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PlantFiles: African Milk Tree
Euphorbia trigona

 
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Family: Euphorbiaceae (yoo-for-bee-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Euphorbia (yoo-FOR-bee-uh) (Info)
Species: trigona (try-GOH-nuh) (Info)

One vendor has this plant for sale.

11 members have or want this plant for trade.

Category:
Cactus and Succulents

Height:
6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)

Spacing:
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Light Shade

Danger:
All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction

Bloom Color:
White/Near White

Bloom Time:
N/A

Foliage:
Bronze-Green

Other details:
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping

Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)

Patent Information:
Non-patented

Propagation Methods:
From herbaceous stem cuttings

Seed Collecting:
Unknown - Tell us

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By RiksGreens
Thumbnail #1 of Euphorbia trigona by RiksGreens

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Thumbnail #7 of Euphorbia trigona by Xenomorf

There are a total of 16 photos.
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Profile:

4 positives
3 neutrals
No negatives

Gardeners' Notes:

RatingAuthorComment
Neutral Joan On Oct 4, 2009, Joan from Belfield, ND (Zone 4a) wrote:


Editor's Note

Some resources list all parts of Euphorbia as poisonous if ingested.

The toxic principal is the diterpene esters in the milky latex. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

If the milky latex comes in contact with the skin, it can cause redness, swelling and blisters.

We tend to err on the side of caution in PlantFiles, and the danger notation in the details above is to caution gardeners, parents and pet owners to look further for more information.
Positive BayAreaTropics On Feb 22, 2007, BayAreaTropics from Hayward, CA wrote:

Euphorbia trigona is not hardy; temperatures even two or three degrees below freezing will kill it. Still, the red plant they show in a normal cool bay area winter is striking. Fast growing small Euphorbia and easy care. Protect from slugs and freezing temps.

Positive cactuskat On Jan 31, 2007, cactuskat from Phoenix, AZ (Zone 10a) wrote:

I have had my plant for about 15 years and just found out the name of it, thanks to Dave's Garden. My plant is really small for its age. I have it in potting soil and a medium size pot,but I think it is time to transplant it.

Neutral smiln32 On Nov 30, 2004, smiln32 from Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) wrote:

Upright branching habit to 1.8 meters. Can be pruned. Used for fences in tropical countries. Makes a great container plant.

Positive Happenstance On Nov 12, 2003, Happenstance from Fairfield, CA (Zone 10a) wrote:

Like all Euphorbia HANDLE WITH CARE, the latex/sap is dangerous and can cause skin rash, itching and general discomfort.

Positive Monocromatico On Jul 11, 2003, Monocromatico from Rio de Janeiro
Brazil (Zone 11) wrote:

Itīs not a Cactus (from the Cactaceae family). However, ecologically, it occupies the same eco-systems as cacti, since there are no cacti in Africa.

I have a purple variety of this plant. It's a tough one. You don't need to water it at all, just let the rain do its job. As for sun exposure, don't worry too much about it either; my plant receives 4 hours of sunlight per day, and I've seen larger plants under full sun. You better look for aphids that may infest this species sometimes.

The flowers are insignificant, according to foreign descriptions, since there are no registries about it blooming here in Brazil, although it's very well adapted to the climate.

The cactus-like branches (with tiny spines and small leaves on the tip) start from the sides and get erect, growing upwards, up to 2.5 m, giving the plant a very interesting look. It has a milky sap that may be poisonous and cause skin irritation.

It can be propagated from stem cuttings, like most columnar cacti. I got mine from a cut stem 7 years ago, and it looks beautiful.

Neutral Thaumaturgist On Jul 11, 2003, Thaumaturgist from Rockledge, FL (Zone 10a) wrote:

A cactus from tropical western Africa, commonly known as the African Milk Tree. Mine was store-bought at 6" tall; one year later, it is 3 ft tall and 2 ft wide.

Strictly adhering to zero/low maintenance policy, it is left in the outdoors - no pampering at all.

Regional...

This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:

,
Phoenix, Arizona
Castro Valley, California
Clayton, California
Encino, California
Hayward, California
Los Angeles, California
Pleasant Hill, California
San Diego, California
Sun City, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Melbourne Beach, Florida
Rockledge, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
Forsyth, Georgia
Kenner, Louisiana
Zanesville, Ohio
Germantown, Tennessee
Corpus Christi, Texas
Houston, Texas
Bellevue, Washington
Seattle, Washington



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