A wierd but lovable plant with stems resemblong an ear of corn. Good for bright windows, grow on the dry side. Rather easy to grow.
Pronunciation
(yoo-FOR-bee-uh)
Plant Type
All Plants, Succulents
Sunlight
bright, some shade
Moisture
dry out between watering
Growing Media
well drained
Temperature
minimum temperature 45 degrees F
Flowers
yellow solitary cyathia at the tip of each stem
Leaves
small, green, ephemeral
Stems
tubercles on the stem are set in vertical rows similar to an ear of corn, spines are thick and blunt-they are really modified flower spikes
Dimensions
8 inches tall, will branch from the base of the plant
Propagation
seeds, rather difficult from cuttings, cuttings best taken in spring or summer
Native Site
South Africa (Little Karoo, Southern Cape area, Oudtshoorn & Riversdale districts
Misc Facts
All Euphorbias contain a white sap that can be irritating to eyes and mucous membranes. Euphorbia: for Euphorbus, corpulent Greek physician of Juba II, King of Mauretania. Juba, educated in Rome, and married to daughter of Antony and Cleopatra. From eu, "good" and phorbe, "pasture or fodder," thus giving euphorbos the meaning "well fed."
Author's Notes
I grew this plant for many years. It was easy to grow in well drained cactus mix and just watch the watering. It is a weird but lovable plant.