The Christ's thorn is one of the easiest indoor plants to care for and also delights us with its decorative flowers in winter. With regular trimmings you ensure a perfect look.
The Christ's thorn (Euphorbia milii) is not a plant that needs regular pruning and otherwise becomes unsightly after a short time, but pruning measures are well tolerated and can be carried out all year round if necessary or if necessary.
When should the thorn of Christ be cut?
If the plant is kept at room temperature all year round, pruning can be carried out at any time. A cut is primarily carried out so that the plant gets or keeps the desired shape. Year-round pruning will also be necessary to dispose of plant parts damaged by disease infestation. If the plant has grown and needs pruning, spring is a good time. Make sure that the plant has not yet sprouted again at this point.
» Tip: The parts of the plant left behind when the he althy plant is pruned back can be used as cuttings to propagate the Christ's thorn.
Pruning the thorn - How it's done
- use a sharp and germ-free cutting tool
- Provide plant
- Wear Gloves
- Shorten the middle shoot for a bushier growth
- Taper cut can cover 2/3
- Handle Interface
- Continue to cultivate as usual
The best time for targeted pruning is the beginning of spring. Then the plant wakes up from its hibernation and has not yet started to sprout again. In order to damage the thorn as little as possible and to achieve smooth cutting edges, you should use a sharp knife that you have disinfected with alcohol beforehand.
In order for the plant to grow bushy, the middle shoot should be shortened at the base. When pruning for rejuvenation, about 2/3 of the plant can be removed without damaging the Christ's thorn. You can use the resulting interfaces withProvide charcoal ash or apply a piece of kitchen paper as a plaster.
Be careful - the Christ thorn as a poisonous plant
The Christ's Thorn has spikes that cannot be overlooked. But the plant is far from being a cactus. The tropical plant is much more closely related to the poinsettia. In its homeland of Madagascar, the thorn of Christ populates entire thorn bush steppes. As a houseplant, the spurge plant is quite easy to cultivate. However, you should always be aware that it is a spurge plant and therefore a poisonous plant.
Pruning the thorn of Christ brings you some advantages and disadvantages:
| Advantages | Cons |
|---|---|
| By pruning you can determine the shape of the plant. | The escaping sap is poisonous to humans and pets. |
| The plant sections obtained can be used to propagate cuttings. | Open wounds with escaping latex can be dangerous for small children and pets. |
| The plant tolerates pruning very well and also forgives spontaneous pruning measures due to diseases. |
Even the smallest injury to the thorn of Christ will result in the poisonous milky sap escaping. This leads to skin irritation and irritates the mucous membranes. To protect yourself and others, heed the following advice.
❶ Wear gloves and eye protection when cutting.
❷ If possible, perform the cutting operations outdoors.
❸ Treat and cover any wounds that occur.
❹ Keep children and pets away from freshly cut plants.
❺ Discard trimmed plant cuttings.
Pruning due to illness
Pruning measures on the Christ's thorn can not only be carried out if necessary, sometimes you have to reach for a knife with this plant. If certain parts of the plant are affected by diseases, it is advisable to cut back as radically as possible and only keep the he althy parts of the plant.
» Tip: If the plant can no longer be saved, try to get some he althy cuttings and grow the Christ Thorn again.
The fact that there is damage can usually be seen from the condition of the leaves. There are several options:
» The leaves appear to be covered with a sticky layer:
This type of damage is very rare. It is aboutHoneydew, the excretions of various pests. Since most pests stay away from the Christ's thorn because of the poisonous plant sap, the leaves are unlikely to stick together.
» The leaves appear to be covered with a mealy layer:
This is an infestation with powdery mildew, favored by warm, humid air during the winter months . The plants do not like high humidity and get along very well with dry heating air. Combating it is quite difficult because the plants should not be sprayed. With this common method of pest control, the Christ's thorn would be damaged even more. Instead, cut back all affected parts of the plant and use a chemical pesticide if necessary.
» The leaves appear wilted and brown:
This is a particularly common type of damage, mostly caused by care errors, such as soil that is too dry or the abrupt change of soil Location, for example, if the plant is allowed outside in summer and is placed in the blazing sun without an acclimatization phase. If the affected leaves are removed and the care mistakes rectified, the Christ's thorn usually recovers quickly and sprout fresh.
» The leaves appear yellow:
If the sun is too intense, the leaves may turn yellow. Plants can also be affected by jaundice. This chlorosis can occur when the plants cannot tolerate hard water.
» Tip: If you water regularly with rainwater and chlorosis still occurs, waterlogging could also be the cause.
Remove the yellow leaves and prune the plant slightly if necessary.