Today, flower growers have more than 2,000 varieties of milkweed. Each type of ornamental plant has significant differences in appearance: some representatives of milkweed are similar to cacti, others are similar to shrubs and tropical trees. Homeland of milkweed (second name euphorbia) Mexico. When growing at home, it is important to provide a flower representing the Euphorbia family with enough sunlight.
Features of milkweed
Euphorbia (euphorbia) belongs to the category of succulent plants belonging to the Euphorbia family. The appearance of the various varieties is very different. Among the succulent plants you can find:
- herbaceous plants;
- shrubs;
- stunted trees.
Euphorbia
The unifying factor of various varieties of milkweed is the presence of milky juice in the tissues of the decorative culture. Stems can have spines of various shapes. Most euphorbia have powerful stems and a spherical crown shape. The height indicator can reach 2-200 cm.
For your information! The extreme parts of the leaf plates can be not only solid, but also with the presence of notches.
The foliage of most varieties contains stipules. The root system of milk plants can be:
- branching;
- creeping;
- vertical.
Common species
Below are the most popular types of milkweed that are grown at home.
- Cypress Euphorbia (Euphorbia Cyparissias) belongs to the category of highly branched shrubs. Under natural conditions, the height of the plant can reach 4-6 m. If you grow the plant indoors, then its height will not exceed 30 cm. The upright branches of the cypress variety are dotted with narrow foliage. On the upper parts of the branches are cyanide. Beautiful bracts are painted in yellow-green and red shades. Cypress variety can be grown in an apartment, and in the warm season, transplanted into the open ground. In winter, the palm of the euphorbia must be transplanted back into containers and brought into the house. Cypress species endowed with useful properties;
- White-eared Euphorbia (Euphorbia Leuconeura) - A popular variety that resembles the appearance of a cactus. The height of the juicy ribbed stalk reaches 45-55 cm. Slight branching is characteristic of the upper parts of the plant. Closer to the bottom of the stem, it thins out. On the edges of the stem of the white-veined milkweed are scales that give the culture a fringed appearance. In the upper part of milkweed, elongated foliage grows with the presence of oval veins. When grown indoors, abundant flowering can be achieved. After flowering, a seed box is formed, which shoots as it ripens. After a few weeks, the seed that has fallen into the ground begins to sprout. White-eared Euphorbia is a flower that is characterized by rapid development. It is very important not to overdo it with watering. Against the background of swampy soil, the green mass begins to turn yellow. The foliage of milkweed cactus gradually falls;
Euphorbia whitewashed
- triangular euphorbia (Euphorbia Trigona) - a representative of the stem succulent, which belongs to the family Euphorbia. The perennial has rather fleshy stems. On pronounced trihedral ribs there are small spines. On the upper parts of the shoots, oblong foliage grows. A tall plant has a fairly small root system. It is very important to tie a triangular euphorbia to the support as it grows. The variety is unpretentious. Even the dry period of euphorbia tolerates well. When grown indoors, flowering does not occur. The triangular milkweed reaches a height of 300 cm. The variety is distinguished by the presence of poisonous juice, which provokes the occurrence of skin irritation. The juice of trihedral milkweed must not be allowed to enter the eye area. The variety looks perfect when grown in combination with comb and fat species. It is recommended to grow from seeds or propagate by cuttings;
- euphorbia edged with bright bracts with a wide white border. The rounded gray-green foliage of a mountain flower grows slowly. The height of a branched shrub reaches 80-85 cm by August. The border of the bract in the middle of summer turns snow-white. One gets the impression that snow covered parts of the flowers. During this period, the euphorbia looks like starched lace. Small white flowers are barely noticeable. Designers prefer to plant a street variety with a resinous look;
Euphorbia Mile
- Euphorbia Tirukalli is a representative of succulent trees, whose height can reach 9-10 m. Green branches, whose thickness is in the range of 6-7 mm, have a cylindrical shape. Linear foliage falls, after which traces in the form of dots remain on the shoots. When grown indoors, the height of milk of Tirucalli barely reaches 200-300 cm. The variety is easily propagated by cuttings. Pots with plants must be placed in areas where sufficient sunlight enters. Tirukalli can tolerate even a long period of drought. The variety will ideally fit into any landscape design. In the summer, it is better to keep flower pots on the balcony;
- Euphorbia Milii (Euphorbia milii) belongs to the category of thorny shrubs. The upper parts of the stems are dotted with elongated foliage. Cyananthus bracts are painted in various shades: white, pink and yellow. The height of a plant grown in room conditions barely reaches 20-25 cm. In the summer, it is important to water the Milkweed variety and feed it in a timely manner. The variety is perfectly propagated by cuttings and seed method. Care at home for milkweed Mil is quite simple. The plant looks at a time when it begins to bloom, amazingly. It is not difficult to take care of the perennial variety.
Important! The poisonous juice contained in the milkweed plant is capable of provoking problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and developing the inflammatory process of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose. It is very important to isolate euphorbia from children and pets.
Euphorbia occurs most often in tropical, temperate and subtropical climatic zones. The homeland of euphorbia is hot Africa and Mexico. A small percentage of plant varieties can be found in cooler climates.
Features of milk milk care at home
Euphorbia indoor refers to unpretentious crops. However, when growing at home, it is still necessary to take into account some features of caring for a representative of the Euphorbia family.
Note! Flower pots should be set as far as possible from the drafts. The soil in the container should not be too wet.
Plant transplantation after acquisition
The acquisition of a plant and its transplantation is best done in mid-spring. For planting, it is necessary to prepare a pot of suitable size, soil mix and drainage.
Soil preparation
The soil mixture for milkweed transplantation must be loose and permeable. If desired, you can use the soil intended for planting cacti. You can prepare the soil with your own hands. To this end, sheet soil, a small percentage of humus and sand are mixed in a bucket. It is important to put a drainage layer on the bottom of the container, using pebbles or expanded clay.
Top dressing
During the growing season, grass euphorbia needs to be fed. It is recommended to use preparations containing potassium as fertilizer. Top dressing is introduced in the spring and summer months. It is important that the soil is moist. From October to March, fertilizing is not recommended.
Watering a plant
The soil must be moistened according to the diagram below:
- in summer it is enough to water the euphorbia (Euphorbia) every 4-5 days;
- in the cold season, the soil is moistened 1 time in 20 days;
- when the temperature drops below 11 ° C, the soil does not need to be moistened.
During irrigation, water is added to the pot in stages in small portions. On particularly hot summer days, in addition to watering, it is advisable to carry out systematic spraying of plants.
For your information! Caucasian housewives with the juice of milkweed dyed woolen fabrics yellow.
Euphorbia
Temperature mode
Experienced flower growers are advised to maintain indoor temperature within 18-25 ° C. In the hot season, it is necessary to take containers with flowers to the street. As soon as the outdoor temperature drops to 16 ° C, flower pots should be returned to the room.
Note! There are varieties of milkweed plants that can withstand temperatures below 8 ° C. In this case, it is important to place the plants in a well-lit area of the room.
Lighting
Euphorbia refers to sun-loving crops that need good lighting. Different varieties require different lighting conditions. If some types of plants need diffused light, then it is important for others to ensure direct sunlight. Some varieties of milkweed can grow in a shaded place. However, the green mass at the same time loses its saturated hue and contrast, for example, the variegated variety loses its unusual hue.
Pruning
In mid-July, when the flowering process is completed, experts recommend doing anti-aging pruning, during which:
- stems that have dried are removed;
- elongated shoots are shortened;
- in young plants, all shoots are removed except for young ones, which will please lush flowering in the next season.
In addition to the correction of the crown, the forming pruning involves cutting off all the shoots closer to the end of February, which allows the bushes to become denser. It should be borne in mind that after pruning, flowering can not be expected throughout the year. But for the next season the euphorbia will please with abundant flowering. Trim the crown as carefully as possible.
Types of breeding indoor flower euphorbia
To breed indoor euphorbia, you can use several methods:
- seed;
- by way of cuttings;
- division of bushes.
Note! The vegetative method of propagation belongs to the category of the most affordable methods, characterized by the simplicity of planting and care. Seed material makes it possible to grow spherical forms that cannot be propagated by cuttings.
Some varieties can be grown only by dividing the bush. For this purpose, the dug bush of the plant is divided into a pair of bushes and transplanted into separate containers. It is important to be especially careful when dividing the root system. The method can be applied only at the moment when the plant is at rest. It should be borne in mind that there should not be rotting areas on the planting material. Any suspicion of rot is removed before healthy tissue.
Growing milk from seeds
Seed material can be collected independently or purchased in a specialized store. For sowing, you need to prepare a sand-peat mixture. The soil is calcined in the oven for disinfection. Seeds for 24 hours must be soaked in water. After a specified period of time, dig the seed into the ground. Cover the crops with polyethylene material and transfer to a warm room.
Breeding
Cuttings
Cutting is best done in October. To propagate the plant by shoot, you will need:
- cut off processes, the length of which reaches 10 cm from under the leaf nodes;
- remove the lower foliage;
- rinse out the juice under running water;
- wipe the slice and treat it with crushed charcoal;
- dry the cuttings and plant them in moist sand.
Until the cuttings are rooted, they must be held under a film cover. The soil should be systematically moistened. It is very important to transfer containers with cuttings to a shaded place.
Note! Every day, containers with cuttings must be ventilated.
Diseases and Pests
Too frequent watering can lead to decay of the root system. So that the euphorbia does not die, it is necessary to remove the rotten roots and transplant it into another pot filled with fertile soil.
Improper plant care can lead to fungal infections. To cope with the disease, you will need to conduct a course of spraying with fungicides. Among the most effective drugs in this category are:
- topaz;
- Previkur;
- foundationazole.
Parasites can also harm milk. Most often, a plant is attacked:
- powdery worms leaving a white coating on foliage and twigs. What to do in this situation? Bugs must be collected, and the plant is sprayed with garlic infusion;
- Scabies and thrips, leaving pale yellow stripes on the leaves of the plant. To destroy dangerous parasites, it is recommended to use an actar or phytoverm;
- spider mites, as evidenced by white deposits on the underside of the leaves. Affected areas need to be treated with alcohol infusion.
For your information! Euphorbia garden is considered a weed and it is without pity cut under the root. Other types of milkweed are useful. Infusions prepared on their basis help to cope with gynecological diseases. The benefits of a garden plant have been proven by scientists.
Possible problems in growing milkweed
Often when growing milkweed, the occurrence of certain problems can be noted. The most common of them include:
- falling green mass. Most often, an unpleasant situation occurs against the background of a shortage of sunlight. You should rearrange the containers with flowers in the bright zone as soon as possible. You can give preference to places near the window;
- yellowness and drying of the leaves indicate an invasion of parasites or lack of moisture. It is important to timely treat the plant or moisten the soil;
- withering can be triggered not only by the action of pests, but also by an ordinary draft. Flower pots should be moved to a more suitable area. If necessary, treatment for parasites is carried out.
Euphorbia belongs to the category of fairly unpretentious plants that can be grown not only indoors, but also in the garden in the summer. An abundance of varieties of flowers will help you choose the perfect plant for any interior design.
