Rules for planting and caring for Euphorbia triangular at home

Euphorbia triangularis (triangular) is a plant that looks like a cactus. However, milkweed does not belong to the Cactus family, despite the fact that it has spines. In the wild, the flower grows in Central America and South-West Africa. Thanks to its decorative properties and ease of care, spurge has become widespread in cultivated cultivation.

Brief characteristics and description of the flower

Euphorbia trigonae or Euphorbia trigonae first appeared on the island of Madagascar. Belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. Euphorbia is a tall plant that reaches a height of two to three meters. The stems and branches have flattened ribs with long spines, which is why many people confuse it with a cactus. The plant is poisonous, and a prick from the thorns can cause intoxication. Euphorbia leaves are small and teardrop-shaped.

What are the benefits of milkweed?

Preparations based on milkweed are used to treat wounds and cuts on the skin. Also in folk medicine, the plant is used to make diuretics and laxatives. Its juices are able to cleanse the blood and slow down the growth of tumors, which is why the culture is used in the treatment of tumors. In official medicine, infusions from it are used to treat kidneys, hemorrhoids and eczema.

How to create ideal conditions for maintaining culture

Like any houseplant, milkweed needs the right conditions for its development. The flower must be provided with sufficient lighting, suitable soil, temperature and humidity in the room..

Lighting and location

Euphorbia is a light-loving plant, so its development requires bright lighting. Choose a place for planting that receives maximum sunlight. In summer, it is better to move the pot to the balcony.

Required soil composition

For milkweed, loose soil that allows water to pass through is suitable. The appropriate primer can be purchased at the store or made by yourself.To do this, you will need to mix peat, sand, leaf and turf soil in equal proportions. In addition, the plant needs a drainage layer. It can be made from small pebbles or bricks.

Selection of flower pot

A clay pot is best suited for this plant. It should be deep and have holes for drainage. Select a pot with the appropriate dimensions so that the stem does not overhang it and fall. It makes sense to immediately place a strong, high pole in the pot and tie the stem to it as it grows.

Temperature by season

Euphorbia is a heat-loving flower. It tolerates temperature changes quite steadily, but drafts can harm it. In the summer, milkweed should maintain a temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius. In winter, spurge feels best at an average temperature of 14 degrees. This mode allows inflorescences to form. However, the temperature should not be lowered below plus ten degrees.

Room humidity

In terms of air humidity, spurge is quite unpretentious, but it is not a bad idea to regularly spray the leaves and stems with a shower. At the same time, do not forget to cover the soil with film during water procedures so as not to overwater the soil.

You bought a flower - what next?

After planting, the plant needs proper care. Despite the fact that spurge is unpretentious in terms of care, it must be regularly replanted, watered correctly and the necessary fertilizers added to the soil.

How often should the plant be watered?

The flower does not need frequent, abundant watering. It copes much easier with a lack of moisture than with its excess. In the warm season, the flower should be watered once a week, and in winter - once a month.Watering should be done very carefully, since the plant’s thorns contain juice that can cause intoxication of the body.

Fertilizer application

It is recommended to apply fertilizers to the soil from spring to autumn. Complex fertilizers for succulents, which can be bought in specialized stores, are suitable. These complexes contain all the necessary substances that have a beneficial effect on the development of the flower.

Frequency of transfers

The flower should be replanted no more often than once every two years. Replanting should be done as needed to replace the pot with a larger one. The transplantation procedure should be carried out in early spring, when the shoots have not yet begun to grow intensively.

Formative pruning of milkweed

Unlike varieties of milkweed that grow as a bush, triangular milkweed does not require sanitary pruning. Weak shoots and leaves of the flower do not need to be trimmed; they dry out and fall off on their own. However, triangular spurge is very branchy, so annual formative pruning should be done to prevent the plant from becoming like a large branched tree.

What diseases and pests are crops susceptible to: control methods

If you do not provide the plant with proper care, it may get sick. With insufficient or excessive feeding, milkweed leaves may turn yellow. Due to excess moisture due to excessive watering and lack of drainage, the leaves of the flower may fall off. Also, due to excessive watering, the root system of the plant rots.

Due to the scorching rays of the sun, brown growths often appear on the stems of the plant, with the help of which the milkweed protects itself from too high temperatures.The growths do not need treatment, but their presence negatively affects the appearance of the plant.

The pests to which the crop is susceptible are aphids, mites and mealybugs. To combat them, insecticides should be used.

Reproduction methods

The main method of propagation of triangular milkweed is cuttings. The advantages of this method are that it requires minimal costs and is highly effective. At the same time, if you follow all the rules of propagation, the number of dead seedlings will be minimal. In order to propagate a plant by cuttings, you need to carefully cut off young healthy cuttings with a sharp knife, and treat the remaining wound with charcoal.

The cut shoots should be left for a couple of days in a dry, warm place, after which the young plant should be planted in prepared soil and the pot should be placed in a warm, illuminated place.

In addition to cuttings, seed propagation is available. However, this method is characterized by poor germination and long germination. Seeds should be purchased from trusted sellers and planted fresh in the ground. If it is impossible to plant them fresh, the seeds should be stored in a dry place, however, it should be taken into account that the germination rate of the seed material will decrease.

Problems of growing an African flower

Since the plant is unpretentious in terms of care, there are quite few problems with its cultivation. However, there are some negative aspects that a gardener may encounter. Brown spots of rot may appear on the stem and leaves of the plant - this is a reaction to excessive watering. Due to insufficient light, milkweed stems can stretch, this is especially noticeable in winter.In addition, in a pot that is too spacious, the plant grows quite quickly due to enlarged roots.

Signs associated with triangular milkweed

According to legend, triangular spurge has life-giving powers and is capable of bringing peace to the home in which it grows. Folk signs attribute to it the ability to give peace, moral and physical relaxation, as well as to have a beneficial effect on the human musculoskeletal system.

However, like any plant with thorns, it should not be placed in the bedroom. This is especially true for married couples, as this can contribute to conflicts between loved ones.