What are the propagation methods for the coral plant?

The coral plant is actually the green jade plant (Euphorbia tirucalli), a plant in the genus Euphorbia of the family Euphorbiaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean coastal regions of Africa, and is now distributed in the United States, Malaysia, India, the United Kingdom and other regions, where in some countries it is used as a medicine to treat certain diseases. So how do you propagate the coral plant?

I. Propagation of the coral plant

There are mainly two propagation methods for the coral plant: cutting propagation and tissue culture; the method we commonly use is cutting propagation. When carrying out cutting propagation, first choose a good growing medium; generally, a mix of 2/3 leaf mold and 1/3 garden soil with a small amount of river sand added is more suitable as the growing medium.

Cutting propagation is generally carried out in the warm season of May to June. Cut a plump, substantial top branch, take a stem section with 2 nodes as the cutting, about 8-10 cm long, let it dry slightly, then insert it into a sand bed. Use yellow sand or perlite as the medium for the sand bed, or use a well-drained sandy loam. It roots about 3 weeks after insertion. Single-leaf cuttings can also be used; after cutting the leaf, wait for it to dry, then insert it into the sand bed. Under warm conditions it roots easily, rooting about 4 weeks after insertion; when the roots are 2-3 cm long, pot it up. After rooting, it can be planted in a 10-15 cm flower pot.

II. Key care points for the coral plant

1. The coral plant loves light, so place it in a sunny, warm environment, otherwise it will not bloom.

2. The green jade plant is a succulent, fleshy plant and is very drought-tolerant. Normally, do not water it too much; as much as possible, do not water until dry, and when you water, water thoroughly.

3. In the high-temperature summer season, be careful to avoid heavy watering right after sun exposure, which can cause leaf drop.

4. When cultivated in a greenhouse, the overwintering temperature for the coral plant should generally be above 5°C, and the optimum growing temperature is 20°C-24°C.

5. During the growing season, apply a once-decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium once every 7-10 days; never apply concentrated fertilizer.

In addition, the white milky sap of the coral plant is highly toxic; it has been recorded as a toxic plant in the Chinese plant atlas database. Those with young children at home must pay special attention when caring for the coral plant.