Due to the poisonous plant sap, every subspecies of the spurge family should be cultivated with a certain degree of caution and care. Nevertheless, some representatives of this plant genus that are popular as houseplants can be easily propagated.
How can Euphorbia be successfully propagated?
Euphorbia, also known as the spurge family, can be propagated by cuttings, seeds or cuttings. When propagating, you should wear protective gloves, allow the cuttings to dry if necessary and ensure sufficient ventilation.
Grow your own poinsettia offshoots
At first glance, the poinsettia with its eye-catching flowers, which is offered in stores every year during Advent, has little to do with the triangular spurge, but both plant species belong equally to the spurge family. The poinsettia is only propagated from seeds in countries like Australia, where the warmer climate allows the seeds to ripen on the much larger specimens. On the windowsill, the poinsettia is better propagated vegetatively via cuttings. To do this, you should first select he althy mother plants of sufficient size. Cuttings are then cut from these using protective gloves according to the following criteria:
- Length of about 15 cm
- with about four to five leaves
- very large leaves are halved (otherwise there will be too much evaporation)
- targeted “wound closure” with hot water
So that the white milky juice from inside the plant coagulates and the cuttings do not “bleed out” and dry out, they should be placed in warm water for a short time immediately after cutting. In addition, the chance of successful root formation improves if special rooting hormones (€9.00 on Amazon) are used to stimulate root formation.
Propagate the spit palm yourself
The spit palm is also very popular as a houseplant in many homes due to its exotic appearance. In the wild, this type of plant reproduces extremely effectively by scattering seeds far away from the plant. Since cutting back the spit palm can usually affect the plant's he alth and visual appearance, propagation is preferably carried out using seeds. At the time of ripening, these can be specifically removed from the distinctive inflorescences and placed in moist substrate. Seedlings should soon be discovered in a bright and warm location if the substrate is kept slightly moist without waterlogging.
The propagation of the pencil bush
You can also propagate the pencil bush (Euphorbia tirucalli) quite easily yourself. However, you should first allow the freshly cut cuttings to dry for about two days before placing them in a suitable succulent substrate. The location should be free from direct sunlight, but bright, warm and moderately humid.
Tip
So that the proliferation of the various euphorbias does not pose a he alth risk, protective gloves should always be worn. In addition, sufficient ventilation must be ensured so that substances from the evaporating plant sap cannot be absorbed into the air we breathe.
