Home»Cactus - Succulents»Euphorbia
Euphorbialactea cristata [ yoo - FOR - bee - uh , lak - TAY - uh , kris - TAY - tuh ] or Coral Cactus is not a cactus .
Instead , it is a case of Euphorbia flora belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae and related to the :
The plant has an interesting crest - like appearance very similar to sea precious coral and explains the plant life ’s common name .
Other common figure include :
The Euphorbia genus is comprised of more than two thousand different types of succulent industrial plant , most of which originate in Africa .
Coral cactus has its origins in the nurseries of observational horticulturists because it is actually a grafted combining of two of these type of Euphorbia , Euphorbia lactea , and Euphorbia neriifolia .
The crest of the Euphorbia lactea is grafted onto the antecedent and stock of the Euphorbia neriifolia .
from time to time , this eccentric of long - lived , recurrent houseplant is create by grafting the crest of the Euphorbia lactea onto the literal cactus line .
Coral Cactus Care
Size & Growth
Crested Euphorbia is a small houseplant .
It seldom reaches a height of more than about 2′ feet .
The interesting and strange ‘ foliation ’ is the real drafting card of this fascinating flora .
The top crest has cockle edges , which may be green , scarlet , purplish , white , or yellow .
Flowering
Crested Candelabra plant very rarely produces flowers , and when it does , the blossom are very small and fairly unnoticeable .
The flyspeck blossoms may be pink or purple .
If you wish to advance flowering , you ’ll demand to wait until your plant is fair ripe ( at least a year old ) .
If flowers are to appear at all , they will do so in the spring when the atmospheric condition is quite warm .
Light & Temperature
Crested Elkhorn like to be kept in bright , indirect sunshine .
Indoors , abright window ( south)is a honorable positioning .
Be trusted to sprain your industrial plant occasionally to preclude having it grow in a lopsided manner .
Outdoors , it can do well in full to fond sun .
If you live in a very hot area , a locating with bright , indirect sunlight ( for instance , under a marvellous tree or on a covered porch or terrace ) is advised .
If you keep your plant indoors during the cold calendar month and move it out of doors in the springtime and summer , be certain to transition it slow to avoid burn the delicate tissue .
The ideal temperature for this plant are between 60 ° and 85 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 15 ° – 30 ° C ) .
When temperature lead off to drop below 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 10 ° C ) , you should get your plant life indoors .
Coral Cactus is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11 .
Watering & Feeding
Like all Euphorbia , Crested Candelabra likes porous , well - drain potting land kept somewhat moist .
Learn more onSoil for Succulents
too dry soil will cause the crown to wither , and this equipment casualty is irreparable .
Excessively wet grunge will cause problems with root and base rot .
Check the soil frequently , and when the top couple of inch feels dry , it ’s clip for a rich tearing .
Coral cactus typically require more body of water during its participating develop time of year , outpouring and summer , and less during the autumn and winter months .
Fertilize monthly with a balanced 10–10–10 liquid fertilizer , diluted to one - poop forcefulness , during the farm season .
Do n’t use granular plant food or slow - button fertilizer because it is detrimental to the works ’s roots .
Do n’t fertilize at all during the autumn and winter .
Potting Soil & Transplanting
When you corrupt a coral cactus , you ’ll credibly find it ’s implant in a ceramic container and may have a solid mulch of gravel paste together over the top .
You ’ll need to remove the plant from this placement as quick as potential .
A ceramic container will not let good air circulation to the tooth root , and the solid mulch of crushed rock will prevent you from being able-bodied to check the soil moisture degree as often as you ’ll need to .
produce the gritty , well - draining potting ground coral cactus love by integrate coarse Baroness Dudevant and a in force tone soil in adequate amount .
Alternately , just apply a cactus grease orsucculent potting soil .
These plants are patient of of all land pH grade .
Repot your Crested Euphorbia into a terra - cotta weed with ample drainage hole .
When transplanting , add a small constitutive compost into the planting hole to provide some extra nutrition .
Grooming & Maintenance
A well - kept , healthy coral cactus needs no grooming at all .
Those keep outside with skillful air circulation may be given a rain shower with the hosiery every duo of weeks when you water .
This will help keep junk from collecting on the surface of the plant .
Otherwise , unless your plant develops a fungal infection , you will never need to cut back it .
Since it is very tardily - growing , it will seldom need to be repotted .
How To Propagate Euphorbia Cristata
It ’s easy to purchase Crested Coral Cactus already grafted .
If you ’d care to try out creating your own , espouse these steps :
Details on theEuphorbia neriifolia works .
Coral Cactus Pests or Diseases
If you water aright , render the plant honest airflow and humidity , you should not have any problems with your coral cactus .
The latex sap of the coral cactus tend to protect against pest infestation .
In less than ideal setting , plant may take on plague and fungous infection .
mutual pests include :
If captivate early on enough , bump off mealybugs and musical scale worm by simply wipe them off with a cotton fiber mop dipped in 70 % isopropyl alcohol .
Avoid using higher concentrations of alcohol as it may be given to burn the frame of the plant .
Wash spider mites and their eggs by with a strong nebuliser of water .
For heavy infestation , use a very light Neem oil color atomizer resolution .
Common disease admit :
For powdery mildew , mix up the grooming of a tablespoonful of baking pop and a gallon of water . Use it as a spray .
You should also increase melodic line circulation around the plant and reduce humidness .
For job with fungous hogwash , swerve away any mushy , brown part of the plant and its roots .
apply a crisp , sterile steel and make very clean cut .
There ’s no pauperization to apply a fungicide to the wounds as the plant ’ latex sap contain fungicidal place .
As it dries , it will create a scab to help protect the rest of the plant life from infection .
Be sure to reduce watering and increase air circulation around the plant life to keep reinfection .
Is Lactea Cristata Toxic or Poisonous?
All Euphorbia have a venomous , latex sap often used in folk music as a purgative .
Coral Cactus is no exception , so it should be handled with care and hold safely away from kids and pets .
The sap can cause skin irritation upon contact ( even if it has dry out ) .
If you get it in your eyes , it can induce severe aggravation and may even cause cecity .
If it is take in , it will cause sickness and vomit .
Whenever you ’re handling your crested Euphorbia , be trusted to wear gloves and eye protection .
obviate contact with the milky white sap , and be indisputable to wash up good when you ’ve finished your task .
Also , watch out for sharp spines on this flora .
If you ’re stabbed by one of the plant life ’s spikelet , it can cause the same sorting of annoyance as the sap .
Is The Cristata Coral Cactus Invasive?
This artificially engineered Euphorbia can not be considered invasive .
It would not be possible for it to double itself in the wild .
There is , however , a literal cactus ( Cylindropuntia fulgida var . mamillata ) which partake the unwashed name , Coral Cactus .
This cactus is look at quite incursive in Australia .
Suggested Coral Cactus Uses
Crested Elkhorn ’s attractive whorls of crinkled , sarcoid leaf make it an interesting addition to any collection of indoor houseplant .
This dauntless and unusual industrial plant adds people of color and grain to cactus arrangements .
On its own , it makes a lovely windowsill plant .
In USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11 , Coral Cactus is a pretty garden improver year - round .
