If the hobby gardener is familiar with the multi-faceted spurge society, even precarious locations in the garden boast decorative planting. Find out here how you can take advantage of this fascinating and species-rich species in your green kingdom.
How do I properly care for spurge in the garden?
Spurge requires a sunny to partially shaded location, alternately moist soil and regular watering with soft water. Fertilize organically every 4 weeks during the growth and flowering period. Depending on the species, pruning and appropriate winter protection are carried out.
Planting spurge correctly
The planting time for milkweed begins in spring, when there is no longer any fear of delayed ground frosts from mid-May. Prepare fine, crumbly soil in a sunny to partially shaded, warm and protected location. During this time, the root ball of the still potted Euphorbia is allowed to soak in water in a container until no more air bubbles appear. Planting is carried out professionally in these steps:
- Create small planting pits with 1.5 times the volume of the root ball
- Enrich the excavated soil with sifted compost and horn shavings (€52.00 on Amazon) or sand
- Plant the potted spurge up to the bottom pair of leaves and water
Depending on the type chosen, spread a layer of organic or inorganic mulch.
Care tips
A balanced water and nutrient supply in conjunction with adequate winter protection are the central components of professional care. The most important measures at a glance:
- Ideal is an alternately moist substrate with a partially dried surface
- Watering preferably with soft rainwater or pond water
- Fertilize organically every 4 weeks during the growth and flowering period
- Before the first frost, cover bedding plants with leaves, straw and conifers
- Put the spurge in the planter in a bright, frost-free winter quarters
The extent to which pruning is necessary depends on the Euphorbia species being cultivated. You cut deciduous spurge close to the ground in autumn, while scissors are only used in spring for wintergreen varieties. For evergreen succulents, limit yourself to thinning out before the first shoots.
Which location is suitable?
In a sunny, warm location, spurge thrives tirelessly, setting decorative accents with its unusual appearance. If you look for pretty greenery in light shade, the Eurphorbia genus won't let you down. With flexible species, such as Balkan spurge, even a location with less favorable lighting conditions does not remain barren and empty. As a houseplant, Christdorn and colleagues prefer a bright spot that is as far away from the blazing midday sun and cold drafts as possible.
The correct planting distance
The dimensions of a spurge define the exact planting distance in the bed. For the most important groups within the genus we have listed the distances below:
Growth height 15-20 cm corresponds to planting distance 35 cm - 6 pieces per square meter
Growth height 30-40 cm corresponds to planting distance 45 cm - 4 pieces per square meter
Growth height 70-80 cm corresponds to planting distance 50 cm - 3-4 pieces per square meterGrowth height 90-120 cm corresponds to planting distance 70 cm - 2 pieces per square meter
In the pot and balcony box, shorten the planting distance specified here by 5-10 cm to create a lush appearance.
What soil does the plant need?
The majority of Euphorbia species and varieties thrive in nutrient-rich soil that is fresh, moist, humus-rich and well-drained. In addition, the multifaceted genus offers problem solvers for permanently wet bank locations, such as swamp spurge, or for sandy-dry rock garden locations, such as roller spurge. The exotic succulents, such as Christ thorn or the poinsettia for indoor cultivation, prefer a weakly acidic substrate with a pH value of 6.0 to 6.8.
What is the best time to plant?
The best time to plant spurge in the garden is from mid-May to mid-June. In this phase, there is no longer any threat of ground frost, so that the perennials can quickly take root in the bed and showcase their flowers and leaves. By winter, the Euphorbia have established themselves well, so that the perennial species can get through the cold season he althy.
When is flowering time?
With the right combination of species and varieties, you can enjoy the pretty spurge flowers all summer long. The following suggestion may serve as inspiration:
Almond-leaved spurge: blooms from April to June
High spurge: blooms from May to JulySteppe spurge: blooms from June to October
If you cut out withered flower stalks regularly, this care will contribute to a well-groomed appearance and at the same time attract new flowers.
Cutting spurge correctly
The extent to which a spurge needs to be cut is determined by the species you have in front of you. Cut a deciduous Euphorbia back to the ground when it is bare. On wintergreen species, leave the foliage on the plant until early spring to cut it back before new growth. An evergreen spurge is content with regular thinning. The withered flower stalks should always be cleaned out so that they do not affect the decorative appearance. If self-sowing is desired, wait until the seeds have matured and the seeds have spread.
Pouring spurge
The cultivated species of spurge determines the extent of the water supply. While a swamp spurge is automatically supplied with water due to its location on the pond bank, the weather conditions determine the water supply of Euphorbia in the bed. If there is no rain, the perennial is watered as soon as the substrate has dried. This care measure is required less often for drought-resistant rock garden species than for powerful, evergreen varieties in perennial beds. The watering requirement is regularly higher in the planter than in the bed. Check the soil with a thumb test every 2-3 days so that you can water immediately if necessary. Tropical beauties should also be sprayed with soft water, such as the poinsettia or Christ thorn.
Fertilize spurge properly
The nutritional requirements of spurge are at a medium level. Therefore, fertilize the plant with compost and horn shavings every 4 weeks from the beginning of growth until the end of the flowering period. The application of nutrients to the bed should be stopped in August so that the succulents can mature before the first frost.
Diseases
Powdery mildew does not stop at spurge. In this regard, the succulent's poisonous sap is of little help. If the mealy-white coating spreads to the decorative leaves as a symptom of the fungal infection, fresh milk has proven to be an effective home remedy. Add 100 ml of fresh milk (not UHT milk) to 900 ml of soft water and spray the infected Euphorbia every 2 days.
Pests
The omnipresent aphids don't care about the toxic milky sap of spurge. Therefore, they are one of the few pests that attack succulents. Therefore, regularly inspect the tops and bottoms of the leaves. Fight the lice in the early infestation stage with a mixture of 1 liter of rainwater and 15 ml each of liquid soft soap and spirit.
Wintering
Species of spurge planted in the garden are conditionally hardy. It is therefore advisable to cover the plants with leaves or coniferous twigs before the first frost. This precaution also applies to wintergreen Euphorbia, as they should not be exposed to the intense winter sun. Spurge cultivated as houseplants, such as Christ's thorn, cannot withstand temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius and therefore move into the house in good time in autumn. You should do this with all spurge in the planter anyway, as there is a great risk of the root ball freezing in winter.
Propagate spurge
While the milkweed reproduces in the bed by self-sowing, you as a gardener have two other methods available for breeding. Division is easy in early spring by digging up the root ball and cutting it up. A suitable section has at least 2 buds and is immediately planted in the new location. Cut cuttings in early summer and place them in water for a while so that the poisonous milky sap drains out. Then place the cuttings in a pot with poor soil in a partially shaded location until they develop their own root system.
Is milkweed poisonous?
A spurge releases white milky juice that has it all. As a contact poison, the substance causes unpleasant skin irritations in sensitive gardeners. After consuming even the smallest amounts, severe symptoms of poisoning occur in humans and animals. Therefore, do not plant Euphorbia when children and pets are within reach. Carry out all planting and care work with gloves.
Which types of spurge are interesting for the ornamental garden?
It's not that easy to find the right specimens for your own garden from more than 2,000 species of spurge. We looked around for you and put together the following selection:
Roller spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites) - the ideal perennial for full sun, dry locations
Steppe spurge (Euphorbia seguieriana) - creates endless flower carpets in gravel beds and rock gardens
Almond spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides) - evergreen, modest beauty for partially shaded locations
Swamp spurge (Euphorbia palustris) - adds greenery to the permanently moist pond edge
High spurge (Euphorbia cornigera) - stable, lush, hardy, for beds and containers Mediterranean spurge (Euphorbia characias) – with a height of 150 cm, a true spurge giant
Last but not least, the broad plant genus offers fascinating species for indoor cultivation. Above all, the Christ thorn (Euphorbia milii x Euphorbia lophogona) from Madagascar, which adorns the home windowsill with enchanting false flowers, lush green leaves and huge thorns, as well as the ever-popular poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), which gives us joy with its flowers in the middle of the dark season.
How do I care for a spurge as a houseplant?
The stars among the spurge houseplants are Christ Village and the poinsettia. Since both beauties come from tropical climates, they cannot tolerate temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius. On the windowsill, the potted plants want to be in a sunny to semi-shady place, protected from the blazing midday sun and cold drafts. As a substrate, choose a high-quality compost-based potting soil with a slightly acidic component. This is how care works properly:
- Keep the substrate constantly slightly moist
- In the meantime, let the top 2 cm of soil dry out
- Watering preferably with soft rainwater or decalcified tap water
- During the growth and flowering period, fertilize liquidly every 4 weeks
- During the winter or summer rest period, do not fertilize or only fertilize every 6 weeks
At the beginning of spring, repot milkweed houseplants into fresh substrate and a slightly larger pot. This measure is necessary for the poinsettia every year. The Christ thorn only changes to a new pot every 3-4 years.
Beautiful varieties
- Purpurrea: Almond-leaved purple spurge with wintergreen foliage on red stems; Growth height 30-40 cm
- Black Pearl: Balkan spurge, wintergreen, with black pearl flowers in green bracts; Growth height 70-80 cm
- Golden Tower: Tall spurge, which impresses with its lush growth and golden flower umbels; Growth height 90-120 cm
- Fens Ruby: Premium variety with yellow flowers over initially green, later purple leaves; Growth height 15-20 cm
- Fireglow: Colorful Himalayan spurge with bright orange flowers; Growth height 60-80 cm
- Chameleon: Ecologically valuable, wintergreen and decorative variety with wonderful autumn color; Growth height 50 cm
