The so-called spurge plants, with their sometimes very exotic appearance, are usually cultivated as pot plants in this country. The vast majority of species are kept as houseplants all year round, as they are not hardy outdoors in the Central European climate.
Are euphorbias frost-resistant and hardy?
Euphorbias, such as the triangular spurge or the pencil bush, are not hardy and should overwinter indoors at temperatures below 12-15°C. During the winter months they should only be watered sparingly to avoid rot.
The false trail of plant names
A species of euphorbia that can be found seasonally outdoors is the subspecies Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost', which is sometimes sold in specialist stores under the name "magic snow". As much as the name might suggest, this type of euphorbia cannot be overwintered outdoors in cool temperatures. After all, the wintry-sounding name of this plant species only refers to the visual appearance of the numerous, small flowers.
It's not just when there's frost that problems can arise
If the outdoor temperatures become cooler and cooler as autumn progresses, then it is not just the falling temperatures that can lead to difficulties with the milkweed plants that are still set up outdoors: the increasing humidity can occur at temperatures below 12 to 15 degrees Celsius The cold causes plants like triangular spurge to develop rotten spots. So make sure you move to a suitable winter location in the house as early as possible. For most euphorbias, overwintering in a relatively warm room is just as possible as overwintering in a room that is only 15 degrees Celsius warm, although in the latter case watering should be much more sparing.
Overwinter euphorbias properly
Many euphorbias have been among the most popular houseplants for many years:
- the triangular spurge
- the pencil bush (Euphorbia tirucalli)
- the cactus spurge (Euphorbia ingens)
- the spit palm
All subspecies of the plant genus Euphorbia mentioned should definitely be overwintered in the house frost-free. The cactus-like spurge plants should generally be watered very little.
Tip
After a long growing season on the terrace, overwintering the euphorbias indoors can become a problem due to a lack of sufficient storage space. If you want to cut back your euphorbias before overwintering, you should definitely be careful of the poisonous plant sap.
