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Euphorbiaceae
Crown of Thorns
Euphorbia milii
Sacrifice and endurance.
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Genus
- Euphorbia
- Native to
- Madagascar
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
- Type
- succulent shrub
- Height
- 1-6 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, sandy
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 9-11
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Legend holds that this thorny plant was used to make the crown of thorns placed on Jesus during the crucifixion, though it is native to Madagascar.
- The colorful 'petals' are actually bracts (modified leaves); the true flowers are the tiny structures at the center.
- The milky latex sap is toxic and can cause skin irritation and is dangerous if ingested, but the plant has been used medicinally in small doses in folk traditions.
- Crown of thorns can bloom nearly year-round, making it one of the longest-flowering succulent plants in cultivation.
- Named after Baron Milius, the governor of the island of Bourbon (now Reunion), who introduced the species to France in 1821.
Color meanings
0
perseverance
1
redemption