How To Propagate African Milk Tree

**How to Care for Euphorbia trigona every bit a Houseplant**

Ideal Placement: Euphorbia trigona love brilliant sunlight. A south-facing window is an ideal location to place it, though an due east- or west-facing window will also work.
Sun: They require at least iv hours of bright, indirect sunlight per day. Can also thrive in partial shade.
Temperature: This plant will suffer in temperatures beneath 55°F. If outside, bring your plants outdoors from spring to late autumn.
Pot and Soil: Existence a succulent (not a cactus!), this plant requires well-draining soil in a pot that drains easily, also. The pH of the soil should exist from 6.1 (mildly acidic) to vii.viii (mildly alkaline). I utilise Miracle Abound potting soil for mine and it does but wonderfully.
H2o: Euphorbia trigona like to dry out between waterings. Dip your finger well-nigh an inch into the soil: if information technology'south damp, you can expect on watering; if it's dry, you know it's fourth dimension to water again.
Flowers: It's less likely for an indoor constitute to bloom but, with ideal conditions, await for white or yellowish flowers during jump or summer.
Repotting: It will demand to exist repotted every two to 3 years or so.
Pruning: If your plant gets too heavy, consider pruning off the artillery (and propagating those clippings to brand new plants).

Propagation

You can hands plow one small African milk tree plant into many, specially since sharing it with friends and family is said to bring skilful luck. Who doesn't similar good luck?

Always utilise thick gloves!

To propagate this institute, you will need a thick pair of gloves, not only to protect you lot from the prickly spines simply as protection from the plant'southward toxic sap. Whatsoever cutting portion of this establish will secrete a milky-white, sticky sap that is a pare irritant. Be careful not to go any of the sap on your skin and, certainly, keep it abroad from mucous membranes.

I heard a rumor that someone got some in their optics and lost their vision for a couple of days. How terrible that would exist! I have gotten the sap on my peel before only washed information technology off promptly and had no bad reactions.

How to Propagate an African Milk Tree

Using a pair of scissors or garden pruners, cut an arm off at the base of its stalk.
Rinse the cut end nether running h2o.
Some recommend dipping the cut stem into rooting hormone, waiting a couple of days, and and so planting it in special soils, but I have never taken these extra steps. I e'er place my cutting direct into Phenomenon Grow potting soil and have never had a cutting not root for me this mode.
Bank check the soil every day for wet to ensure it stays moist (but not soggy).
The cuttings volition root within a week or two.

Many leaves indicate a happy, healthy plant. — Many leaves bespeak a happy, healthy constitute.

About the African Milk Tree Plant

If yous would like a low-maintenance, beautifully exotic houseplant that looks tropical, this ones for you. I believe it just may exist the easiest to care for plant I've ever owned. It'southward perhaps been the well-nigh forgiving plant I've ever owned, also.

Are there other names for Euphorbia trigonia?

Its botanical proper noun is Euphorbia trigona. It is sometimes too referred to as African milk bush, African milk tree, candelabra cactus, cathedral cactus, friendship cactus, proficient luck plant, or good luck cactus.

Is it a cactus?

Although it resembles one, the African milk tree is not a cactus at all, nor is information technology a bush-league or a tree. It'southward a succulent plant native to central Africa.

How does African milk tree grow?

It is known for rapid and enthusiastic growth, and Euphorbia trigona can grow to heights of vi to viii feet. The constitute has thick, three-sided stalks with spines along its edges and cactus-like branches, or arms, that abound upright from the sides of the stalks. Small-scale leaves cover the edges and ends of the actively growing stalks and arms. It is a lush green plant with lighter green striations through the stalks. Leaves are a sign of health, and then a constitute with many leaves is happy.

Euphorbia trigona rubra or Imperial Red:

There is also a diverseness of this constitute known as Euphorbia trigona rubra or Royal Red. It's substantially the same found but with beautiful, deep red leaves. It's a cultivar of the green Euphorbia trigona plant. (A cultivar is dissimilar than a hybrid equally environmental changes cause a change in the Deoxyribonucleic acid of the cells.) The Rubra or Royal Red are cared for in the same manner equally the Euphorbia trigona. It's a nice looking plant that adds a pop of color anywhere you place it.

Other Data About Euphorbia "Cactus"

Here'south some communication on how to handle various issues that might arise with your Euphorbia.

How to prevent a Euphorbia from falling over:

Since these plants grow so tall (upward to viii feet) and have modest root systems, they can sometimes go so top-heavy that they fall over. Yous tin can use stakes to aid hold them up or, if so desired, you tin can cutting the top portions off to lighten the plant's load. Propagate these removed stalks past cutting horizontally across ane of the stalks.

People frequently resist cutting stalks off because the plant will no longer have a rounded appearance on top, but information technology can be done so that the leaves will grow along the cut portion, making the horizontal cutting virtually unnoticeable.

Overwatering concerns:

One of the master reasons they tip over is over-watering. Trim and pale them, but definitely ease up on the watering every bit well. I say this because the only time mine began falling over was after I had left it outdoors. It had rained for a couple of days when I noticed it falling over. Its pot did not have any drainage holes, so my euphorbia was completely submerged in water! I used stakes to prop it up. Once it dried out, it became sturdy again.

Yellowing leaves:

Yellowing leaves is also a sign of over-watering. The leaves volition plow yellowish and fall off of the plant. This establish seems to do better being too dry than too wet. When also dry, the leaves tend to look dry out and begin to shrivel and brownish.

Arms/Branches of African Milk Tree: Each Could Be Cut to Make a New Plant — Arms/Branches of African Milk Tree: Each Could Be Cutting to Make a New Plant

This content is authentic and true to the best of the author'southward noesis and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized communication from a qualified professional.

Judy rondon on August 08, 2020:

I just buy this plant and I noticed that information technology has several brown spots everywhere. Could u guys tell me what is the reason? And can it tolerates hot sunlight?

Max Vernon on May 16, 2020:

what do i spray on my African milk tree once a year ?

Tina on April 21, 2019:

What kind of pot is practiced for this constitute. I currently have it in a ceramic on but it's top heavy I was wondering if I should get a deeper one

Gil on October 20, 2018:

I have this institute outside in the planters for over five years and grown over 8 feet alpine. The constitute has at to the lowest degree 7 or 8 branches from the basis. It rain and I had the sprinklers on , so the branches were bending, I thought it needed water and I water more. I but realized the fault after reading hither. I help the found holding the branches with strings. I may utilize stakes to help or replant branches and give them every bit gifts. It is a beautiful found.

Roxcyanna Ringen on September 01, 2018:

My milk plant is over eight human foot tall. Doing corking. To move in and out of home every twelvemonth it takes 3 people and a moving cart. I take perfectly standing tall. To keep it up right I take information technology in it msin pot yhen set up into a larger container with sand in the bottom and around pot to stablize. It works

Shahrzad on June 04, 2018:

Should I also water spray my red euphorbia trigona when it'southward time to watering?

eehchristie on January 29, 2018:

I have had great success with this plant, but it just doesn't seem to have expanded its root ball since day 1. I have cutting it down earlier only am now struggling again to keep it standing. Any suggestions. I can't fifty-fifty see how a stake would work (and it would be ugly). Information technology practically needs a scaffolding.!

Casey on January 26, 2018:

I recently bought i and repotted it and immediately the next day the leaves started to plough yellowish and autumn. Is this normal or not

Linda Miller on January 07, 2018:

My Tiger cactus Euphoria was hit past frost. Many branches were drooping. We brought it in & I am trying to salvage it by using a hair dryer, & cut off the drooping branches. Many branches are oozing sap. Exercise you call up it can recover? It's 4 ft tall, if I cutting it down low, do yous call back it will grow again?

C C on November 01, 2017:

I take only acquired a 8 pes alpine cathedral cactus or African milk institute.

In transporting the root brawl was disturbed in pot. I have since secured the plant. It is in a big window with south to west light.

2 days ago I gave the constitute most ½ -three/iv cups of h2o. The pot it is in is 12-14 inches high and about 19 inches broad.

Today I noticed the leaves are turning xanthous and some are shriveling. This is occurring all the way to the acme of the plant. Also much or not plenty water?

The moisture meter read dry prior to watering and now reads dry. Prior to watering I take had plant i week.

Any advice?

CultureatGreen on October 24, 2017:

Very very helpful and informative article. I was looking for this information. Thank you a lot for sharing the Trigona info. Go along it up !! Dandy piece of work !!

Cara on September 28, 2017:

I was wondering if you had whatever tips for a Euphorbia cutting whose base hasn't kept up with the growth of the rest of the constitute. The base was a cutting from a very quondam Euphorbia (almost thirty years former) and while it has done very well with new growth, but the base has remained the same size. Information technology's about 6 months at this indicate. Practise y'all think it should be cut downward and restarted or will somewhen "grow into it"? Thank you!

Ali Emami on September twenty, 2017:

it would exist nice not to promote monsanto miracle abound - in that location are much bettter alternatives

Ellen on September 17, 2017:

I have a beautiful 12ft wrapped in heavy ivy to concord together..its been four years since i purchased her from an estate sale. I believe its time to transplant her into a bigger pot. My problem is going most information technology...take whatever ideas. I thought about placing the pot into a larger one and breaking away the sometime one. I dont want her to interruption.

liataylor (writer) on July 05, 2017:

When yous're unsure about watering, it wouldn't injure to wait a couple more than days. The euphorbia is a succulent and they hold onto water.

Jamey on July 03, 2017:

I don't know how to get out in full sun outside in summertime and command watering. .I usually tho my plants put back, and let nature do its piece of work, I have a hundred plants or then and it'south something I'thousand yet figuring out...I have one of these and seen a neghibor down the road has a 8ft i!!

liataylor (author) on March 08, 2013:

Thank you so much. I agree, it certainly is an interesting plant and really easy to take care of as well.

Gail Meyers from Johnson County, Kansas on February 17, 2013:

Welcome to HubPages! That'due south an interesting found I don't know that I have ever seen earlier. Cheers for the info! Voted upwards, useful and FB shared.

Source: https://dengarden.com/gardening/Euphorbia-Trigona-African-Milk-Tree