Every rose has its thorn , but with a tip of irritant flora , it ’s all thorns and a few bold , lush bracts smother flyspeck bloom . Though restrain in looks , the crown of thorns plant is beloved for itslow - upkeep care requirements . The flowers are beautiful , too , so why not give acquire your own a try ? This crown of thorns industrial plant concern guide has everything you need to live to mature a cap of thorns plant .
Why is it called a crown of thorns plant?
Scientifically referred to asEuphorbia milii , the crown of thorns gets its colloquial name from biblical traditional knowledge . As the story goes , Jesus wore this at his crucifixion as a crest , the violent bracts representing his blood . Native to Madagascar , a pate of thorns industrial plant features small leaf and tiny flower with showy bracts on woody stems with long spine . The bracts are typically red , but you may find light pinkish , orangish , bloodless , and yellow blush , as well . In optimal condition , the plant can develop up to 3 infantry grandiloquent and 4 feet wide .
As you might have already estimate from the barbed stems , this plant is toxic and can irritate the skin , so you should wield it with caution . If you necessitate to repot it , it ’s best to wear thick leather gloves and wrap it around layers of newspaper when dealing with it . to boot , keep an eye out for odd dearie and tiddler who might play around it .
How do you care for a crown of thorns plant?
Because of its succulent nature , the crown of thorns industrial plant is pretty soft to care for . While it ’s technically only hardy inclimate zones 9to 11 , it can be winter in virtually any place that gets sufficient sunshine . fortuitously , its care requirements indoors are quite simple . Do n’t rub if you notice short growth — crown of thorn are slow growers and only need to be repot every three years .
Step 1 : acquire metier
Keep your crest of thorns in a well - drain potting mix that ’s sandy . For surplus drainage , you’re able to also mix sand into your potting mix . If you must move your plant , remember to use thick leather horticulture glove and swan the plant in newspaper to keep it from poke you .
stair 2 : Lighting
locate your plant next to a bright window that receives southerly exposure . Crown of thorns can be very glad indoors , but it does thrive outdoors . During the hottest days of summertime , move your plant to an region where it can receive afternoon shade .
Step 3 : Temperature
Leave your jacket of irritant in an area where it gets no colder than 55 grade Fahrenheit — room temperature around the sixty or LXX is a sweet dapple for this plant . When the temperature dip into the 50 , you may notice fall leaves .
stone’s throw 4 : lacrimation
Water your works when the top inch of soil feel dry to the touch . Crown of thorns does n’t care to dry out whole , but they can tolerate some carelessness .
Step 5 : Fertilizing
From saltation to early fall , fecundate your crown of thorns with abalanced liquid fertilizerat half posture every two weeks .
How do you get a crown of thorns plant to bloom?
As a normal of quarter round , crown of thorns flush from former spring to the middle of summertime . However , you could get your industrial plant to blossom all yr long if you give it adequate lighting . In fact , a jacket of thorns kept as a houseplant might be more likely to bloom after the traditional growing time of year .
Keep in thinker that the flush themselves are petite , and it ’s the bracts ( the modified leaves position beneath flush ) that are colourful — just like thepoinsettia flowers you see during the holidays(which are also euphorbias ) .
Step 1 : Place your plant by a windowpane with southerly exposure to give it the most amount of lineal sun it can possibly have — at least 3 to 4 hours of shiny light per mean solar day is ideal . Light will give your plant the energy it needs to blossom . You might also considersupplementing natural light with grow lightsor bringing your plant outdoors if the temperature is tender enough .
Step 2 : Keep your crown of thorn as salubrious as potential by watering it consistently and leaving it in warm temperatures . When your industrial plant is accentuate , it will be less likely to blossom .
Step 3 : fertilise your plant at a fortnightly cadency — overfertilizing can in reality conduct to more leaf and less blooms .
How do you propagate a crown of thorns?
disseminate your pate of thorns plant from seed is possible but a time - consuming task . You ’d essentially need to pollinate your plant life by hand to get it to produce seeded player , wait for germ capsules to form , and then germinate those seeds . The easiest way to distribute a crown of thorns plant is by carefully taking stem pourboire cuttings — with a big stress on the cautiously !
footfall 1 : With boxing glove on , trim back off a growing hint 3 to 4 inches down the stem with sterilize pruning shears .
Step 2 : leave the milky sap to dry out and have the plant take shape a callosity for about a day .
Step 3 : identify your cutting in a softly moist peat moss and gumption mix , keep it in an orbit that gets bright collateral luminance .
stride 4 : channel your flora into a regular potting mix once you see roots form in about one to two month .
Can crown of thorns plants be grown outdoors?
cap of thorns are easy to grow as houseplant , but can you tot them to an out-of-door succulent garden ? Yes , you could ! However , like most tropical plants , crown of thorns is raw to nerveless or stale weather . If the temperature drops below 50 degree Fahrenheit , the plant can skin , and the colder it gets the higher the risk of your plant being damaged or killed . Crown of thorns are hardy in USDA zones 9 through 11 , but will need to be either develop indoors or institute indoors during stale weather if you live to the compass north of that .
The crown of thorns flora might be rugged in looks , but it ’s actually quite easy in care . able-bodied to support neglect , its main requirements are bright light and well - draining soil . From there , you ’ll be able-bodied to foster slow but ordered growth . Just remember to handle it with caution !
