Euphorbia Fulgens, with its slender leaves and brilliant blossoms, symbolizes purity, innocence, and the delicate beauty of nature. Originating from the lush landscapes of Central America, this flower brings a touch of elegance and an explosion of color to any bouquet. Like its family members in the spurge family, euphorbias release a unique white sap when cut, posing a challenge for its water absorption.
But fret not! Renowned grower Luiten Flowers and the flower food specialists from Chrysal have mastered the art of nurturing this flower, ensuring that it reaches your vase full of life and freshness. Are you ready to learn from the best?
Understanding Euphorbia Fulgens
Before diving into the meticulous care that this flower demands, it’s essential to understand its characteristics. Euphorbia Fulgens, hailing from the tropics, has a naturally graceful arch to its stems, adorned with slender leaves and eye-catching blossoms. The white sap that it releases is a form of latex that solidifies at the cut end of the stem, acting as a barrier to water uptake. This intriguing trait necessitates innovative solutions to keep the flower thriving.
Addressing the challenge posed by the sap, expert growers recommend a technique of immersing the stems in boiling water for around 15-20 seconds. This process dissolves the solidified sap, paving the way for the flower to hydrate. Immediately afterward, the stems are placed in cold water enriched with a post-harvest solution of Chrysal AVB. This ensures that the stems are thoroughly saturated and ready to absorb the nutrients they need to flourish.
Maintaining Freshness and Appeal
Chrysal AVB plays a significant role in maintaining the freshness of Euphorbia Fulgens during storage and transport. Additionally, using Chrysal's Largo has proven effective in enhancing both the longevity and visual appeal of the flowers. These specialized products are essential components in the growers' arsenal, ensuring that your euphorbias reach the consumer in pristine condition.
Chrysal AVB is a post-harvest conditioner for ethylene-sensitive flowers. Improves vase life, diminishes the dropping of blooms, leaves, and buds, and improves bud opening.
Chrysal Largo is an effective solution to prevent leaf yellowing, leaf breaking, and falling buds. It helps make the plant less sensitive to conditions during transport, keeping the flowers fresh longer and elongating the potential sales period in stores.
Insider Knowledge from Luiten Flowers
From September until the very end of the year Dutch grower Luiten Flowers grows several colorful varieties of Euphorbia Fulgens in its nursery. Co-owner Bart Luiten generously shares some insider knowledge and practical tips.
One of their key practices involves using Chrysal AVB to prevent damage to the flowers. This involves a meticulous process where all flowers are immersed in a solution with Chrysal AVB for at least four hours before being transferred to buckets filled with clean tap water.
Bart:
"All euphorbias receive a heat treatment at the bottom of the stem. We do this by briefly heating the bottom 5 centimeters of the stem with warm water. This means that the spurge that runs from the stem after cutting does not have the chance to dry at the bottom of the stem.
Immediately after this treatment, the flowers are left in the Chrysal AVB for at least 4 hours. It is therefore advisable not to cut the flower too far because it will then be less able to absorb water. If this cannot be avoided, try to quickly place the flowers in water after cutting, so that the bottom of the stem remains open.
Because we have given this Chrysal AVB solution to our euphorbia, the end consumer experiences a better vase life and slower aging of the flowers. By carrying out this treatment, the flowers will have up to a week longer vase life than untreated flowers."
Optimal Conditions and Storage
Florists serve as the crucial link between the grower and the consumer. Bart Luiten emphasized the importance of proper storage conditions for euphorbias in their shop; they prefer environments above 8 degrees Celsius and need protection from drafts and direct sunlight. Following these guidelines is essential for preserving the flowers' vitality and vibrancy.
Bart:
"A euphorbia cannot tolerate cold. We therefore recommend not keeping these in the cold room for too long. If they are stored for a longer period of time, they are best left outside the cold room. Not colder than 8 degrees. Drafts and dry air are also not conducive to vase life."
Home Care Tips for Extended Beauty
For consumers eager to savor the beauty of Euphorbia Fulgens, Bart offers simple yet effective tips:
- Keep the flowers away from fruit bowls and direct sunlight, as these accelerate aging.
- Maintain cleanliness by changing the water daily and ensuring the vase is clean.
- Remove any dried flowers to extend the Euphorbia’s beauty.
- Observing the flower closely might reveal a small green seed pod – a sign of pollination by bees in Luiten's greenhouse!
As mentioned earlier, do not cut the stem unless necessary, and always do so underwater. If the vase houses only Euphorbia Fulgens, keep the water clean by refreshing it periodically. When incorporated into a bouquet, using the Chrysal flower food from the Chrysal Paper sachet provided by the florist ensures optimal conditions.
Following these guidelines when euphorbias are part of a bouquet will ensure a shelf life of up to 10 days for these exquisite flowers!
Enjoy Your Euphorbias
It's a fact that Euphorbia Fulgens, with its ethereal beauty and unique characteristics, demands kind of special care and attention. Growers like Luiten Flowers, through their expertise, have perfected the art of growing these flowers. With the insights and tips shared by Bart Luiten and the solutions provided by Chrysal, both sellers and flower enthusiasts can enjoy the freshness and beauty of euphorbias for an extended period.
Header and feature image by @euphorbia.fulgens.
