after germination, the seedlings are thinned out, later dive into separate containers.
Trimming and maintaining milk at home
Some types of milkweed require regular pruning, which is carried out in the spring, during the period of active growth of the plant. All shoots need to be shortened by 1/3 of their length. When forming a crown, bare and ugly branches need to be completely cut.
Care for domestic milk includes dust removal. Some leafless species can be cleaned with a brush dipped in water. Large plants with large leaves can be wiped with a soft cloth or rinsed under a warm shower. After the procedures, the flower is given time to dry and only then returned to a permanent place.
