Is Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) Poisonous? Master Its Drought-Tolerant Habits for Easy Care

Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) is a flowering plant meant to be admired from afar and not touched, because its stems are covered in sharp thorns, so when growing it at home it is best to place it somewhere small children cannot easily reach. Its flowers cluster together like tiny umbrellas, very cute. What is more, this plant has fairly strong adaptability and is relatively easy to care for, so today I will share with you how to care for Crown of Thorns.

1. Soil Selection

For Crown of Thorns we can use a fairly loose sandy soil mixed with some rotting leaves and some fertilizer, so that Crown of Thorns seedlings will grow relatively quickly.

2. Proper Watering

Crown of Thorns is a succulent plant, so when watering we need to be careful not to overwater, because succulent roots are afraid of being soaked, which leads to root rot, so after each watering it is best to place it in a windy, shaded spot to dry out a little. In summer we can choose to water in the evening, because evaporation is relatively fast during the day and the water cannot be retained.

3. Plenty of Light

Crown of Thorns is a plant that loves light very much, and in spring, summer and autumn it is suitable for growing outdoors. Especially once it enters the flowering period, it needs plenty of light, so that the flowers produced are brightly colored and last relatively long. If there is not enough light, the flower color will be dull, but note that at midday in summer it should be moved back indoors promptly, because the midday temperature is too high and Crown of Thorns cannot grow.

4. Proper Pruning

If we want Crown of Thorns to produce many flowers, we need to prune it properly, because if the main branches are too long, it will flower less. So after flowering we should prune away the withered branches and leaves and the stems of uneven length, to ensure nutrients are not lost excessively and enough nutrients are kept for flowering.

5. Is Crown of Thorns Poisonous?

Many friends say Crown of Thorns is poisonous; in fact, if we do not come into contact with the sap inside the Crown of Thorns plant, there is basically no problem. This is because the sap of Crown of Thorns is milky white and contains a certain level of toxicity.

Crown of Thorns has a beautiful flower shape and is relatively easy to care for, so we can try growing it at home, and by learning from some experienced flower growers, we can find that many small problems in care can be solved on our own.