SHINY WOLF; CHRISTUSDORN
Euphorbia splendens Bojer syn. E. thousand Desmoulins
family: Spurge Family – Euphorbiäceae
Name: Euphorbia (f.) after the Greek physician Euphorbos, the around 50 v.u. Z. lived and is said to have been the first to use the milky juice of a spurge for medicinal purposes; shining lat. = shiny (splendere = to shine, shimmer; refers to the bright red bracts of the inflorescences). "spurge", as the milky sap of most species is poisonous; the popular name "Christ thorn" because of the strong thorns, thin and brown, multi-branched shoots.
origin: West- and Southwest Madagascar; Thorn bush steppe in areas with a tropical climate and low humidity.
Heyday: spring and summer.
Cultivation: By cutting off small twigs or pieces of shoots as “sticks”.
Care requirements: According to the natural environmental conditions, the plants tolerate full sun, much heat and dry air. They are therefore excellently suited for south-facing windows. The soil should be kept moderately moist. After flowering, a rest period of about 2 months required, where you keep the plants cooler and water less. However, the earth must never become bone dry! To hibernate, they need a fairly bright spot, not too cool place (about 10 to 12 °C) and moderate watering. As soon as the drive kicks in, can be cut back to a greater or lesser extent, to bushy, to obtain branched plants. At the same time, suitable propagation material is obtained. If transplanting becomes necessary (the pots should always be small!), this should be done in the spring. The soil mixture is imagined from Mistbeeterde, equal parts old leaf soil and sand together. The milky juice that emerges from the shoots cut for propagation must be removed immediately. After drying the cut surface, put the shoots in small pots with a mixture of sand and just a little soil and root the cuttings, preferably under glass bells. Is the soil of the cutting pot rooted through?, is repotted in the soil mixture mentioned above.
Special: Through the bright red bracts of the flowers and the fresh green oval leaflets, which usually stay on the thorny branches all year round, the exotic plant became the "everyday houseplant". Those that are not sensitive with the same treatment, almost succulent species can be pulled well on trellis. A beautiful, as var. The variety called böjeri Leandri has darker flowers and smaller ones, oval leaves. For hydroponics, in which the plants in a bright and cool place (not over in summer 15 °C) flourish well, are gravel, Chips or plastic bristles are suitable as a substrate. Those in soilless culture by plenty of water- and nutrient supply Lush growing young plants should be pruned in good time, to well branched, to achieve willing flowering specimens.