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THE FASCINATING WORLD OF EUPHORBIAS

© Diana Pederson

The Euphorbia plant family could keep a collector busy and fascinated for a lifetime. Most of the Euphorbias we grow indoors come from the desert regions of southern Africa. I find this family fascinating because of the wide range of plant forms it can take. They can be tall tree-like specimens or small ball shaped plants. Still others look like spiny shrubs.

SAMPLE GROWTH FORMS

A good example of a globular shaped Euphorbia is called the basketball plant (E. obesa). It looks like a plaid ball! You'll often find it among the cacti at your local florist shop.

E. lactea looks like a small tree with green trunk and branches. This plant may grow 4-5 feet tall even indoors. If placed outside for the summer, they develop some leaves.

Poinsettias are popular Christmas decorations. They originated in Mexico. E. pucherrimas appear to have large colorful flowers. The actual flowers are the tiny greenish yellow clusters in the center of the brightly colored petals (called bracts). This plant naturally blooms at Christmas time in its native land. Keep the plant moist throughout the season or the bracts will begin to shrivel and dry. These plants are very difficult to reflower indoors and should be discarded at the end of the blooming season.

Another popular plant is called Crown of Thorns. It resembles a spiny shrub with deep green leaves and tiny red, white or bi-colored flowers. E. milli grows well under shop lights. Basically, I water it once a week and give it fertilizer if I think about it. It rewards my neglect with year-round flowering. Who could ask for more?

PLANT CARE

Plant Euphorbias in a fast draining soil. A mixture of Sunshine Professional Mix and and vermiculite or perlite makes a good soil for this family. If I am growing a tall plant in a large pot, I use 2 inches of gravel or styrofoam peanuts in the bottom to improve drainage. Euphorbias need more watering during their growth season than cacti but, it is critical that they not sit in water-logged soil. Make sure the flesh of the plant is protected from wet soil with a layer of pea sized gravel. My attached culture notes discusses my preferences for growing these plants indoors.