Are you looking for a houseplant that is as easy to care for as a cactus and largely dispenses with the long, painful thorns? Then discover a plant species here that looks confusingly similar to the pillar cactus and is just as easy to care for.
This spurge looks confusingly similar to the cactus
Column euphorbia competes with cacti
Even experienced hobby gardeners bet on a cactus when a columnar euphorbia catches their eye for the first time. The stiffly upright, columnar shoots are triangular in shape and have a diameter of 4 to 6 cm. Contributing to the striking resemblance to a cactus is the fact that the branches are constricted into segments. In addition, there are oval leaflets and tiny, 5 mm short thorns on the edges.
Wherever the cactus-like plant feels at home, it will grow to a size of 100 to 120 cm indoors over the years. Only on rare occasions do small, creamy-white flowers appear between the leaves along the edges. The Euphorbia trigona 'Rubra' variety offers a little more color in appearance with purple-purple leaves and reddish-brown thorns.
Location and care tips
Anyone who is familiar with the care of cacti will not discover any differences in the requirements of a triangular spurge. We have summarized here for you what you should pay attention to when choosing the location and the water and nutrient supply:
- Bright to sunny location by the window facing south, south-west or south-east
- Preferably warm, with temperatures between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius
- Water regularly during the growing season when the substrate has dried well
- Fertilize with liquid every 2 to 3 weeks from March to October
From May to August/September, the columnar euphorbia likes to join your cacti on the balcony to benefit from the sunlight. The majestic spurge should only be protected from direct sunlight at midday so that it does not suffer from sunburn. An 8-day hardening phase in a partially shaded location is also advantageous.
tips
When it comes to hibernation, cacti and columnar euphorbia pull together. Both types of plants like to spend the cold season in a bright, cool location at 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. From November to February they are only poured in sips and not fertilized.