Euphorbia milii plants for gardens and balconies, you can grow very easily. Crown of thorns, Christ thorns etc. are the names in which the plant is popularly known. Surely it is one of the best plants for home gardens in tropical regions.
In the broad family Euphorbiaceae, we can find a lot of beautiful varieties of Euphorbia milii plants . The commonly found species are those with pink, red, white or yellow flowers.
We can grow these low maintenance plants easily indoors as well as outdoors.
The Euphorbia milii plants with fleshy green leaves and bright blooms in clusters, can make your garden really awesome.
The colourful parts are really petal like structures or bracts that surround the small flowers.
Besides, there are a lot of dwarf hybrid varieties of the plant, that grow up to a height of only two or three feet. Hence, a compact cluster of Euphorbia milii plants in small containers can make your balcony gardens really amazing.
Usually these drought tolerant succulents need only minimum caring. But certain conditions like over watering, may cause the Euphorbia milii plants to die faster.
Let us see how to grow the Euphorbia milii plants for gardens.
Propagation of Euphorbia milii plants for gardens
Using stem cuttings, preferably with a length of six to eight inches, we can propagate the Euphorbia milii plants. Always remember to collect cuttings from mature mother plants, especially that are free from any kind of diseases. Once the stem cuttings are collected, keep it in shade for a few days for the milky sap to dry.
Also we can use saplings, that are collected through the division of mother plants.
In addition, we can propagate the Euphorbia milii plants through the germination of seeds.
Preparation of medium for rooting.
A mixture of River sand, coco peat and crushed bricks in the ratio 1:1:1 is fine for rooting our Euphorbia milii plant. We can use well drained grow bags or ordinary terracotta pots for this.
Fill 3/4 of the pot with the above medium and plant your Euphorbia milii plant cutting in it, preferably about three inches deep.
Keep the pot in shade for a few days, and water moderately.
After a few weeks of proper caring, your Euphorbia milii will become a healthy sapling. Then you can replant it in ceramic or terracotta pots having sufficient number of holes for proper drainage.
For replanting your Euphorbia milii saplings, first cover the bottom of the pot with a piece of wire mesh. Then fill 3/4 of the pot with a medium prepared in the following ratio:
crushed bricks 50%
River sand 30%
Compost or dried cow dung 20%
Keep the pot in bright sunlight after replanting your Euphorbia milii plant.
Water the plant as and when the top soil becomes dry. Always remember that the Euphorbia milii plants can thrive well for a long period without water. But they have the tendency to rot faster in a watery medium, like any other succulents.
Never forget to add any diluted organic liquid fertilizer to your plant, preferably at intervals of one or two months.
Definitely, your Euphorbia milii plants begin to bloom within a few months, if you care it properly.
During the early stages of blooming, your Euphorbia milii plants will look really fantastic with a perfect blend of colours. As the plant grows taller, leaves from the lower part of the stems begin to fall.
Pruning your Euphorbia milii plants.
Through timely pruning, you can maintain the beauty and health of your Euphorbia milii plants.
For removing the unnecessary branches and leaves, you can use a sharp knife or pruning scissors. The sharp thorns as well as the toxic milky sap may cause irritation to your skin and eyes. Hence never forget to take necessary precautions while pruning your Euphorbia milii plants.
Replanting your Euphorbia milii plants for gardens
Euphorbia milii is a perennial succulent, that can survive longer in the same pot. Therefore, a replanting is needed only when the plant begins to outgrow the container.
For this, first take the plant out of the pot along with medium. Then remove all the extra roots using a sharp knife. After that, fill fresh medium in the pot and replant your Euphorbia milii.
Diseases.
Decaying of the plant due to lack of sufficient drainage, is the number one enemy of your Euphorbia milii plants. Usually the symptoms are marked by massive yellowing and falling of leaves.
Certainly you can get rid of this problem by providing favorable growing conditions for the plant. Particularly a medium prepared in the right proportion, pot with sufficient drainage etc.
In tropical climates, these plants are generally resistant to most of the other common diseases.
With the above simple tips, try to grow your own Euphorbia milii plants for gardens. Make your front yard as well as balcony really fantastic.
