Hey guys,
the luck was on my side and i have found myself an Obesa at my local Hardware store. Of course it is a tiny guy, but, surprisingly, it already has a lot of pups.
So, because I don't want to risk my health with the plant sap, i am thinking about methods to safely remove the pups and close the wounds.
Would gloves, a sterilized knife and cinnamon be sufficient in your opinion? And how should i treat the pups to make sure that they take root?
I am sorry for the stupid question, this is my first time having any kind of euphorbia
Euphorbia Obesa - pups
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Aloinopsis
- Posts: 600
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:49 pm
Re: Euphorbia Obesa - pups
Gloves help, but to be honest when I have forms that produce a bunch of pups, I've been known to just twist them off (no knife) depending on their size.
And with all Euphorbia (not just Euphorbia obesa), the best way to keep fresh cuttings from releasing sap is to place the cut part into a a glass of ice water (water with a few pieces of ice in it) for a couple minutes.
Don't leave them too long, just a couple minutes is all this method takes. For small pups, I would probably use a shallow plate so they don't float. The ice cold water stops them from bleeding quicker than anything else in my experience. I've never lost one because of it. It's also much less messy than cinnamon or sulfur, because unlike cactus, the sap keeps oozing out for a couple minutes and the cinnamon/sulfur runs with it. I use a paper cup that I just throw away afterward, you wouldn't want to drink from it.
For the mother plant, you can wrap her in a cold, wet, paper towel for a couple minutes.
I know that making desert succulents both cold and wet simultaneously probably makes your heart drop (it did mine at first too) but it really works and it's super effective. As you do it more often you'll get the hang of it.
And with all Euphorbia (not just Euphorbia obesa), the best way to keep fresh cuttings from releasing sap is to place the cut part into a a glass of ice water (water with a few pieces of ice in it) for a couple minutes.
Don't leave them too long, just a couple minutes is all this method takes. For small pups, I would probably use a shallow plate so they don't float. The ice cold water stops them from bleeding quicker than anything else in my experience. I've never lost one because of it. It's also much less messy than cinnamon or sulfur, because unlike cactus, the sap keeps oozing out for a couple minutes and the cinnamon/sulfur runs with it. I use a paper cup that I just throw away afterward, you wouldn't want to drink from it.
For the mother plant, you can wrap her in a cold, wet, paper towel for a couple minutes.
I know that making desert succulents both cold and wet simultaneously probably makes your heart drop (it did mine at first too) but it really works and it's super effective. As you do it more often you'll get the hang of it.
Re: Euphorbia Obesa - pups
Thank you so much for the fast reply!
I never would have guessed that there is a method like that! Since the plant has 15ish pups of 1cm each, i am not too scared to lose some, but of course keeping them all would be better.
Anyways, this means that i have some test subjects
So, what is the science behind this method? I wonder what goes on inside of the plant. It is very interesting. It looks like succulents will never stop to amaze me.
And i guess i have to make myself some ice cubes. Or would water out of the fridge with 4°C work aswell? It should, right?
Edit: on another note, do i treat euphorbia pups similar to cacti? I would let them dry for a few days in the shade and put them into my soil mix after that, then wait for signs of growth and water them if they start to shrivel.
I never would have guessed that there is a method like that! Since the plant has 15ish pups of 1cm each, i am not too scared to lose some, but of course keeping them all would be better.
Anyways, this means that i have some test subjects
So, what is the science behind this method? I wonder what goes on inside of the plant. It is very interesting. It looks like succulents will never stop to amaze me.
And i guess i have to make myself some ice cubes. Or would water out of the fridge with 4°C work aswell? It should, right?
Edit: on another note, do i treat euphorbia pups similar to cacti? I would let them dry for a few days in the shade and put them into my soil mix after that, then wait for signs of growth and water them if they start to shrivel.
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Aloinopsis
- Posts: 600
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 2:49 pm
Re: Euphorbia Obesa - pups
It's the same as a human bleeding. Cold temperatures make liquids flow slower, allowing them to stop flowing (and scab/heal/clot) faster. If it's VERY cold, it happens faster. That's why putting ice on a bump creates less bruising--the blood beneath the skin has to flow slower and thus it clots faster and the bruise is not as extensive.
If the offsets are 1 centimeter I would leave them on until they are bigger unless they're already super crowded, which is possible depending on the size of the mother plant. That's the point at which they would naturally break off--when they are so crowded that their connections to the main plant become brittle.
Cold water without ice cubes would probably work, but I also use the cubes to hold plants in place in the cup sometimes (a tall Euphorbia xylophylloides cutting, for example, can topple over without ice cubes in the cup). I've used the cold water/ice on probably 20 species of Euphorbia over the years and it has never damaged one as long as it's not more than a couple minutes. Afterward I leave them on a dry paper towel for about 30 minutes to let them completely dry.
If the offsets are 1 centimeter I would leave them on until they are bigger unless they're already super crowded, which is possible depending on the size of the mother plant. That's the point at which they would naturally break off--when they are so crowded that their connections to the main plant become brittle.
Cold water without ice cubes would probably work, but I also use the cubes to hold plants in place in the cup sometimes (a tall Euphorbia xylophylloides cutting, for example, can topple over without ice cubes in the cup). I've used the cold water/ice on probably 20 species of Euphorbia over the years and it has never damaged one as long as it's not more than a couple minutes. Afterward I leave them on a dry paper towel for about 30 minutes to let them completely dry.
Re: Euphorbia Obesa - pups
The mother plant has something like 5cm in total, so i would like it to use its energy for new growth and not for the pups. Also, when it comes to looks, i prefer the classic form without pups.
Anyways, how do you continue, once you have stopped the bleeding of the sap and they have dried off? Do I treat them like mentioned in my last post?
And what causes euphorbias to make pups? Is it stress related? In that case i should repot it soon, since it is still in the original pot. I have had it for 3 weeks and even though it is in soil, it was not pot bound and the soil is draining better than what i am used to, from commercial plants. Maybe that is still not enough and i should put it in my mix sooner than planned.
Thank you for all your info!
Anyways, how do you continue, once you have stopped the bleeding of the sap and they have dried off? Do I treat them like mentioned in my last post?
And what causes euphorbias to make pups? Is it stress related? In that case i should repot it soon, since it is still in the original pot. I have had it for 3 weeks and even though it is in soil, it was not pot bound and the soil is draining better than what i am used to, from commercial plants. Maybe that is still not enough and i should put it in my mix sooner than planned.
Thank you for all your info!