African Milk Cactus

November 17, 2024 Post a Comment

African milk cactus

This plant has high severity poison characteristics. A succulent shrub with milky latex. This is a highly toxic plant; it may be fatal if eaten and also causes severe skin irritation.

How fast do African milk cactus grow?

Like a cactus, African milk tree lives a long life and grows vigorously—approximately 1 to 2 feet a year up to 9 feet tall. But when grown indoors, this plant will only grow to about half of its maximum height.

How tall does a African milk cactus grow?

In their native environment, they can grow up to 8 feet (2.4 m) tall at a rate of up to 2 feet (60 cm) per year. Indoors, they won't grow as tall as this, but can still reach an impressive 4 feet (1.2 m) in height. As such, they make a wonderful corner plant, provided that they get enough light there.

How do you grow African milk cactus?

They like well-draining soil and infrequent watering. Keep them in a bright sunny spot but try and provide some shade during the hottest hours. Keep up their vigorous growth by repotting every year and fertilizing during the growing season. Healthy plants should be very resistant to pests and disease.

What happens if you touch a Euphorbia?

SIDE EFFECTS FROM EUPHORBIA SAP These plants secrete a milky sap that can be poisonous to humans and animals. The sap is usually found on the leaves of the succulent. If someone gets it on any exposed skin, it can cause a rash. If Euphorbia sap gets into the eyes, it can result in redness and pain.

Can African milk tree take full sun?

African milk trees are bright light plants and worship the sun and require at least 6 hours of sunlight every day. While they will tolerate partial shade and indirect light you will find they thrive in a bright sunny location. Sunny, south facing windows usually allow for the best lighting.

How poisonous is African milk tree?

African Milk Trees are mildly toxic to pets and humans. Ingestion will cause mouth and stomach irritation and possible vomiting. Some people experience skin irritation when handling the sap.

Can I cut the top off African milk plant?

Your plant is called a Euphorbia Trigona, also called an African Milk Tree or Cathedral Cactus. It looks like a cactus but really isn't one. It is a deciduous succulent from western Africa. You can't trim any of the stems, but you can totally remove some to make the plant more manageable.

What potting mix for African milk tree?

Best Potting Mix The African Milk tree prefers a sand-rich, well-draining soil combination. You can also add two parts of potting soil, vermiculite, perlite, or good gravel, to the soil mix, as well as one part of peat moss.

Can you propagate African milk cactus?

Euphorbia trigona is a succulent euphorbia grown for its decorative stems. It should not be rooted in water or it will rot. To propagate this plant, you can take a stem cutting in late spring or early summer.

How big do African milk plants get?

African milk trees can reach up to six feet in height in succulent gardens with ideal outdoor conditions. As an indoor plant, the African milk tree grows slowly, making it an ideal low-maintenance houseplant.

Should I repot my African Milk Tree?

The African milk tree likes full sun and requires little water. If you're growing the plant in a container, plan to repot it once every two or three years, preferably in the spring.

Is Euphorbia cancerous?

Plants of the Euphorbiaceae family and particularly members of the Euphorbia genus have long been known to yield latexes with irritant and carcinogenic properties and these properties have been associated with diterpenes of the phorbol class.

What are the dangers of Euphorbia?

[1] Different species of Euphorbia grow all over the world, either wild, or as cultivated specimens in the house or garden. The milky latex or sap is toxic and may cause intense inflammation of the skin and the eye. [2] Ocular toxic reaction varies from mild conjunctivitis to severe kerato-uveitis.

Is a Euphorbia a good indoor plant?

Columnar euphorbia are intricate, sculptural succulents that will happily grow indoors with proper care and attention.

Can I put my African Milk Tree outside?

If you live in a region that experiences below freezing temperatures, you'll need to bring your African milk tree indoors during the winter. For those living in warm enough climates, Euphorbia trigona will happily grow outdoors where it can get lots of direct sun.

Do African milk trees lose their leaves in winter?

Natural leaf cycle can result in leaf drop. If you have noticed that your African Milk Tree is starting to lose leaves during autumn and winter, then this might simply be part of the natural growth cycle. African Milk Trees commonly drop quite a lot of their leaves during the dormant period to preserve energy.

Why is my African Milk Tree dying?

A dying African Milk Tree can suggest overwatering If your African Milk Tree is dying and developing soft leaves, then overwatering might be to blame. As African Milk Trees are succulents (that look like Cacti), they really don't need much water to thrive and prefer a dry potting mix.

What are the benefits of African Milk Tree?

Several drops of latex from warmed leaves are taken to expel intestinal parasites and sometimes tapeworm. The leaf sap is also used to treat cardiac problems and excessive menstruation. A few drops of the latex is applied topically to warts, the latex is also applied to sores as a treatment for syphilis.

What to do if you get cactus milk in your eye?

For eye exposure, flush eyes with fresh, cool water for at least 15 minutes and repeat after a few minutes. Seek medical attention if there is no relief. Over-the-counter antihistamines may provide relief for some people. Deaths have been recorded from swallowing the sap.