The African milk bush plant is a succulent kind of plant. These days this plant is one of the common additions to one’s garden. A lot of people are adding these plants in their garden.
But there are a lot of things like their required environment to grow, their care, their positive and negative sides are included with these trees. Many people may have curiosity about these relevant things.
So, this article can help them to learn about these topics. If you are also one of the person who wants to know about this topic, please read through the whole article.
What is an African Milk Bush Plant?
The African bush milk tree, also known as Euphorbia trigonal, is native to Central Africa. This bush plant is an ornamental shrub. Though it looks a lot like a cactus, it is actually a succulent plant.
It is popular as a decorative landscape or container plant. They are generally 3 cm in height. The flowers of this plant are green to yellowish-green.
The bush leaves are fleshy, spirally arranged, crowded towards the ends of stems. Besides, the leaves are 7.5–10cm long and 2.5–4cm wide. They are dark green above and paler beneath and also has a prominent midrib.
African Milk Bush Indoor Plant
Though these plants are mainly for the garden purpose, you can also use them for your indoor purposes. In this case, you just have to be careful to maintain the proper care and requirements.
The most important requirement is of course the light. Be sure to keep your plant in a place where it gets enough light. At least it needs light for 7 to 8 hours. Good air circulation is also recommendable.
As these plants are smaller in size, you can just put them in a tub and keep them in a table. These plants add a very aesthetic and nature-like feeling to your home.
Also, see more about grass-like-plants
African Milk Bush Plant Care
Being a succulent, this bush tree doesn’t need much water. The indoor specimens need to be watered moderately once a week. Let the soil dry out between each watering.
During the plant’s growing season, you should treat it to water-soluble fertilizer once a month at least. This drought-tolerant plant enjoys a dry or arid climate and also it can tolerate fairly hot temperatures. Besides, these bush trees don’t always require pruning.
This plant does nor care about soil that much, but good drainage is essential too. The sandy loam probably works best of all for this plant.
African Milk Tree Light Requirements
This plant needs some indirect but bright sunlight. A southern-facing window will work the best for. You can put it either indoors or an outdoor spot with partial sun. Full sun is also quite suitable as long as the summers are not too consistently hot.
Whatever is the case, make sure the temperature never dips below 50 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. If your African milk tree is primarily an indoor specimen, you should move it to a sunny spot outside when sustained temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
African Milk Tree Fertilizer
You have to feed the African milk tree 2 or 3 times monthly throughout the growing season. The growing season lasts from early April through early October.
Be sure to use an all-purpose 20-20-20 fertilizer or a cactus and succulent preparation. You should not forget to Follow the packaging instructions. But make you do not fertilize this plant when it’s not actively growing.
African Milk Bush Plant Flower
The flowers of this succulent plant normally vary in their color. But the color of these flowers depends a lot on where this plant is growing.
When the plant is grown outdoors, the plant may produce small white or yellow flowers. But when in Indoors, it is unlikely to bloom any flowers.
Are African Milk Trees Toxic?
The white and milky sap of the African milk bush tree is known to be toxic. It can irritate the skin and eyes. So, you should be cautious when handling the plant.
First of all, you should consider wearing protective gloves. Next, wash your hands immediately after pruning, and keep the plant away from children. Not only children, they can be dangerous to pets also. So be careful about them also.
Why do African Milk Tree Leaves Turn Brown?
First of all, you should inspect the plant for signs of black stem rot. This rot is sometimes known as basal rot. It may appear as dark, corky, gray or brown areas anywhere on the stems.
These brown spots are particularly prevalent near the plant’s base. This is typically a fungal attack caused by prolonged or repeated exposure to wet soil or by cold, damp growing conditions. This kind of rot is incurable, but it’s sometimes possible to save the plant.
What to do?
At first, you should sterilize a sharp knife with some denatured alcohol. Next, you need to cut out the infected area and take a wide margin of healthy-looking tissue with it.
Then paint the wound with a systemic plant fungicide. You can also dust it with sulfur powder. But never forget to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Next, you should wrap the diseased plant material tightly in a plastic bag and dispose of it in the trash. But don’t add it to the compost heap.
Furthermore, monitor this plant for mealy bugs. While these pests don’t cause much harm to cacti and succulents, they can sometimes cause infections that may spread to more susceptible foliage plants.
FAQ
Does the African milk tree need sunlight?
Yes, the African milk tree (Euphorbia trigona) needs sunlight. It is a succulent plant that requires bright, indirect light to thrive. Direct sunlight can scorch its leaves, so it is best to place it near a sunny window with filtered light or provide artificial light if necessary.
How much water does an African milk tree need?
African milk trees have water requirements depending on temperature, humidity, and soil type. However, as a general guideline, watering the plant deeply once a week during the growing season is recommended. It is also recommended to reduce watering during the dormant season. It is critical to allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings to prevent overwatering, which can lead to root rot.
What kind of soil does an African milk tree need?
African milk trees prefer well-drained soil with sand, perlite, and peat moss. The soil should be moist but not soggy.
Final Thoughts
In brief, to summarize, we can say that African milk bush plant is a succulent. These plants may grow indoors or outdoors. However, it needs a lot of care like good lighting, fertile soil, water etc. But we should keep one thing in mind that they are toxic. So they can prove to be dangerous to humans and animals.