How to prune euphorbia, when is it better to do it and is it possible to attribute the plant to cacti or not?

In the world there are up to 2000 original species that are not similar to each other. The plant is common in subtropical, tropical and temperate regions of the globe. It is also called euphorbia, used in folk medicine to treat corns, warts, age spots and corns. In the process of growth and development, the lower leaves on the flower fall. In adult plants, the stem has a fleshy shape resembling a palm trunk. If the plant is properly treated, then in a year the euphorbia can bloom. The flowering period lasts from the beginning of spring to the end of summer.

Is it a cactus?

This plant belongs to succulents, so many call it a cactus, but to call the plant so wrong. Some types of milkweed can be confused with a cactussuch as - trihedral, cereus, Enopla, bristled.

Cactus-like grow in Africa, they have received official use in medicine, their juice is used for the preparation of medicines.

Is it possible to trim?

If the plant has deformed shoots. Sometimes it happens that the shoots are bent, become irregular in shape, knotty, short - because of this, the flower can lose its leaves.In order for the plant to grow beautiful, sanitary-forming pruning is carried out. Instead of deformed, new, beautiful and healthy shoots grow.
If you do not want the flower to grow to the ceiling, it is necessary to trim the upper shoots. After this, the cut site should be washed, but this must be done very carefully, since the juice from the plant can cause irritation, burns, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes and nose.
In order for the flower to become more magnificent, kept the desired height and actively grew, it is necessary to trim it. Also, the procedure is performed to rejuvenate the plant.
If the plant does not branch, then you can pinch the very crown, then sprinkle the cut with crushed coal. Somewhere in a month, the flower should show the side buds.

What happens if you do not trim in time?

If you do not cut the plant, then the bush can grow very tall and its shape will begin to deteriorate.

This will cause inconvenience in his courtship. If he is standing on your windowsill, then he will not have enough space there.

As well as as needed, the plant needs hygienic pruning.

It is necessary to cut off all damaged and diseased shoots in order to preserve the flower and prevent the development of diseases.

When is the best time to do this?

Euphorbia needs to be trimmed if it grows tall. Once every 2-3 years, the tops of the flower are trimmed with a well-ground knife. It is necessary to prune it after the end of the flowering period, in the warm season - in spring or summer (about how and when euphorbia blooms, as well as about the nuances of caring for other types of euphorbia, you can here).

How right?

For cutting, you can use a sharp knife or a special garden pruner. It is necessary to prepare sterile gauze napkins, charcoal and activated carbon. And you should also take rubber gloves for circumcision, so that poisonous juice does not get into your hands.

Rinse the knife or garden pruner well under water, wipe with alcohol (this is done so as not to cause infection when cutting).
To guaranteed stop the further growth of stems, a sharp object must be heated.
Put on gloves and with careful movements begin to trim the tops and side branches.To ensure that the plant does not grow too tall, the tops should be trimmed, and so that it does not grow in width, the number of side shoots should be controlled, leaving the most beautiful and growing up, and not to the sides.
After circumcision, a specific juice appears, it is carefully wiped with a sterile napkin, the cut points must be sprinkled with charcoal.
Cuttings cut off from the upper shoots can be washed under warm water (so that the juice does not interfere with the growth of the roots), then air-dried for a couple of days and sprinkled with activated charcoal in order to prevent decay. After rooting in the substrate for cacti.
After all procedures, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Care after

Milkweed after trimming:

Euphorbia carries drafts hard and can die, so you need to protect it from drafts. You can keep it on the windowsill, he loves the sun's rays, but can not stand the intense heat, he can get burns.
In winter, the plant can be equipped with additional lighting in the form of special ultraviolet lamps. Euphorbia will not die from a lack of sunlight, but if it stands in the shade, then its leaves may lose their saturated green color and become dull.
It is necessary to monitor moderate watering of the plant, excess water can destroy the root system of the flower, so you need to water it in accordance with the season. In the summer, it is watered once a week, in the winter it is rarely watered, this is done no more than 1 time per month, while spraying is stopped completely, otherwise the leaves may fall from excess moisture (about why the leaves turn yellow and milk fall off and how to help the plant, read here).
Euphorbia is a thermophilic plant.It is necessary to contain euphorbia in autumn and winter at a temperature of + 10-15 degrees, in spring and summer at a temperature of + 20-25 degrees.
Humidity should preferably be 40-50%.
The soil should be for succulent plants, but if there is no way to buy one, then the soil for cacti is quite suitable.
It is advisable to transplant milkweed in the spring, since milkweed is restored as quickly as possible during this period of time.

What to do if the plant disappears after the procedure?

If the flower disappears, it may be improper courtship after cutting. It is necessary to adhere to all the rules of care and then everything with the flower will be fine.

Euphorbia is an interesting plant for any gardener. Due to the fact that it is very easy to care for and it is unpretentious, more and more it is popular among indoor plants.