Succulents Euphorbias - Nature's wonders

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euphspiraliscristata

Euphorbias ~ Some euphorbias are listed on the
Caudiciforms page (click to see more Euphorbias)

Not to be confused with cacti, Euphorbias may look like cacti because of their "spines". Some Euphorbias have formations known as "peduncles", which are dried remnants from flowering stalks, and tend to give the plant an extra-terrestrial appearance.These spines are actually what are left over from from the flowers. While Euphorbias do not have the "areole" (a felty area from which the spines arise on cacti), they do have an analogous area that is a hard, horned ellipse along the angle of the stem known as a "spine shield". Interestingly, the spine shield is the origin of the spines and flowers for the Euphorbia, just as the areole performs the same function for the cacti. Euphorbias do not have the organ to create a spine. Also, Euphorbias originated in Africa , where true cacti do not exist. These plants can take a wide range of light, from light to shade, to full sun outdoors, to good indoor light. They have a resting period in winter and require less water and no fertilizer at that time. Euphorbias love warmth and are frost tender. Euphorbias can be propagated by cuttings taken in early summer. Let the cuttings dry for a few days up to several weeks, and plant them up to make new plants. When working with Euphorbias, always be careful not to let their milky sap touch your skin or eyes as it is a harsh irritant! According to the International Euphorbia society - Euphorbiaceae is the name given to one of the largest families in the plant world, sometimes known as spurges. It includes around 300 genera and 7,500 species, and of these around 870 are regarded as succulent. Like all Euphorbias they contain a white sap that can be irritating to eyes and mucous membranes. Take care if you get the sap on your hands not to touch your face or eyes. Wash with soap and water. Leaves come in various shapes and sizes but are sometimes reduced to thorns. There are also countless hybrids of E. milii, some of great horticultural interest, as well as hardy species suitable for the garden or rockery.

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Euphorbia anoplia $4

Euphorbia anoplia are native to Africa. They are short with dense clusters. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch during active growing season. Requires bright light to look their best. Protect from frost. All Euphorbias contain a white sap that can be irritating to eyes and mucous membranes. If contact is made with this white sap, take care to not touch face or eyes before washing hands with soap and water.

Euphorbia aeruginosa

Euphorbia aeruginosa, native to South Africa, forms branching 4-sided aqua pencil-like stems with coppery spines extending from dark vertical bands along the margins of the stems. Will form clumps to 10" wide and approximately 7" in height. Profuse lemon yellow flowers in February. Plant in a porous soil with adequate drainage. Prefers bright to filtered light with ample airflow. Please CLICK photo for complete plant information.

Euphorbia bupleurifolia
4" pot $9.00,

Euphorbia bupleurifolia, native to South Africa, is a caudiciform Euphorbia that develops a fat caudex topped with a tuft of long leaves. Stem has spirally arranged tubercles that are reminiscent of a pineapple with long slender leaves at the growing tip. Offsets freely to form large clusters. Responds well to warmth, with its active growth period in the late spring and summer months. Porous soil with adequate drainage. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch during the active growing season. click photo for more information.

Euphorbia decaryi
4' pot $7.50

Euphorbia enopla

4" pots are singles or singles with branches. 6" & 1 gallon pots will be branched out full plants.. The plants in the photo are 4" plants.

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Euphorbia esculenta
4" pot $15

Euphorbia flanaganii
almost out of stock

Euphorbia flanaganii, native to South Africa, is one of the "medusoids", or plants forming a central basal "caudex" with "arms" arising from the basal area. This is the cristate form, which forms deep emerald green fan-shaped stems that resemble "green coral". Click photo for more information.

Euphorbia flanaganii crested

Euphorbia flanaganii, native to South Africa, is one of the "medusoids", or plants forming a central basal "caudex" with "arms" arising from the basal area. This is the cristate form, which forms deep emerald green fan-shaped stems that resemble "green coral". Cristate forms generally occur when injury occurs to the plant at a young age Click photo for more information.

Euphorbia hybrid (1)
4" pot $4

Euphorbia lactea 6" pot $8

Euphorbia lactea, native to India and Ceylon, forms a candelabra-type specimen with deep green stems splashed zig-zaggedly down the centers with a lighter silvery green. In time, can become a small tree with a corky trunk topped by a canopy of hundreds of marbled green branches. Please click photo for complete information.

Euphorbia lactea crest

Euphorbia lactea cristata forms intricately undulating fan-shaped branches of attractive dark green with zig-zag patterns of light green and silvery white. This is an unusual cristate form that grows laterally as fan shapes densely covered with golden spines. Photo is a 6" plant. The 4" pots have smaller plant. Click photo for more information.

Euphorbia leucodendron

Euphorbia leucodendrons are native to Madagascar, forms spineless, rounded pencil-like green stems with darker "polka dots" to 1/2" in diameter. Offsets from the base to form clusters of cylindrical stems to over 3' in height.Responds well to warmth, with its active growth period in the late spring and summer months. Porous soil with adequate drainage. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia mammillaris

Euphorbia mammillaris, native to South Africa, forms an erect club-shaped stem with squarish tubercles in rows resembling "corn cobs". Branches freely with lateral "club-shaped" offsets. Stems have pinkish-brown persistent thorns that become purplish red with age. Occurs also as a beautiful variegated form with ivory white stems that blush pink in cold weather. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia mammillaris var photo is a 6" plant

Euphorbia mammillaris variegata is aka "Indian Corn Cob". It forms stems in rows that look like "corn cobs". They are a light green with dark green and turn pink in the sun. Their growth time is late spring and summer months. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch during active growing season. It needs bright light to look its best. They need to rest in winter and given less water. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia millii red

Euphorbia millii, native to Madagascar, forms xerophytic shrubs with slender, thorny stems. Small green leaves during growing season. Many various forms, including some that never exceed 6" in height to those that can grow to 4' in height. Many new hybrids are introduced each year, as well as some cultivars that have been selected for especially large flowers. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia millii pink

Euphorbia millii, native to Madagascar, forms xerophytic shrubs with slender, thorny stems. Small green leaves during growing season. Many various forms, including some that never exceed 6" in height to those that can grow to 4' in height. Many new hybrids are introduced each year, as well as some cultivars that have been selected for especially large flowers. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia millii white

Euphorbia millii, native to Madagascar, forms xerophytic shrubs with slender, thorny stems. Small green leaves during growing season. Many various forms, including some that never exceed 6" in height to those that can grow to 4' in height. Many new hybrids are introduced each year, as well as some cultivars that have been selected for especially large flowers. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia millii yellow

Euphorbia millii, native to Madagascar, forms xerophytic shrubs with slender, thorny stems. Small green leaves during growing season. Many various forms, including some that never exceed 6" in height to those that can grow to 4' in height. Many new hybrids are introduced each year, as well as some cultivars that have been selected for especially large flowers. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia millotti

This is one of my favorite euphorbias. Granted it looses it's leaves in winter. From spring to winter, it is filled with deep green colored leaves on top and red on the underside.

Euphorbia neohumberti
4" pot $8

After Dormancy in winter, they flower small red flowers and then send out their beautiful leaves. At this time they are beginning to flower.

Euphorbia obesa
4" pot $5

Euphorbia obesa, native to South Africa, is a fascinating plan t with nearly spherical grayish-green stems with transverse bands of different shades of green. Often, especially in bright light, these bands can be an attractive contrasting purplish-bronze. Great conversation piece. Known as the "Basketball" plant. Please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia polygona $4

Euphorbia polygona, native to South Africa, forms a ribbed chunky columnar plant of glaucous grey-green and is heavily armed with spiny protuberances ("peduncles", otherwise known as persistent flower stalks). The cultivar 'Snowflake' is chalky white and has fewer spiny protuberances. It has been said that only a single 'Snowflake' was ever found in Africa. Many new hybrids have been created using 'Snowflake' as it tends to pass on excellent genetics for attractive plants.

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Euphorbia pseudoglobosa
4" pot $8

It is a dwarf slow and low growing spineless succulent that looks like a cactus, eventually forming a subterranean caudex (often lifted up into view in cultivation for looks) It forms thick mats of dwarf subshrubs up to 20 cm in diameter. Stem: Globular to elongated, segmented fingers 2-10 cm tall, branching off from a caudiciform base, Click photo for more information.

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Euphorbia spiralis cristata
6" pot $8

Euphorbia 'Spiralis' forms grayish green stems with spiralling ribs and small deciduous leaves. This is a cristate cultivar which forms fanned stems of grayish-green that grow like convolutions of a brain. Very attractive collector item. Porous soil with adequate drainage. Bright light and ample airflow. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Protect from frost. please click photo for more information.

Euphorbia suzanne $3 single head

Euphorbia suzannae, native to South Africa, forms small, knobby spherical emerald green stems to 1" or so in diameter. Clusters profusely to form wide clumps to 10" in diameter. Each stem has "toothed" ridges along the margins, and often has deciduous leaves during active growth. Responds well to warmth, with its active growth period in the late spring and summer months. Please click on photo for complete information.

Euphorbia tirrucalli

Euphorbia tirucalli, native to arid South Africa, grows very rapidly, branching readily to form large stands. This plant will become a strking specimen in time. Known as the "Pencil Plant" for the curious pencil-shaped stems which at times have tiny leaves present at the growing tips. Responds well to warmth, with its active growth period in the late spring and summer months. Porous soil with adequate drainage. Please CLICK photograph for complete information.

Euphorbia tirucalli,
sticks of fire

Euphorbia tirucalli firesticks is a native of South Africa. "Firesticks" is a red form. They have the most color fall through spring when they become inflamed with brilliant pinkish red in the cooler winter months. Their growth period is in the late spring and summer months. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch during active growing season. They need bright light to full sun to look their best. They need rest in winter so cut back on watering.

Euphorbia trigona rubra

Euphorbia trigona 'Royal Red' is a beautiful rich burgundy cultivar of Euphorbia trigona. A cultivar occurs when an environmental or other factor causes changes in a plant. A cultivar is not a hybrid; It is rather a change in the DNA of the cells of one unique plant. Please CLICK the photograph for complete information. The 8" pots are well branched, while the 6" have just a couple.

Euphorbia trigona 4" pot $4available late November

Euphorbia trigona is native to tropical western Africa. Excellent for use in bright areas of the home or office or as a patio plant in more temperate regions. Euphorbia trigona has green stems with 3-4 sides and white to light green marbling down the center of each stem. In time, becomes a much branched shrub to 6' in height. Responds well to warmth, with its active growth period in the late spring and summer months. Porous soil with adequate drainage. Please click photo for complete information.

Monadenium ellenbeckii

Monadenium ellenbeckii caulopodium forms clusters of lime-green, rounded pencil stems with elongated, smooth tubercles towards the tip. Stems have light reddish-brown striations. Porous soil with adequate drainage. They prefer bright, filtered light and warmth. Monadenium ellenbeckii can grow to 1 yard tall with just a few branches. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch except in winter when they don't like moist soi. I barely water in winter. Protect from frost.

Monadenium ritchiei
ssp. nymbayense

Easy to grow, it spreads by underground shoots and forms large clumps with time and therefore requires a broader pot. Monadenium ritchiei due to its African origin cannot tolerate freezing temperature but should be able to handle 7 degrees C very easily. However, that species seems to hate being wet for any extended period and rot easily especially in winter if overwatered. Barely water when the weather is cold. Likes light shade. Propagate by seeds or cuttings.

Monadenium rubellum 6" pot $15

This member of the Euphorbiaceae was given this name by Susan Carter in 1987. It is from the Machakos District of Kenya, a tropical part of Africa where it grows in a well drained soil and filtered sun. This species has a thick woody caudex from which arise thin, succulent, and striped stems. The leaves are obovate and succulent, and the cyathia are pink-red. The caudex will get up to 2.5 inches in diameter and the stems can reach a foot long. Please click photo for complete information.

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