- How often should Euphorbia be watered ingens?
- What should be considered when repotting the cactus spurge?
- When and how to cut a cactus spurge?
- Which pests can become a problem when caring for Euphorbia ingens?
- What clinical pictures are common in cactus spurge?
- How is the spurge cactus optimally fertilized?
- How do you get the cactus spurge through the winter?
From a purely visual point of view, the spurge cactus (Euphorbia ingens) looks like a larger variant of the triangular spurge (Euphorbia trigona). Although this succulent tree is not really a cactus from a botanical point of view, the care requirements are quite similar.
The spurge cactus is very frugal
How often should Euphorbia be watered ingens?
Euphorbia ingens, which comes from southern Africa, copes quite well with "dry spells". You should therefore only water the spurge cactus vigorously every one to two weeks, then remove excess water from the saucer and allow the soil to dry until the next watering. During the hibernation, this plant species should only be watered once a month.
What should be considered when repotting the cactus spurge?
Do not use ordinary potting soil as a substrate when repotting, as this often contains a high percentage of peat and too many nutrients. With special cactus soil, on the other hand, you create the basis for healthy growth to a limited extent.
When and how to cut a cactus spurge?
In general, most spurge species are not necessarily very tolerant of pruning. With a Euphorbia ingens, however, the cut can become absolutely necessary over time, since older specimens can show growth of up to 1 m per year under favorable conditions. Be sure to wear protective gloves so you don't come into contact with the poisonous milky juice when cutting. Large-area interfaces also require generous room ventilation.
Which pests can become a problem when caring for Euphorbia ingens?
The following pests are sometimes found on a milkweed cactus and can weaken the plant:
- Whitefly larvae
- spider mites
- Larvae of fungus gnats
- vine weevil
Changes in site conditions, such as higher humidity, often help to prevent pest infestation. If chemical aids from specialist shops are avoided, many pests can also be brushed off with a soft soap solution.
What clinical pictures are common in cactus spurge?
It is not uncommon for waterlogging and over-fertilization to lead to the formation of rot due to fungal diseases. In such a case, many a Spurge cactus can still be saved if it is cut off in good time and re-rooted like an offshoot.
How is the spurge cactus optimally fertilized?
So that this species of spurge does not grow too much for you, little or no fertilizer should be used. Light doses of fertilizer should be applied, if at all, during the summer outdoor season and not during the cooler winter dormancy.
How do you get the cactus spurge through the winter?
Since Euphorbia ingens, like many other spurge species, is not hardy either, after a summer outdoors, it should be brought to a room with a temperature of at least 15 degrees Celsius with plenty of daylight in good time and kept relatively dry there.
tips
Due to the sometimes enormous growth, caring for Euphorbia ingens on a windowsill does not really make sense. To ensure that the plant does not generally get too big too quickly, care should be taken to ensure a moderate supply of nutrients from the start.