PlantFiles: Madagascar Jewel
Euphorbia leuconeura

Hi Madagascar Jewel-lovers!

I got this beauty about 5 years ago, when I was in Delft- The Netherlands, for work.
It's nice leaves attracted me.
It was a little plant from, I guess, one year old.
The motherplant was in bad shape, still I liked it a lot.
I didn't knew what type of plant I got.
One year later, when I was in Utrecht, at another working area, I saw a complete farm of these litle plants!
That's where I got the name 'Euphorbia Leuconeura', and I learned how to treath them. Well, like that's a problem!!
I also got a new plant there, from 5months old.
They mentioned that the plants don't like ceramic pots! Though I see a lot of pictures in those.
I saw a difference that the plants in plastic pots were more greener and bigger than the ones in ceramics.
I grow them in glass, what also turns out great.
I have grown about 25 plants, just to give them to whoever wants to take care of them.
They are not for sale in The Netherlands.

Regards, René

I have had four of these plants since early 2003, and they have grown to be quite healthy and full. I brought one of them to work about 6-9 months ago and it really took off. It was probably thanks to the large amount of indirect light that it got at work compared to the ones at home where we have few windows. It began sprouting new leaves like crazy, then became my first one to flower. And boy did it flower! I have since had over two dozen sprouts come up, shooting out of the ground as fast as I can find homes for them. Sadly though, I have recently moved to a new job and my once happy Madagascar Jewel has now become very sad. Leaves are turning yellow and falling off like crazy. I'm bringing it home today in the hopes that I can rehabilitate it. My best guess for why this is happening is that it gets too cold here at night and on the weekends. If anyone has any suggestions or insights feel free to email me at TimothyEllis at gmail dot youknowwhat.

A friend gave me a bit of her plant 5 years ago, and during this time it has gone throu times loosing almost every leaf, but after a while it started again. No babys yet, I even tried to give it a little help..I have the plant outside in summer and in a south window during winter.
Now I wonder if any of you know how to make it to split into moore branches...I would really be glad to know how to do it

I received a small plant from a co-worker in 1998, and was only told it was a "Jacob's ladder;" now I realize that is not the correct name, just a very generic plant name. I got this plant a week before dating my husband, so it is very sentimental to me.

Anyway, when we moved into our house, the plant (about 7 inches tall at the time, and 3 years old) wilted so badly. I think it somehow became stressed by the move. Even though it was in the same city, perhaps the humidity/air quality was different in the house. If any of you can help me figure out why that happened, please let me know. After visiting a nursery and being told it was a member of the Euphorbia class, I finally found this website with the real name of Madagascar Jewel. Luckily, the plant survived and is still growing normally.

All in all, I have the 7 year-old mother plant, one 4-year old "kid" plant, eight 1-year old "toddler" plants, and 13 new baby plants that sprouted up over the weekend. I have picked up so many seeds from the floor and planted them in the same pot. I think the germination length must be about 2-3 months or more.

I have found that clay pots work best, and that they should be placed in a somewhat sunny room. I have made the mistake of repotting the baby plants when they were too young, so I wait until they have at least 5-6 leaves before moving them to very small clay pots. I do not fertilize the plant at all, and water them only about 1-2 times every 10-20 days.

I grow this plant as a house plant,
and I really like it I can make cutting from the side shoots that grow on the plant.

I inherited my Madagascar Jewel about three years ago from a biologist who originally obtained it as a gift from an university greenhouse. She had it for over five years, and I had it for three, so the plant is at least eight years old. During the past three years, it grew about a foot and produced more than a dozen babies, three of which have already become grandmas.
The most fascinating characteristic of this plant for me is the fact that it shoots out seeds. I've found a seedling in a planter placed at least 5 feet away from the mother plant. One morning, when I was closely examining the plant, I luckily witnessed one mature seedpod shoot out seeds (one seedpod contains three black, nearly perfect round seeds) in front of my eyes. When the seedpod is mature it is swallen and covered in clear honey, and when it explodes, it makes a significant-enough "popping" sound.

My Madagascar Jewel is currently growing well in partial shade near west and north-facing windows. Although it was clearly happier in a south-facing enclosed patio we had in our previous residence.

I feed the plant once a month during the vigorous growing season (June-August in midwest) using a mixture of a recommended amount of low nitrogen liquid fertilizer for cactus (1-7-6 with calcium) and a 1/4 of the recommended amount of regular balanced fertilizer (20-20-20) (to supplement low N in cactus fertilizer, since Madagascar Jewel is so leafy. I'm planning on trying out organic chicken manure (good source of N) next year instead of 20-20-20 fertilizer), and it seems to respond well.

I use 2 part Fox Farm's organic potting soil and 1 part coarse sand/perlite mixture. The potting soil should be well-draining, but not as much as cactus mix as Madagascar Jewel prefers to have more moisture than cactus.

I thoroughly water the plant until water comes out from the draining hole, and let the soil almost dry out before the next watering.

I was given a young Euphorbia leuconeura by a friend over three years ago. It grows well in a west window; turning it weekly keeps the stem straight; I water only when it's leaves begin to droop. It has produced about a dozen babies from its seeds landing in its pot or a neighboring pot. It is producing branches at the top now. What else can I expect? It is currently 30" tall.

I have had euphorbia leuconeura plants for over 10 years now and only now found it is an euphorbia leuconeura. During the years I have grown 2 new plants from the original plant. The mother plant died about 3 years ago. One of the 2 new plants now produced it's own offspring; I have 6 little plants at home. It is very easy to grow the plant, it shoots away the seeds, just place them back in the pot and give enough water.

After visiting the Sarasota Succulent Society last year, I came home with a very tiny little Euphorbia Leuconeura. The lovely ladies were almost hesitant to let such a novice take the only specimen home. I now have five of these delightful little guys. Each an offspring of the next. The oldest of them is only about 8 inches tall, and the internet specimens are much taller, is it from age, or should I change my care of it?

I grew this plant in a pot for several years. It is shaped like a miniature palm tree. The leaves are covered with a milky white bloom that adds to the interest.

I would like to grow it again if anyone knows a source in central Florida.

Native to the dark forests of Madagascar, this is a shade loving Euphorbia that self seeds freely. Grows to about 28" (70cm) tall.