Is it easy to care for a Crown of Thorns plant?
Let me tell you about whether the Crown of Thorns plant is easy to care for and share some knowledge about the plant's care in the aspect of green plants and flowers. Let's take a look together!
The Crown of Thorns, also commonly known as the Euphorbia milii in our homes, can grow continuously throughout the four seasons and bloom continuously. Although the flowers are not large, it has a strong blooming ability and belongs to the succulent plant family, making it relatively easy to care for and drought-resistant. This plant is very common in rural areas.
During the care process, the Crown of Thorns has a weak branching ability. Although it can develop several branches during growth, if not manually controlled, its branching performance is quite poor because it blooms from the top of new or old branches. To make it bloom beautifully and produce more flowers, it is necessary to let it grow enough lateral branches. How can we make it produce more lateral branches?
The method is actually very simple. If we do not manage it, its branches will grow very long. Once the branches reach a certain length, we need to pinch the top, cut the branches, and retain the lower part. It will grow lateral buds from the space between the lower leaves and stems. After cutting, avoid touching the white sap that comes out of the wound as it is toxic and can irritate the skin. Use tissue paper to absorb the sap, then apply some wood ash or carbendazim and place it in a well-ventilated area to let the wound dry.
The cut branches should not be thrown away. Wash the white liquid off the branches with water, apply some wood ash, and let them dry for three to four days until the bottom wound turns white and dries up and heals. These branches can also be easily rooted when used for propagation. After pruning, new buds will start to grow from the stem in about a week. Once the new buds reach a sufficient height, we pinch the top again. This process continues until we achieve the desired plant fullness, then we stop pinching the top. When there are enough lateral buds, the flowers will bloom directly from the top of the new buds, which is what we call a "bloom explosion."
Pruning and pinching to promote branching is what you need to know about caring for the Crown of Thorns. If you don't manage it, a single branch can grow to the sky. The Crown of Thorns is relatively easy to care for, as long as you use good soil, fertilize regularly, and place it in a well-lit area. It loves sunlight. Insufficient sunlight will make the branches grow longer and look unattractive. Choose a multi-element fertilizer, which can promote both the growth of lateral branches and blooming.
Caring for the Crown of Thorns is the simplest. The soil must be loose and well-draining. You can use granules like coal slag or volcanic rock mixed with nutritious soil in a 1:1 ratio. This mixture is loose, well-draining, and nutritious, preventing root rot during the care process. The reason it is easy to care for is because it has thick stems that store a lot of water and nutrients. As long as there is good ventilation during the care process, it is not prone to diseases and pests and is drought-resistant. Caring for a pot of this plant is quite simple and is very suitable for lazy people.
The detailed explanation of whether the Crown of Thorns is easy to care for and the plant's care knowledge provided above is hoped to help you with green plant management!