Fixing my Euphorbia viguieri

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coldcactusmontreal
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 2:07 pm

Fixing my Euphorbia viguieri

Post by coldcactusmontreal »

I was given this nice specimen from someone who was not interested in keeping their collection anymore. This viguieri has apparently seen some neglect and started teetering over. Does anyone think that this will straighten up again? Anyone have any experience in making it happen? Currently it's under lights that are directly over top of it.
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Saxicola
Posts: 1759
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: Los Angeles area, California

Re: Fixing my Euphorbia viguieri

Post by Saxicola »

It doesn't look that neglected, at least in recent times. Plants like that just start to lean when they get too tall. There are a couple things you can do. To straighten it you will need a stake of some sort (like bamboo). You will need to tie the stem to it in several places. I am assuming the branch is flexible enough for this, but without being there myself I can't be sure if it really is.

What I would probably do if I were you is treat it like a overly lanky cactus. Cut the top off right about at the narrowest point of that constriction, roughly where the corky, ugly looking stem gives way to the nice green stem. Do this outside or put some newspaper down as it is going to bleed all over the place. Let it heal over for a week or so then pot it up. If all goes well it should form roots in time. If you want more plants or a multi-branched one then hold onto the base of the plant. It should eventually produce new branches. You can break them off and pot them or let the plant do its own thing.
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
coldcactusmontreal
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 2:07 pm

Re: Fixing my Euphorbia viguieri

Post by coldcactusmontreal »

Well the neglect I think was basically from not letting it get enough sun and it leaning over. But it came to me with nice big leaves. They had uprooted it so I lost the leaves and they're just coming back now and they're smaller (this seems to be how plants work, the first leaves from a break period are smaller).

I would love to have a big-offset one but I Love the totemic nature of these types of Euphorbia. I have a smaller vigueirie, several leuconeura and a neohumbertii which is actually offsetting like crazy because of my inexperience. I am getting a inharahae soon as well. I'll try to just brace it up like you say and see if that works for now.

Now you're making me wonder how much latex is in this thing. Eep. between all my plants I must have a few litres of the stuff.
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