Euphorbia Laktey Kristata – how to care at home

Euphorbia Laktea Kristata is a tropical succulent native to the hottest countries of Asia. The name in Latin means “Milky Crests”, which successfully illustrates the original shape and color of the plant. The cultivation of this milkweed has certain specifics, requires careful care, knowledge and skills.

Euphorbia Lacteya Cristata

Description

Euphorbia lactea cristata is a perennial euphorbia with an escape of amazing shape. It looks like an open fanor a bizarre marine inhabitant. There are two forms of this euphorbia: variegate and crested. The first cannot grow without a stock, and the second can exist on its own roots (but most often it is grafted onto another stem anyway).

Color the plant’s palette is quite diverse. It includes greenish, milky, pinkish and metallic shades. Small spikes are located on the ribs of the scallop; small flowers appear on the wavy edges. In nature, the milkweed grows large oblong leaves, but at home they quickly fall away.

Like other types of euphorbia, Laktea produces poisonous juice when it breaks. Getting on the skin or mucous membrane, the substance causes burns and irritation.

Purchase and adaptation

Euphorbia Kristata is a rather rare species that is not found in every store. Since it is not easy to grow, it is important to acquire a healthy plant (so as not to create additional problems for yourself). On the stem and crest there should not be dark spots, dry, damaged and softened areas.

• 3-4 weeks the euphorbia adapts to a new place of residence. At this time, the lactea should not be disturbed and transplanted.
• She needs to create comfortable conditions (heat, good lighting, moderate watering) and, for the sake of precaution, be placed separately from other flowers.
• they don’t pay the first month after the purchase – the plant has enough nutrients contained in the store substrate.

Laktey Kristata – quite a whimsical plant. Caring for it should be thorough and thoughtful, since it must satisfy the dual needs of scion and stock. However, if you take care correctly and carefully, it is possible to grow a beautiful and healthy euphorbia.

Watering

Water the plant every 10 days, making sure that the substrate dries, but does not dry out completely (in winter, watering is carried out once a month). Overmoistening in this case is unacceptable (it is better not to top up than to pour).

Water needs soft, settled, room temperature. Laktea does not like moist air, it cannot be sprayed.

Fertilizers

In the summer and springtime, euphorbia is fed monthly. In the winter dormancy, top dressing is stopped. A complex mineral composition for succulents is chosen as fertilizer.

Transplantation

Lactaea is rarely transplanted: its root system should be compactly placed in a small pot. If you allow the roots to grow, the branching of the stem will begin, side shoots will appear, which will partially take away food from the main scallop.However, once every 3-4 years, the euphorbia can be transplanted, increasing the capacity by no more than 2 cm. It is important to observe safety precautions when transplanting: wear rubber gloves and safety glasses.

Trimming

Over time, new shoots may appear on the stock and crest. To preserve the decorative look of milkweed and good nutrition of the main scallop, you need to trim. The processes break off with hands (wearing rubber gloves and glasses) or cut with a disinfected sharp knife. The slicing sites are treated with an antiseptic.

Reproduction

We propagate by cuttings

It is difficult to propagate Laktey at home – only advanced gardeners can do it. The only available way is grafting. The scallop or process is cut with a sharp knife (previously disinfected) and placed in warm water to rinse off the juice.

The stalk is dried for three to four days. Slices are treated with an antiseptic. After this, it is possible to plant the shoot in a moist substrate for rooting, but it is better to immediately graft it from the trunk of another milkweed.