Euphorbia cotinifolia or Red Milkman, a little tree with red leaves

If you are realizing that your garden needs more variety of colors and you are looking for a plant that really attracts a lot of attention, we are going to suggest you plant one (or several) Euphorbia cotinifolia. These small trees, known by the name of Red Milkman, measure between 4 and 5 meters, which is why they can be had in any type of gardens, regardless of their size.

By having rapid growth, In less than you expect you can have the multicolored paradise you always wanted.

How is the Euphorbia cotinifolia?

This precious species, native from Mexico to the north of South America, is a semi-deciduous tree (that is, it does not shed all the leaves every year), highly branched. Like all Euphorbia, inside is latex that causes irritation In contact with the skin and it is toxic, it is ingested, but except for this detail, it is one of the most interesting plants that exist.

It reaches a height of between 4-5 meters (rarely 19 meters)with ternate leaves, alternate, ovate, 5-12 x 3-9cm, glabrous or with scattered short hairs, purple in color. The inflorescences form highly branched panicles, about 4x3mm, and yellow in color. The fruit is an ovoid capsule of about 4-5 x 6mm inside which are ovoid seeds of about 2,5mm in length.

It is popularly known as the Red Milkman or Lebanese Blood Tree.

Varieties

Two subspecies are distinguished:

• Euphorbia cotinifolia subsp. cotinifolia: It is native from Mexico to Brazil, passing through the islands of the Caribbean and Venezuela.
• Euphorbia cotinifolia subsp. cotinoids: It is indigenous to the Amazon region, especially Suriname. The leaves are brown when mature, but reddish-brown when young.

What are the care of the red milkman?

Enjoy a Euphorbia cotinifolia in a garden it is much simpler than it might seem at first. In fact, being a euphorbia, we could almost say that it takes care of itself. But you have to be attentive to how it is growing, take a look at it from time to time so that, in case a problem arises, it is detected in time.

But so that the risk of this happening is minimal, we advise you to provide these cares for your plant:

Location

The Euphorbia cotinifolia It is preferable that you are away from home, in an area where the sun will shine all day. Even so, you should know that it may be in semi-shade, but the leaves will turn green.

If in your home you have a room in which there is a lot of light, that is, in which there are several windows through which a lot of light enters, you can enjoy your plant in it. Avoid putting it right in front of the windows and near the air conditioning, otherwise it would suffer damage (burns in the first case, and dry ends in the second).

Soil or substrate

It grows well in any type of soil or substrate, but must have good drainage to avoid root rot. If you have doubts about the water absorption and drainage capacity of the soil that you have, fill a pot with it and add water. If this is absorbed quickly, from the moment you pour it in, and immediately comes out through the drainage holes, then it will be optimal for your plant.

If this does not happen, mix it with a perlite type substrate, arlite or similar, 50%. In this way, the roots will be able to receive the air they need, being able to breathe and perform their functions normally.

Irrigation

The frequency of irrigation will be higher in summer than in winter, and higher also in areas where the climate is warmer and / or drier than in those where it is cooler and / or humid. Therefore, so that the roots do not rot, It should be watered only when the soil is completely dry, or almost. Keep in mind that it will cost much less to recover from drought, than from rot, because a plant that is drying out you only have to water it until the soil is well moistened, but one that is rotting, most likely fungi are already attacking it.

It is advisable to use rainwater, but if you do not get it, mineral water suitable for human consumption, or even tap water if it is suitable for people, are good options. When using a very calcareous water, white ‘dots’ will tend to appear in the soil, as well as in the pots if you are growing your red milkman in one, which could make it difficult to oxygenate the roots.

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Just as choosing a good type of water is essential for the plant to grow properly, we cannot forget about fertilizers. If you pay your Euphorbia cotinifolia from spring to summer with a compost for cacti and succulentsyou will make it grow healthy.

So that there is no risk of overdose, you have to follow the instructions on the product.

Multiplication

Would you like to get new specimens of your plant? If your answer is yes, you have to know that multiplied by cuttings (wears gloves) and seeds in spring.

Planting or transplanting time

If you have decided to plant it in the garden, you have to wait for spring to come and the minimum temperature is higher than 18ºC. In the event that you have it in a pot and you have seen that it needs a transplant, because the roots are coming out through the drainage holes, or because its growth has stopped, you can transfer it to a somewhat larger pot sometime since mid-spring until early summer.

Plagues and diseases

There are no known pests or major diseases. As it contains latex, and this is toxic, you should not worry about it.

Pruning

Remove only the stems that are drywearing gloves, in spring.

Rusticity

The Euphorbia cotinifolia It is quite a whopping plant, since it only supports the cold down to -2ºC. For this reason, if the temperature drops more in the place where you have it, you should protect it at home or in a greenhouse.

Did you know this plant?