Indoor spurge: description of the top 7 species, planting and care at home, how to breed

Spurge is a decorative deciduous flower, which is often grown to decorate rooms. Even inexperienced flower growers can grow it, as the plant is unpretentious in its care. However, all the same, before planting, you need to figure out all the features of planting and caring for indoor milkweed.

Popular varieties of milkweed

Euphorbia has many varieties that can be grown at home. Therefore, before planting this cactus, you need to find out which varieties are best to plant.

Ribbed or comb

This is a green stemmed shrub whose trunk has a ribbed surface. The height of the comb variety is one and a half meters. Most often, the plant is found in coastal and subtropical forest areas in Madagascar.

Over time, miniature flowers of a yellowish color are formed on the bush. The diameter of each of them does not exceed three centimeters. Ribbed spurge blooms in the first half of summer. Flowering lasts 20-30 days. Among the main features of the ribbed plant are resistance to frost, as well as protection from pests.

White velvet

Considered one of the most common varieties of milkweed, which is grown by many flower growers. In nature, such a plant grows up to two meters without problems. Indoors and in a pot, the maximum height is 120-130 centimeters. The trunk of the white-veined variety also has irregularities on the surface. The foliage is painted in a bright green color with thin veins of white.

Flowers in such a seedling are not easy to notice, as they are located under the leaves. They have yellowish petals and bloom in June or July.

Mile

This is a tall variety that grows up to two and a half meters in the right conditions. The shrub has many branched stems of a grayish color. Leaves are located at the top of the shoots. Their length reaches four centimeters, and the width does not exceed two centimeters.

The main distinguishing feature of Mili is considered to be bracts that have a bright color. Their surface can be painted in yellow, orange and scarlet colors. The flower is in small orange inflorescences. Mile blooms, like most other varieties, in summer.

Medusa Head

Decorative medium-sized euphorbia that grows well in pots. If you properly care for the planted seedling, its height will reach 130-145 centimeters. The diameter of the main stem is 20-25 cm.

The medusoid variety has a lot of lateral branches on the trunk, which can be both short and long. The central part of the trunk is slightly thickened, it accumulates nutrients and moisture, which comes through the root system from the soil. Medusa's head blooms in late May or early June.

Beautiful or poinsettia

A popular flowering spurge that is common in central America and southern Mexico. This variety is considered one of the most compact, as the bush grows up to fifty centimeters. On the stems of the shrub, greenish leaves are formed, which have an elliptical shape. On the edges of each of the leaves there are notches that make the leaves more unusual.

The distinctive features of this milkweed include its unusual flowers that can be painted in any color. Most often there are plants with red, yellowish or burgundy petals.

Enopla

Succulent low growing plant that can be grown in small pots. Enopla bushes grow up to 30-35 centimeters, small red spikes with a slight purple tint grow on the main stem. Miniature reduced leaves with a green surface are formed on the stems.

Two types of flowers form on the plant:

• male;
• female.

Onopla bloom starts in the summer, it lasts 2-3 weeks.

Fat

This kind of plant looks like a small cactus. A fat seedling has a spherical shape. Leaves or spines do not form on it; instead, compact branches in the form of spheres appear on the plant. The diameter of the main stem is 5-8 centimeters, and the height is 15-30 cm.At first, the trunk is octagonal, but over time, its shape becomes more rounded.

Obese spurge can be gray, greenish, steel, purple and even brown. Also on its stem you can see transverse multi-colored stripes.

Can I keep at home?

Some people are afraid to keep spurge at home, as its juice contains toxic substances that can harm human he alth. However, if properly maintained, the bush can be grown at home.

Experienced flower growers recommend careful handling of planted milkweed. The following guidelines must be followed:

• transplant seedlings with protective gloves;
• set plant pots out of the reach of children and animals;
• do not pick stems with bare hands.

Useful properties of milkweed

Euphorbia is one of the plants that are actively used in medicine. Its juice can be used to prepare medicinal formulations that have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and diuretic properties. Freshly squeezed juice contains the following ingredients:

• zuforbon;
• saponin;
• alkaloids.

Also, the flowers of the plant contain beneficial enzymes that improve the functioning of the immune system and help get rid of the symptoms of leukemia. Euphorbia can be used to treat wounds and treat ulcers.

What to consider before purchasing a flower

Before purchasing a flower, you need to familiarize yourself with the conditions in which it is best to grow it.

Location and lighting

Cultivation of euphorbia seedlings should be carried out in a suitable place for this. Many varieties of this plant are photophilous and therefore they should be grown on window sills that receive direct sunlight. However, the most beautiful variety loves diffused lighting more and therefore care must be taken that rays from the sun do not fall on it.

Such a plant can also be grown in a shaded place where the light practically does not fall. In this case, the leaves will have a less bright color, which will lose their attractiveness.

Optimal temperature conditions

Growing spurge, you must adhere to the temperature regime, which contributes to the growth of the plant. Experts advise growing it at a temperature of 15 to 27 degrees above zero. In the summer, the plant is taken out into the street, under the sun. In the evening, when the temperature drops below 14-16 degrees, he is brought into the room.

There are varieties of milkweed that tolerate temperature changes. They can grow at a temperature of 5-7 degrees. However, at such temperatures, a container with a flower must be placed in a lighted place.

Humidity

Some believe that the Euphorbia bush must be grown in conditions of high humidity, but this is not so.The plant tolerates drought, and therefore the humidity level in the room with milkweed should be medium. However, the plant will grow well even with high humidity.

Required soil composition

Before you plant spurge, you should figure out the optimal composition of the soil. It is the soil and the components that make up its composition that affect the further development of the planted bush.

Flower growers with many years of experience recommend growing seedlings in permeable and loose substrates. Such land is ideal for growing milkweed. If it was not possible to purchase a soil mixture for succulent-type plants, you can independently prepare a composition for growing cacti. To do this, sand is mixed with humus and soil in equal quantities.

Pot size

In order for the planted spurge to grow well, you need to choose a suitable container for it. Some people use boxes to plant milkweed, but most people use pots.In this case, the containers must be changed as the plant grows. Experts advise to replace the pot annually.

First, seedlings are planted in small pots 10-12 centimeters deep. However, when the root system grows, you will have to prepare larger containers. Adult milkweed seedlings should be grown in pots, the depth of which is 17-25 centimeters.

How to care for a flower at home

The planted milkweed needs proper care so that it develops and blooms faster.

Regularity of watering

Such a plant, like many others, must be watered periodically. At the same time, it is not necessary to engage in soil moistening too often, even during severe droughts. In the summer, watering is carried out no more than once a week. In winter, the amount of watering is reduced to several times a month. At temperatures below twelve degrees, watering seedlings is contraindicated.

If you have to moisten dry soil, do it gradually. First spraying is carried out and only after that watering.

Feeding

Experts advise regularly adding fertilizers to the soil so that the plant has enough nutrients. At the same time, the seedling must be fed most strongly when the growing season begins. In this case, feed mixtures are added to the ground within two weeks.

Euphorbia should not be fed with mixtures that contain a lot of nitrogen. This component can adversely affect the growth of the main stem of the seedling. The best top dressing is rotted compost or birch charcoal.

Pruning and crown shaping

Indoor bush euphorbia should be periodically cut and thinned out to get rid of excess shoots. Also, pruning at times accelerates the growth of the main stem of the seedling. This procedure is carried out annually so that the milkweed does not have many side shoots.

You can cut a seedling with sharpened scissors or a knife. It is impossible to cut off the shoots manually, so as not to damage the spurge and cut yourself on the sharp thorns that grow on the stems.

Transfer

Transplantation of milkweed is mandatory, because without transplantation it will not grow normally. Flower growers advise transplanting the seedling into a larger pot with thick walls, the diameter of which is 3-4 centimeters.

Before planting the plant in a new place, the bottom of the container is covered with expanded clay for better drainage. The thickness of the drainage layer should not be more than five centimeters. Euphorbia bushes are planted in a new place annually.

Pests and diseases: control and prevention

Despite the fact that the plant is resistant to some negative influences, it still sometimes gets sick and is attacked by pests. Seedlings start to get sick due to the following reasons:

• lack of fertilizer;
• lack of light;
• non-compliance with the temperature regime;
• excess moisture.

The presence of pests or diseases is indicated by yellowing of the foliage, the appearance of spots on the leaf plate, wilting of seedlings. Fungicides and pesticides will help protect spurge.

How to propagate spurge

There are three methods for propagating euphorbia seedlings.

Cutting

Some gardeners propagate euphorbia bushes from cuttings. To do this, a leaf is plucked from the plant, which is sprinkled with Kornevin. This is done to stimulate the growth of rhizomes and root them. After that, the stalk is transferred to a container with sand and left for 20-35 days.

Dividing the bush

Europe also reproduces not only by cuttings, but also by the usual division of the bush. Such reproduction is carried out in March and the first days of April. The bush is carefully dug up, after which the stems are separated. Then the separated stems with roots are transplanted to a new place.

Seeds

Globular varieties of the plant reproduce only by seeds. The seed material is calcined in an oven before planting, after which it is planted in the prepared soil mixture. After 40-50 days, the germinated seedlings are transplanted into a larger pot.

Conclusion

Flower lovers often plant indoor euphorbia. However, before that, you need to deal with the varieties of the plant and the peculiarities of caring for it.

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