PlantFiles: Variegated Devil's Backbone, Japanese Poinsettia, Slipper Spurge, Redbird Cactus, Christmas Candle
Euphorbia tithymaloides 'Variegatus'

I have had this as an indoor plant since my son was about 4 years old. He is now 46. It is easy to grow just don't over water. I have shared cuttings with many people in my old neighborhood of Kenwood in Chicago. One problem, how do you make it bloom? Great color on leaves in summer since it is outdoors in the morning sun, but never a bloom.

I would of never gussed that this crooked, varrigated, spindley plant growing in my garden was in fact this wonderous herb.
According to this other site (http://www.SuperSoldierDirect.com) Here is an herb(Devil's Backbone) that is qute the miracle. This site claims,
"the West’s discovery of an ancient Eastern substance that heals injured muscle, tendon, ligament, and joints...even brokenbones and old, chronic pains...faster than anything everseen by classic medicine." Here I thought all this time that the plant was toxic! I must really do more research. If all this is true then this plant has an overabundance of merit and I will begin earnest propagation by cuttings immediately! More research will tell me if this a hoax.

I took a clipping a few years ago off my brother's plant which he has planted in the ground. I kept that one in a pot and in one year it grew quite large, took another clipping off it and now have two in huge pots. They can tolerate pretty cold temperatures, however last year I left them out in temperatures down below freezing and they lost all the leaves and several branches. They did rebound and grew back the leaves and looked great by the mid summer, but this year if the temperatures are below freezing I've been taking them in the porch. They are both in mostly shady areas, seems to like morning sun and afternoon shade. They have tinges of pink on some of the more mature brances. My brother's is very big and survived the freezing temperatures with just minimal damage. They are noticed by anyone that is strolling through my garden.

The plant I have now on my front porch is from cuttings of my mothers plant, which is well over 5 feet tall. Her cuttings came from my great grandmother who had them planted by her front porch and a huge pot in her kitchen.

I tend to keep mine in the dappled shade as it tends to burn if I sit it out on the back patio. Those are my only choices, shade, or bright, bright too hot sun.

I love being able to share it so freely, a long stem, snapped into pieces and someone else has a lovely pot to eventually share.

I must proclaim the merits of Pediilanthus tithymaloides, commonly called called Jacob's ladder or Zig-zag plant.
If you live in or have a hot and dry area, please try this plant! It may only be sold in your area as a houseplant, but if it is ignored in the full sun, it will be covered in these tiny red blooms...which I know for a fact the Ruby throats and other hummingbirds love...for an extended period.
If given shade and water, it will stay 'green and dull...'

Years ago I was given a cutting from a very old Devil's Backbone plant. I stuck the cutting in a pot in back of the house and forgot about it. The plant continued to grow and never complained about the lack of attention. After a year or two I realized the plant was a survivor so I stuck it in the ground in a hot part of the yard. It receives direct sun during the first half of the day and so far it has happily endured several Florida summers in its new location. I'm posting a picture that I took earlier this year when the plant was slightly smaller. Lately it has become bushier and today the plant is over 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Some plants die of fright when they see me coming so I'm always happy to find one that can thrive under my care.

Have to constantly check plant for CABBAGE WORMS & remove them. Hard to locate them, look just like the stem
and they bite!!

a dear DGer gave several cuttings and it rooted effortlessly. While I was rooting it, I had it in full shade. I have since transplanted to a nice pot and moved it to part sun. Today it looked a little wilted but I'm hoping it will adjust. If it doesn't then I'll move it.

this is a great plant.

Happily growing in Miami Fl. Interesting, decorative leaves and zig-zagged stems. Easy to root in soil. I've grown mine in dappled shade and full afternoon sun.

I'm above its native zone (I'm 7b), but by moving the planter into a greenhouse for winter it does well here and stays green/white - less pink until its back outside for the summer - year round. I have seen hummingbirds at the flowers. Roots easily in water or moist soil. Makes a great color accent in the yard.

I got mine from one of my terrific neighboors. I've always loved its uniqueness and how well it grows with hardly any maintenance whatsoever. My neighboor called it "Adam's Rib" but I never could verify it otherwise until DG. Thanks a TON you guys for helping. Now I know what to call this feller. Sorry ya'll, my Texan is coming out. :)

I have grown this plant here in Houston in a large outdoor pot for years. It is a very easy care plant with no disease or pest problems. I do cover it with a sheet if we have a hard freeze predicted. The edges of the leaves turn a beautiful pink color with cooler weather and sun. Mine is in a full sun location.

Very hardy plant. Roots very easily. Pinch off center leaves to promote fuller growth.

This is one of my fevorite plants! We took our mother plant with us when we moved but found that it did not agree with the sunny spot we put it in. When we moved it under a tree in sandy soil it thrived. We have red tipped leaves most of the year and adorable red flowers in spring.

I received one pot of this plant from a friend and now have dozens of them. It roots easily just by breaking off a stem and sticking the stem in the soil. My many plants came about as a result of my neighbors pit bulls getting into my temporary vizqueen plastic greenhouse one winter, turning over the pot of Pedilanthus which had grown profusely to about 4 ft high, and breaking most of the stems into bits and pieces. I repotted most of the larger pieces and they all grew.

I gave away as many of the potted up plants as I could, but most everyone in this area already has the plant. Last year, I planted all the remaining pots of Pedilanthus directly into my garden in various spots, in both sun and shade. They survived this past winter with temperatures as low as 28 F on a few nights with little damage.

Jeremy

Variegated Devil's Backbone, Pedilanthus tithymaloides is a succulent shrub with zigzagged stems native to dry tropical forests of Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America.

The plant exudes milky sap when broken. The sap has been known to cause contact dermatitis in some individuals.

It's easy to grow, and can add nice year round color and interest to gardens in the zone 10 area. Light has a lot to do with the colorations of the leaves. More light and the leaves get a rosey edge. Less light provides green and white leaves. The plants will bloom easier if they get more light.
This plant is a Florida native.

I grew this plant as a houseplant in Houston. It thrived very well. I live in Colorado now and would like to obtain another one. Who sells this plant? Rcostello@tristategt.org

Pedilanthus grows in a hot, dry, half sun area where nothing else would grow. It is always colorful. It is hardy in this protected area of our yard.

I live in the Orlando Florida area. I have had my Devil's Backbone for at least 18 years. If it is kept in the sun, the white on the leaves turns pink. Mine is covered during the cold snaps but is otherwise left outside. It has grown so much that I've had to repot it several times. It is now in a 24" round pot and is still growing. I guess the next time I repot it, it will have to go in the ground. It is a really easy plant to care for.

I have a start of this plant that I'm trying to root. The mother, however is HUGE!!! The lady that gave me my cutting has had the plant for years. It is well over 6 feet and absolutely gorgeous!!! She has it in a big pot. I was starting to worry it wasn't going to root. I just checked it and it has 2 roots on it. The lady told me it would root in water. It will, but it takes about 2 months.

This plant was growing on the side of my house when we bought it nine years ago. I installed a trellis behind the plant and trained it upward. It is doing great, and is a conversation piece. Propagating is easy - I just cut off a piece and place it in the ground to start a new plant.

I find this plant extremely attractive in raised beds with other tropical plants. Mine have bloomed with tiny red flowers from slipper shaped bracts. The plants are extremely easy and will tolerate half a day's sun and a very well draining soil. If the soil becomes too wet I find the leaves will drop off.

It is also called 'red-bird plant'. The little flowers at the tips of new growth resemble a bird.

It thrives in partial shade and well-drained sandy soil. Planting should be done in the spring. Devil's backbones do best in bright indirect or curtain-filtered sunlight; if only artificial light is available, provide at least 400 foot-candles. High humidity, nighttime temperatures between 50° and 70° and daytime temperatures ranging from 70° to 85° are ideal. Keep the soil barely moist at all times. Fertilize established plants at two- to three-month intervals from early spring until late summer; do not fertilize them the rest of the year, and wait at least four to six months before fertilizing newly potted plants.