Euphorbia Splendens (Crown-of-Thorns)

Temperature:
60-65 F

This unusual plant prefers a warm greenhouse, but I have been successful with one in my 52 F house. Long fleshy stems, laden with spines and tiny bright green oval leaves, produce scarlet-orange bracts practically all year.

Stems, though thick, are easily trained on wire supports into interesting shapes. Crown-of-thorns may shed practically all its leaves in late fall and early winter while continuing to bloom, replacing the leaves as spring approaches. Clusters of bracts are more numerous in winter, though it is practically everblooming.

Grow in full sun.

Cuttings are easy to root in moist sand let the cut portions dry in open air for an hour or so before inserting and will bloom when only a few inches high. E. Bojeri is similar to E. splendens.