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Euphorbia ammak
Euphorbia ammak is a succulent, cactus-like tree from the Arabian Peninsula, with upright candelabra-shaped stems and thorns. It is grown for its sculptural form and needs full sun, sharp drainage and dry winters.
Euphorbia ammak, commonly known as giant milk bush, African candelabra and candelabra spurge, is a species of plant in the family Euphorbiaceae native to the Arabian Peninsula.
As most other succulent members of the genus Euphorbia, its trade is regulated under Appendix II of CITES. In 1998, the plant was assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and was listed as Vulnerable.
The plant is easy to grow and prefers well drained soil (such as clay and pumice) in full sun, though younger plants may perform better indoors as the plant tolerates some shade. Watering should be regular in summer, and the plant should be kept dry in winter. A moderately fast grower and long-living, it matures and becomes large in 3-5 years. In addition to being frost-tender, the plant can be affected by mealybugs and, very rarely, scales. Strong winds can also affect the columns. It can easily be propagated by cuttings, though the cutting must callus for a week or two before placed in dry soil.
In Australia, the plant has adapted well in coastal areas. Euphorbia ammak 'Variegeta', a variegated form found in cultivation, features a creamy-yellow and pale blue-green surface.
It is native to the arid regions of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It grows in shrubby areas between 1000 and 1500 m above sea level, possibly as high as 2500 metres above sea. It is also found in rocky places in plains, on precipitous hillsides and thorny scrublands where it has now become rare in its native range (though it remains common in areas in North Yemen).
Abd Al Kuri Euphorbia · Desert Candle · Greek Spiny Spurge · Euphorbia actinoclada · Miniature Saguaro · Pincushion Euphorbia · Euphorbia alcicornis · Euphorbia alfredii · Euphorbia ambarivatoensis · Euphorbia ambovombensis · Euphorbia ampliphylla · Wood Spurge
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Euphorbia ammak by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
