Description of the plant, tips for caring for milkweed tirucalli at home cultivation, recommendations for reproduction, the fight against possible pests and diseases, facts to note. Euphorbia tirucalli (Euphorbia tirucalli) is a tree-like plant with a long life cycle. It is included in the genus Euphorbia, which is part of the euphorbiaceae family of the same name. The native territories in which this representative of the flora grows in nature extend to the lands of the African continent, namely to its northeastern, central and southern regions. It is also not uncommon for Euphorbia tirucalli on the islands surrounding these areas, which include the Arabian Peninsula. If we talk about the countries that are native to the milkweed tirucalli, they are Ethiopia and Sudan, Eritrea and Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Angola. It can grow successfully on the territory of Mozambique, Swaziland and the former provinces of South Africa (Cape, Natal and Transvaal), this also includes the island lands of Madagascar.
However, the plant was introduced back in the 19th century to many other regions with a tropical climate, and the fact that this sample of flora began its "movement" around the world from Indian possessions is in great doubt. However, in those areas, euphorbia tirucalli grows in very dry areas and often its thickets are used to feed cattle or hedges are built with its help.
Often among flower growers, this representative of the flora is found under the name of "rubber milkweed" or "pencil milkweed", all this is associated with the type of plant branches and the possession of milky sedge.
This succulent (it can accumulate a large amount of moisture in its parts and thus maintain its existence during periods of drought) has a rather unusual appearance. It resembles somewhat real coral. Euphorbia tirucalli has a tree-like shape and is distinguished by branching. Shoot height often reaches 5-9 meters. If the owner does not trim branches during the time, then when growing at home, the height of the plant will approach the 6 meters mark. The branches themselves are cylindrical in cross-section and the thickness varies in the range of 5–7 mm.
The surface of the shoots is colored bright green when young, but over time this color changes to dark gray. There are several varieties of this plant and some bred by the efforts of breeders, and of interest are those in which, in the direct rays of the sun, the stems acquire a reddish color. With any damage, there is a release of milky juice, which can cause discomfort when it gets into the eyes or on the mucous membrane of the mouth.
The leaves that grow in the "rubber milkweed" in length can vary in the range from 0.6 cm to 0.12 cm, with a width of about 1–1.5 mm. Their shape is linear or linear-lanceolate, they tend to fly around in the off-season, and traces in the form of dots remain on the branches from the leaves. Moreover, only young specimens have leaf plates, and old plants are completely deprived of them. The color of the leaves is rich green. However, foliage is present on the plant only at the tops of the shoots, and the function of photosynthesis (a process that occurs under the influence of sunlight with the formation of carbohydrates in the cells of the epidermis from carbon dioxide and water) is given to the stems.
During flowering, small flowers are formed, which have yellow petals. Since the plant is dioecious, that is, there are flowers on one plant of the same sex (males with stamens or females with pistils), then for successful pollination you will need to have two different specimens of milkweed tirucalli. But when cultivated in a room, there is practically no flowering.
When grown at home, Euphorbia tirucalli is not picky, and even a novice florist can successfully take care of it. Due to its unpretentiousness, this tree is recommended for growing in office conditions, where there is no way to actively look after the flora.
Tips for caring for tirucalli milkweed at home
- Lighting. This exotic plant is very fond of bright light and you can put it on the sill of the south window without worrying, shading it only at noon.
- Content temperature. When growing milkweed tirucalli at home, it is necessary to maintain heat indicators in the range of 21-25 degrees, since the tree is thermophilic. In the summer, you can take out the pot with "rubber milkweed" in the fresh air, but pick up a place free from drafts and precipitation.
- Air humidity. The plant is a "resident" of a dry climate and therefore low humidity in the premises is not a problem for it. Spraying tree shoots can be carried out only if a lot of dust has collected on them, and euphorbia tirucalli is also occasionally washed under warm shower jets. But if the owner has decided not to worry about the humidity in the room, then the exotic will not be offended.
- Watering. The plant is very sensitive to waterlogging of the soil and therefore it is better to forget to water it than to overdo it. The reference point for watering will be the state of an earthen coma, as soon as the soil in the pot dries out completely, then it's time to moisten it. During the winter months, when the "pencil milkweed" comes to rest, such a procedure becomes even more rare, only once a month. It is recommended to use soft and warm water (with a temperature of 20-24 degrees).
- Fertilizers for Euphorbia tirucalli. As soon as spring days come, it is recommended to feed this branchy plant to support its growth, which is quite active at this time. Since the plant is essentially a succulent, fertilizers intended for succulents and cacti, which are available in flower shops, should be applied. The dosage and recommendations for feeding indicated on the package do not change. With the arrival of autumn, they stop fertilizing the euphorbia, giving it a break.
- Transplant and suitable soil. After you have purchased such a "pencil spurge", then having brought it into the house, you need to arrange a quarantine, followed by a change in the shipping container and substrate. Such an operation should be carried out only after a 10-day period after the plant has adapted to home conditions. The bush is carefully removed from the container and the remaining soil is shaken off the root system. It is better to pick up the pot a little larger than the previous one, especially in width. A layer of drainage material is laid on its bottom, which will protect the soil and roots from waterlogging, since the plant can suffer from decay. Such drainage can be medium-sized pebbles or expanded clay, sometimes growers use broken brick of the same size or clay shards. The substrate for milkweed tirucalli can be a mixture of garden and leaf soil, coarse sand, which are taken in equal proportions. Further transplants are carried out in the spring months, when the root processes began to be seen from the drainage holes.
- General care for euphorbia tirucalli. With the arrival of spring, it is recommended to prune the shoots, since the spurge is distinguished by strong branching and a high growth rate. But if you shorten all the elongated branches, then the bush will take on a more compact and neat shape, and you will not have to solve the problem with its placement.
- The resting phase. In winter, the plant, as a "resident" of a hot climate, falls into the so-called "resting stage", therefore it is recommended to create cooler conditions for it, where heat indicators do not exceed 15 degrees, but less than 12 units will not drop. If the temperature falls below this mark, then the euphorbia of tirucalli will die.
Recommendations for breeding milkweed tirucalli during home cultivation
You can get a new "pencil spurge" by rooting cuttings. They are usually cut in the spring. From the tops of the shoots, it is necessary to cut obliquely with a very sharp tool (knife, scissors or razor blade). The length of the cutting should be about 8–10 cm. Then the blanks for cutting are placed in a vessel with warm water or placed under a stream of running water so that the milky juice stops oozing from them. After that, the cuttings should be dried, at least within 24 hours, so that the "wound" heals and a whitish film forms on the cut surface.
Before planting, some growers treat the cut of the cuttings with root formation stimulants (for example, phytohormones such as Kornevin or heteroauxinic acid). A peat-sand mixture is poured into a container for planting (or a layer of peat is placed on the bottom of the pot, which is covered on top with the same amount of coarse sand). After planting, the end of the cutting should be in peat, that is, the depth of the touchdown is at least 5 cm, the substrate is moistened, but not so that it is very wet. It is better to use a finely dispersed spray bottle for this procedure.
A pot with cuttings is placed in a warm place with bright, but diffused lighting. It is necessary to provide a mini-greenhouse conditions when humidity and heat are constant. To do this, cover the container with the blanks with plastic wrap or put it under a glass jar. But then it is important not to forget about daily airing, since condensation will collect in such a “shelter”. Some experienced florists use a plastic bottle to create a greenhouse, from which the bottom is cut off. Then the airing will be easier - you can simply unscrew the cover a little.
Rooting usually takes place quickly and then a transplant is carried out, so that 2-3 young milkweed tirucalli are planted in one pot - this will further guarantee the splendor of the bush.
There is evidence that very rarely Euphorbia tirucalli growing in natural conditions, and even more so at home, can multiply with the help of a stem that lengthens too much and, reaching the surface of the soil, begins to take root in it.
Controlling pests and diseases arising from the home cultivation of milkweed tirucalli
When the above-described care rules are often violated during the cultivation of "pencil milkweed", the following troubles may arise:
- Root decay can occur when the soil in the pot is constantly waterlogged. The solution is transplantation into a sterile pot and substrate with preliminary removal of the affected root shoots and treatment with a fungicide.
- The stems begin to turn brown and become soft to the touch when euphorbia tirucalli is exposed to low temperatures. At the same time, the plant cannot be saved.
- With the yellowing of the leaf plates, it is clear that Euphorbia tirucalli has been in direct sunlight for a long time. Solution: transfer the pot with the plant to another place with diffused lighting or create shading.
Of the pests that, in spite of the poisonous juice, can infect the "rubber spurge" are distinguished:
- mealybug, which is manifested by the formation of whitish, cotton-like lumps that are visible on the back of the foliage or in internodes;
- a spider mite, entangling all parts of the euphorbia of tirucalli with a thin cobweb.
The first insects must be removed with a soft cloth, which is soaked in alcohol (a pharmacy alcoholic solution of calendula may work) or a cotton swab, which is also moistened with a similar liquid.
In any case, it is recommended to carry out treatment with insecticidal and acaricidal preparations, with repeated spraying after a week, in order to exclude the appearance of young pests that have hatched from the laid eggs.
Facts to note tirucalli milkweed, photo
Important
When grown at home, milkweed tirucalli should be very careful not to place it in rooms where small children or pets have access. Its juice is very poisonous, and if it gets on the skin, it can cause burns. And in case of contact with eyes, it causes temporary blindness (often lasting up to a week!), Then it is recommended to rinse under running water until all symptoms disappear, about a quarter of an hour or more. Then you should seek medical help. Often, all signs of a burn can appear even after more than half a day. If it happened that the juice got inside, then the entire mucous membrane (mouth, tongue and lips) is burned. There have been reported deaths after Euphorbia tirucalli juice was ingested.
The plant is very unpretentious and in nature lives on very poor soils, which are completely unsuitable for growing agricultural crops. Despite the fact that milkweed tirucalli juice is poisonous, succulent is actively used to feed cattle without harm to it on Indian lands. Since the height of the stems is impressive, it is customary to grow barriers or hedges from euphorbia tirucalli in Indian villages. And in the forests, the fruits of the plant serve as a delicacy for monkeys and other "wild inhabitants".
This representative of the flora received its name "rubbery" due to the qualities of milky juice, which serves as a raw material for obtaining rubber. And in the last years of the XX century, the American biochemist Melvin Calvin (1911-1997) put forward the idea of obtaining oil from the juice of Euphorbia tirucalli, and he also calculated that if this plant is planted with this plant, then from each acre (4047 sq. M) there will be received up to 50 barrels (6, 82 tons) of oil.
For economic purposes, the plant is used as a raw material for the production of an insecticide and a poisonous agent for fish.
Despite all the dangers that are fraught with euphorbia tirucalli, it is actively used in alternative medicine in places of its natural distribution. So in Brazil, Indonesia, India and Malaysia, healers prescribe plant juice to treat cancerous and other tumors or warts. If a person showed symptoms of asthma, cough or otitis media, then applications were made from succulent juice, the same remedy was used to treat neuralgia, sciatica, and dental pain. But there is information that they became interested in euphorbia of tyrukalia not only as a remedy for malignant tumors, but also as the cause of the onset of a disease called Burkitt's lymphoma (a transient malignant lymphoma that can spread outside the lymphatic system, affecting, for example, the bone marrow, blood or spinal cord). liquid).
It happens that a not too knowledgeable florist can confuse euphorbia tirucalli with Rhipsalis, which is sometimes called a twig or Hatiora, which are part of the Cactaceae family due to the similarity of the outlines of the shoots. But a distinctive feature of the plant (like all representatives of Euphorbia) is the presence of milky sap, and sometimes there are leaves on the tops of the stems that resemble helicopter blades. Since the branches are devoid of foliage, the people of Euphorbia tirucalli are called "naked man" or "pencil tree".
Due to its minimalistic and austere appearance, the plant can be recommended for decorating interiors in Japanese style.
