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Coral Cactus Plant Care: Euphorbia crest - P2
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- Watering - Let the plant dry between waterings. Use a moisture meter, or even a pencil or wooden skewer to test the moisture level of the soil. If using a wooden implement to test the moisture level, stick it deep into the soil, then remove and check to see if the skewer is moist or has moist soil sticking to it. If moisture is detected, wait to water.
- Fertilizing - The Coral Cactus only needs to be fertilized when it is actively growing, once in spring, summer and fall. Any standard plant fertilizer can be used.
Sources & Gardening Resources
- Euphorbia lactea crest [Coral Cactus], Costa Farms
- Coral Cactus, from House Plant Expert
- Moon Cactus: All About Grafted Gymnocalycium
- Clean Kitchen Tips: How to Kill Germs and Sanitize Surfaces
- Repotting - Coral Cacti are typically sold in round ceramic containers with no drainage, and gravel that has essentially been glued together to form a sold mass at the surface of the container. This setup is very attractive for display, but does not meet the plant’s needs. A Coral Cactus should be repotted once you bring it home.
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Eurphorbia lactea grafted on top of a Euphorbia neriifolia root stock.
Use a slender implement to very carefully pry the gravel mat away from the edge of the pot, and away from the plant stem, without damaging the plant or roots. Repot into a planter with holes for drainage, using a cactus soil mix or a 50/50 combination of regular potting mix and sand. Plant shallowly, just covering the roots. Then press down the soil to anchor the plant and prevent it from leaning or tipping.
Page last updated: 8/2016
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Where to Purchase a Coral Cactus
Finding coral cacti can be a bit of a hit or miss adventure. One pictured in this article was purchased from Lowes houseplant department years ago. Although it lived for a long time, it has since died. After calling garden centers and home improvement stores, I found that our local Home Depot currently has grafted Euphorbia. Yesterday I purchased a beautiful coral cactus and two Moon Cactus
(another grafted Franken-plant). Pictured to the far right is our new pet coral cactus named "Eric", in honor of the Monty Python skit Fish License.
Like all living things, plants are made of cells. Get your nerd on, and learn about Plant Cell Structure & Function.
We do! In the summer we document nests of American robins on our Michigan property. The adult robin pictured above, on her nest, is "Wilma". She's a ferocious beastie.
