Euphorbia Comb (Ribbed) – how to grow at home

Tropical Euphorbia Combed has won the hearts of many flower growers. It is an evergreen plant with an unusual ribbed trunk. m is a real decoration of any interior. Let’s consider how a flower looks and how to care for it at home.

Description

The botanical name of the flower of the euphorbia family – euphorbia lophogona. The second name is the comb-rib. Homeland – about. Madagascar.

In the natural environment it is found in a forest area, where the tropical and subtropical climate prevails.

Description of the decorative-deciduous perennial:

• the height of an adult reaches 1.2 m;
• the stem is green, erect, sometimes spiral-shaped, has a five-sided surface ( brown at the base, without edges);
• at the very top, the central conductor is saturated green with large spikes;
• the faces are covered with small red villi;
• the lateral processes repeat the structure of the main trunk;
• the leaves are glossy, leathery, green with a reddish tint, size 12×3-5 cm, after falling off leave visible scars on the surface of the stems;
• leaves are formed at the top of the shoots, which gives the plant a palm-shaped crown;
• the leaf plate contains a pronounced silver streak in the center and transverse stripes of the same tone.

Hybrid form

This variety has one subspecies – milk milk comb (euphorbia lactea cristata). A large plant reaches 2 m in height, has good drought tolerance.

The pentahedral stem with several lateral shoots of the same shape. The central shoot of the emerald tone, in the center contains a thick light green strip. Prickles of a dark brown hue are formed on the faces.

Signs

According to popular beliefs, such a flower should be kept in the house, because it has a peaceful effect on all family members and household, relieves stress and leads to harmony in family relationships.

Positive influence is possible if all the rules of care are followed. If the plant suffers from a lack of attention, the magical effect changes to negative.

Purchase and adaptation

You can purchase ribbed euphorbia in one of the flower shops.

When buying, you need to conduct a thorough inspection to make sure the flower is healthy:

• stem without cracks, red or brown growths, rot;
• leaves of a uniform tone, not limp, without yellowness;
• the substrate is slightly moistened, without mold and acidification.

After purchase, the plant is quarantined for 3 weeks – will ultimately separate from the other colors. During that time, it turns out to determine whether there are parasites or any infections on it. If necessary, they are treated with fungicides or insecticides.

Planting

For planting, take a small container, because it begins to stretch rapidly into a large stalk, and a ribbed euphorbia begins to grow rapidly intensively grows foliage.

A pot made of plastic or ceramic with holes at the bottom is suitable. The first layer is drainage from pebbles or expanded clay, the second (up to half the volume) fertile composition.

The roots are lowered, neatly straightened, then the nutrient soil mixture is added to the top, watered abundantly.

Growing conditions

Select a location and soil

Protect the flower from direct sunlight

Given the natural conditions of growth, the flower needs a well-lit place, without direct sunlight. The optimal duration of daylight hours is 4-5 hours.

A pot is placed on a window on the west or south-west side of the house.

If this is not possible, it is placed on the south windowsill, providing partial shade during lunch hours . Otherwise, the stems and leaves will get severe burns and lose their original decorativeness.

When kept in the northern part, the euphorbia will grow slowly, and the aerial part will turn pale.

In winter, if the flower does not have enough light, you can use artificial lighting. The device is installed at a distance of 50 cm from the crown to avoid overheating and burning of the stems, leaflets.

For growing milk, a slightly acidic and loose soil mixture for cacti and succulents is suitable. It can be bought at a store or prepared independently by mixing sand with sheet soil and peat in equal amounts

The second option: mix sand, humus, sheet and peat soil in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1.

Temperature

At different times of the year he is provided with a certain temperature:

• in the phase of active growth and development (spring and summer) contain mode from 20 to 25 ° C;
• in autumn and winter – lower the indicators to 16-17 ° C, which will help maintain the decorativeness and health of the plant.

In warm seasons it can be placed on a balcony, loggia or terrace, where there is fresh air, there are no drafts and direct sunlight.

Humidity

Optimum humidity indicators – 60-65%. To provide them in the spring and summer, frequent spraying of the aerial parts with warm water from the spray is carried out.

In extreme heat, double irrigation is required. In addition, they put a container of water next to the pot, place a flower on a pallet with wet pebbles or expanded clay.

In the winter, it is not necessary to spray – this is done for hygiene purposes no more than twice a month.

Care requirements

Tropical succulents grow successfully at home if they receive proper and timely care.

Watering

For humidification, use filtered or standing water at room temperature. Watering is needed regular, but moderate – only as the soil dries to a depth of 5-6 cm. Usually, it is watered twice a week during the growing season.

In autumn and spring, when euphorbia enters the resting stage, the frequency is reduced to once a month.

After each wetting, light and surface loosening of the substrate is required to maintain its moisture and breathable qualities.

Feeding

With the advent of spring in the phase of active vegetation, young foliage forms on the tops of the shoots. At this point, the flower begins to feed. Use purchased solutions for cacti and succulents, or mineral top dressing (preparation according to the instructions).

Top dressing increases plant immunity

Frequency of application – once every 7 days in the warm season. Toward the end of August, food is completely stopped.

With this fertilizer, the euphorbia grows quickly and maintains strong immunity against diseases and pests.

Pruning

To do this varieties crown formation is not needed, but regular sanitary haircut every spring before the start of the growing season. To avoid infection with infections, pests and preserve the decorative appearance of the crown, all shoots are cut out, leaves that are dry, rotten or yellowed.

A sterile sharp instrument is used for this manipulation, and after it is held, the sections of the cuts are dusted with charcoal.

Flowering

In order to stimulate flowering in this plant, no special conditions need to be created.If it receives a sufficient amount of light, moisture and nutrients, it will release the first inflorescences already in the second year of cultivation.

At the top of the shoots, beautiful, small flowers of pink or white tone form on reddish or yellow-green peduncles.

Transplant

This procedure is required for purchased plants, because the substrate in which they were sold is not suitable for cultivation. Subsequently, the transplant is carried out once every three years.

Technology:

• the flower is abundantly watered;
• after an hour, they are removed and transferred together with the earthen lump into a container of 2 -3 cm larger in diameter of the previous one;
• add fertile soil, lightly tamp.

An urgent need to transplant a plant whose root system rots or is damaged by harmful insects. They use the following scheme:

• flowers are abundantly watered, removed and lowered into a container of water to wash off the rest of the earth;
• the roots are carefully examined, all damaged parts are cut to a healthy tissue, dusted charcoal, dried and transplanted into a new pot with a sterile and fertile soil mixture, moisturized.

Reproduction methods

Ribbed euphorbia can be propagated in several ways, technology Each method has different methods for obtaining new instances.

Seeds

Seed Appearance occurs in the second year of life, after the plant fades.Euphorbia often scatters them, so new seedlings appear by self-sowing. This indicates a good germination of seeds.

The collected seed is laid out on the surface of a moistened substrate, which is used for planting adult plants. For seedlings, seedlings, cups or plastic containers are used.

Sprinkle the seedlings with a thin layer of soil mixture, spray from the spray bottle, cover with a transparent film or glass, put in a warm place with diffused lighting.

Further care consists in periodic ventilation, irrigation with warm water. Shelter is removed after the mass germination of seedlings. The pick is carried out at the stage of the appearance of one pair of leaves. Use small flowerpots with holes at the bottom, take the same mixture as for planting adult flowers.

With good and regular care for the year, seedlings can reach 15 cm in height.

Cuttings

The rooting of cuttings is carried out in the spring, when the plant has not yet begun to grow. Cut the apical shoot 10-12 cm long, deepen into a moist substrate 3-4 cm, then water it, cover with a half of a plastic bottle.

Seedlings need to be well looked after

Until the seedling takes root and begins to form new foliage, it is periodically ventilated, moistened.After about 2-3 months, when the stalk grows roots, it can be transplanted into a pot for permanent residence.